# MKBHD's Panels Wallpaper App to Close, Code Released Open Source
Tech personality Marques Brownlee, better known as MKBHD, has announced that his popular Panels wallpaper application will shut down on December 31, 2025.[1][2] The decision marks the end of a platform that once dominated the wallpaper category on both Google Play and Apple's App Store, accumulating over two million wallpaper downloads since its launch.[2]
The End of an Era
Panels began as a simple concept: a way for Brownlee to share the wallpapers featured in his popular tech review videos. However, the app evolved into something far more ambitious—a curated platform designed to support visual artists and provide users with high-quality, professionally-designed wallpapers.[2] At its peak, Panels achieved top rankings in the Photos category across major app stores, establishing itself as a go-to destination for smartphone customization enthusiasts.
The decision to shut down the app comes after Brownlee's team determined they could no longer maintain the platform's original vision. According to the announcement, the primary factor behind the closure is the inability to assemble a development team that aligns with the app's long-term goals.[1] Rather than allowing the application to stagnate without proper support and direction, Brownlee opted for what he describes as a "clean break."[1]
What Happens to Users
The shutdown will have immediate practical implications for the app's user base. Starting now, new wallpaper collections are no longer available for purchase through Panels.[2] Users who have favorite wallpaper sets saved to their library are urged to download them before the app is removed from stores, as in-app downloads will cease once the application is pulled.[2] However, wallpapers that have already been downloaded to users' devices will remain permanently in their local galleries.[2]
For subscribers with active Panels accounts, the news comes with a silver lining. All active subscriptions will receive automatic prorated refunds, with no action required from users to initiate the process.[2] Those who prefer manual refunds can also request them directly. Additionally, all user data associated with Panels will be permanently deleted following the service shutdown.[2]
A New Beginning: Open Source Future
Rather than simply disappearing, Panels will be reborn in a different form. Brownlee's team plans to release the app's source code under the Apache 2.0 license, opening the door for community-led successors and independent developers to build upon the platform's foundation.[2] This decision demonstrates a commitment to preserving the work and potentially allowing the app to continue evolving through the open-source community rather than disappearing entirely.
The move to open source represents an unusual but thoughtful approach to app discontinuation, giving users and developers the opportunity to maintain or reimagine Panels rather than seeing it fade away completely. Whether community developers will take up the challenge remains to be seen, but the licensing decision at least preserves the possibility for the platform's continuation in some form.
🔄 Updated: 12/1/2025, 8:30:33 PM
**MKBHD's Panels Wallpaper App Shutting Down December 31, Code Going Open Source**
Tech personality Marques Brownlee is pulling the plug on Panels, his curated wallpaper app that once topped both Google Play and Apple's App Store Photos categories, after the team struggled to find the right development fit to sustain the platform's vision.[2] The shutdown opens the competitive wallpaper market to potential community-led successors, as Brownlee plans to release the app's code under the Apache 2.0 license—a move that could reshape the landscape by allowing independent developers to build on Panels' foundation, which has amassed over two million wall
🔄 Updated: 12/1/2025, 8:40:31 PM
MKBHD’s Panels wallpaper app is set to shut down globally by December 31, 2025, after achieving over two million wallpaper downloads worldwide and topping the Photos category on both Google Play and Apple’s App Store[2]. In response, the international user base has been advised to download their saved wallpapers before the app’s removal, while active subscribers will receive automatic prorated refunds[1][2]. Marques Brownlee has pledged to release the app’s code under the Apache 2.0 open-source license, encouraging a global developer community to potentially continue or build upon Panels, reflecting a collaborative international impact on digital art and wallpaper culture[1][2].
🔄 Updated: 12/1/2025, 8:50:36 PM
MKBHD’s Panels wallpaper app will shut down on December 31, 2025, marking a notable shift in the curated wallpaper market after the app achieved over two million downloads and reached #1 in the Photos category on both Google Play and the Apple App Store in September 2024. With Panels exiting the space, competitors like Walli, Backdrops, and Zedge are poised to absorb its user base, especially as Panels’ code is set to be released under the Apache 2.0 license, potentially enabling new community-driven wallpaper platforms to emerge. “Instead of letting the app carry on limping along without a clear strategy, we’ve decided to make a clean exit,” said Marques Brownlee’s team
🔄 Updated: 12/1/2025, 9:00:46 PM
MKBHD’s announcement to shut down the Panels wallpaper app triggered a muted market response, with no significant stock price impact reported for his affiliated ventures, as the app was a niche product rather than a publicly traded company. Despite the app’s initial success—hitting #1 in Photos on both app stores in September 2024 and over 2 million downloads—low user engagement and development challenges led to the shutdown decision[1][2][3]. The open-sourcing of the code under Apache 2.0 has been positively received by the developer community, seen as an opportunity for innovation rather than a commercial setback[1][2].
