Every new tab in Chrome is a blank page you look at dozens of times a day, and most people never think to change it. Artie and Wand Live Wallpaper gives that page somewhere to go. It swaps the blank screen for an animated HD scene of two rival anime fighters, one burning in red flame, the other crackling with blue lightning, facing off in a dark arena.
It’s a free Chrome extension built for anyone who wants their browser to carry a little of that same charged energy.
Features
Animated fire vs lightning rivalry wallpaper. The centerpiece of the extension, with real motion instead of a still frame stretched across the tab.
HD and 4K quality. Sharp on standard monitors and holds up cleanly on higher-resolution displays.
A wider anime rivalry gallery. Beyond the fire and lightning duo, the collection includes other high-energy anime duels and standoffs.
Shuffle mode. Switch it on and a new wallpaper loads with every tab, so the page doesn’t sit frozen on the same scene all day.
Custom uploads. Set your own image as the background whenever you’d rather skip the built-in gallery.
Built-in utilities. A clock, date, and search bar sit over the wallpaper, so the new tab page still works the way Chrome intends.
Quick links. Bookmarks, browsing history, and your most visited sites are one click away.
Notes and a to-do list. A small panel for writing things down without opening another app.
Weather. Local conditions show up directly on the new tab.
Offline support. Wallpapers load without a connection once they’ve been cached.
Lightweight. No noticeable effect on how fast Chrome opens, even with shuffle mode running.
How to Download
- Open the Chrome Web Store listing for Artie and Wand Live Wallpaper.
- Click Add to Chrome.
- Confirm the permissions prompt.
- Open a new tab. The wallpaper loads automatically.
No account needed, no separate download, nothing standing between you and the extension besides one click.
How to Use
Once installed, a wallpaper appears on every new tab by default. To pick a specific one:
- Click the gallery icon in the corner of the new tab page.
- Browse the fire, lightning, and wider anime rivalry categories.
- Select a wallpaper to set it, or turn on shuffle mode and let the extension rotate through the gallery on its own.
To use your own image instead, choose the upload option in the same panel and select a file from your device. To remove the extension, right-click its icon in the Chrome toolbar and choose Remove from Chrome.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is this extension free? Yes. There’s no paid tier and nothing locked behind a purchase in the wallpaper gallery.
Will it slow down my browser? No. Wallpapers cache locally after the first load, so new tabs open at normal speed.
Does it work offline? Yes, once the wallpapers have loaded once. After that, they’re stored on your device.
What data does the extension collect? It only needs new tab access to display wallpapers. It doesn’t ask for login credentials or reach into unrelated browsing data.
Can I upload my own wallpaper? Yes. The upload option lets you set any image from your device as the new tab background.
Why is it called Artie and Wand if the wallpaper shows a fire vs lightning duel? The name carries over from the wallpaper series this extension belongs to. The artwork itself focuses on the rivalry scene rather than any specific named characters.
Why Fans Love This Extension
A standoff between fire and lightning is the kind of scene that loses almost everything when it’s frozen into a static image. The red glow needs to flicker, the blue lightning needs to crackle, and neither one lands the same way without motion. This extension keeps both moving, so the tension of the standoff carries over every time a new tab opens.
It also keeps the rest of the page simple. There’s no dashboard bolted on top of the wallpaper, no pop-up asking for an email address, nothing fighting the scene for attention. Just a clock, a search bar, quick links, and a rotating set of anime rivalry wallpapers doing exactly what a new tab background is supposed to do.
For anyone who likes their browser to feel like it has a bit of an edge, that’s the appeal.
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