Replace the LG webOS screensaver with looping GIFs — keep up to eight, and the TV picks one at random every time the screensaver starts. Browse pixel art and animations via GIPHY, or paste any direct GIF URL.
Requires a rooted TV via Homebrew Channel.
Disclaimer: Modifies a system screensaver file via bind-mount. Use at your own risk.
Install via the Homebrew Channel app store, or sideload the .ipk from the latest release.
After installing, open the app and select a GIF. The screensaver activates automatically when your TV idles.
First launch — no GIPHY key: 4 selectable defaults, the URL bar at the bottom lets you input a .gif link and download it immediately. No API key required.
With a GIPHY API key: Enter your key (free at developers.giphy.com) to unlock the GIF browser. The key is saved and persists across restarts.
With SSH access: If your TV has SSH via Homebrew Channel, you can inject the key without typing it on the TV. Close the app first if it's already open, then run:
luna-send -n 1 luna://com.webos.service.applicationManager/launch \
'{"id":"org.oted.idlegif","params":{"giphyApiKey":"YOUR_KEY"}}'Slots: the row below the GIF grid holds eight screensaver slots. Each new GIF takes the first free slot, and once all eight are full the oldest is replaced. The screensaver picks a random filled slot every time it starts, so the eight rotate on their own.
Select a filled slot to clear it, or use Clear all at the end of the row. The line beside it shows how much space the slots use and how much is free on the TV.
Buttons:
- Refresh — fetch a new set of GIFs from GIPHY
- Test — navigate to the home screen and trigger the screensaver to preview it
- Clear key — forget the stored GIPHY key (only shown when one is set)
- Uninstall — remove the screensaver override and boot hook
Navigation: arrow keys to move, OK to select.
| webOS version | Targets | Status |
|---|---|---|
| webOS 9.x | Clock.qml |
✅ Confirmed |
| webOS 5.x – 8.x | main.qml |
🧪 Should work |
| webOS 3.x / 4.x | — | ❌ Not supported |
Requires ares-cli.
make package # build the .ipk
make update # build, install to TV, apply bind-mount, launch
make test # trigger screensaver (navigates home first)
make clean # remove .ipk artifactsOn Node 24, ares-cli 2.3.1's SSH transport fails with Error: Unable to exec, which
breaks ares-install, ares-launch and ares-shell — so make update does not work.
make package is unaffected. Copy the .ipk across and install it directly instead:
scp org.oted.idlegif_*_all.ipk root@TV_IP:/tmp/idlegif.ipk
ssh -tt root@TV_IP 'luna-send -n 1 luna://com.webos.appInstallService/dev/install \
"{\"id\":\"com.ares.defaultName\",\"ipkUrl\":\"/tmp/idlegif.ipk\",\"subscribe\":true}"'The install is asynchronous — wait for it to finish before deleting the .ipk, or it
aborts while still reporting success.
MIT