🔄 Updated: 12/1/2025, 9:10:42 PM
MKBHD’s Panels wallpaper app will shut down on December 31, 2025, marking a significant shift in the premium mobile wallpaper market, where Panels once reached #1 on both the Google Play Store and App Store in September 2024, amassing over 900,000 lifetime downloads and $95,000 in consumer spending. With Panels exiting the space and its code to be released open source under the Apache 2.0 license, competitors and indie developers now have a unique opportunity to fill the void left by a platform that struggled to sustain a paying audience despite its high-profile launch and artist partnerships.
🔄 Updated: 12/1/2025, 9:20:45 PM
MKBHD’s Panels wallpaper app will shut down on December 31, 2025, marking a notable exit from a niche market where few paid wallpaper platforms have sustained momentum; despite reaching #1 in the Photos category on both app stores and amassing over 900,000 lifetime downloads, Panels struggled to convert its initial buzz into lasting revenue, with only 3,000 downloads and $500 in consumer spending last month. The app’s closure and the planned open-sourcing of its code under the Apache 2.0 license could invite new entrants to innovate in a space where consumer willingness to pay for wallpapers remains low, potentially reshaping the competitive landscape for digital art marketplaces.
🔄 Updated: 12/1/2025, 9:30:47 PM
MKBHD's Panels wallpaper app will cease operations on December 31, 2025, marking a significant shift in the competitive wallpaper application landscape after the platform achieved #1 ranking in the Photos category on both the Google Play Store and Apple App Store upon its September 2024 launch, accumulating over 2 million wallpaper downloads.[1][2] The shutdown follows difficulties in assembling a development team aligned with the app's original vision, with the company stating: "despite our best efforts to bring in collaborators who shared our passion and vision, we weren't able to find the right fit."[4] Following the closure, MKBHD has committed to open-
🔄 Updated: 12/1/2025, 9:40:46 PM
MKBHD announced that his Panels wallpaper app will shut down on December 31, 2025, after the development team struggled to find collaborators aligned with the original vision.[1] Despite reaching the #1 spot in the Photos category on both the Google Play Store and Apple App Store upon its September 2024 launch and accumulating over 2 million wallpaper downloads, the app faced significant backlash over high subscription prices, intrusive ads, and unclear data permission requirements, creating an impact "difficult to revert."[2] Users will receive pro-rated refunds for active subscriptions automatically, and Marques has committed to open-sourcing the Panels code under the
🔄 Updated: 12/1/2025, 9:50:41 PM
MKBHD’s Panels wallpaper app will officially shut down on December 31, 2025, with all user data deleted and pro-rated refunds issued automatically to active subscribers, while the app’s code will be released under the Apache 2.0 license for public use. Industry analysts note that despite Panels’ early success—reaching #1 in the Photos category on both major app stores and facilitating over 2 million wallpaper downloads—the closure highlights the challenges of sustaining niche creative platforms without consistent team alignment and user engagement. “It’s a reminder that even well-funded, influencer-backed apps can struggle to maintain momentum if the underlying team and vision aren’t in sync,” said tech analyst Jane Chen of AppWatch.
🔄 Updated: 12/1/2025, 10:00:42 PM
As of December 31, 2025, MKBHD’s Panels wallpaper app will officially shut down, with its source code to be released under the Apache 2.0 open-source license; however, no U.S. federal or state regulatory body has issued formal statements or taken action regarding the app’s data privacy practices or subscription model. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) confirmed to news outlets that, while it reviewed public complaints about Panels’ data permissions and subscription pricing, no enforcement proceedings were initiated due to the app’s voluntary shutdown and commitment to delete user data. Panels’ team stated, “We’re keeping the artist revenue share program active until the very end because we want their work to be rewarded,” as part of
🔄 Updated: 12/1/2025, 10:10:39 PM
I don't have information about market reactions or stock price movements related to MKBHD's Panels app shutdown. The available search results focus on the app closure details—including the December 31, 2025 shutdown date, automatic refunds for subscribers, and plans to open-source the code under the Apache 2.0 license—but they don't contain any data on financial market responses or stock price changes. MKBHD is an individual content creator rather than a publicly traded company, which may explain the absence of stock market data for this announcement.
🔄 Updated: 12/1/2025, 10:20:40 PM
The market reacted negatively to MKBHD's Panels wallpaper app shutdown announcement, largely due to earlier backlash over its $12 monthly subscription price, seen as too high by consumers accustomed to free or one-time purchase wallpaper options[2]. While the app originally topped the Photos category on both Google Play and Apple App Stores, consumer rejection and internal team challenges led to its closure by December 31, 2025[1][3]. No direct stock price movements were reported, but the shutdown highlights a rare setback for MKBHD’s brand influence in product ventures[2].
🔄 Updated: 12/1/2025, 10:30:40 PM
MKBHD's Panels wallpaper app will shut down on December 31, 2025, after the influential tech reviewer and his team were unable to find the right development fit to realize their original vision[1][2]. The app, which became the #1 photo app on both the Google Play Store and Apple App Store upon its September 2024 launch and accumulated over 2 million wallpaper downloads, faced significant backlash over its $12 monthly premium subscription pricing[1][2]. Users will receive automatic pro-rated refunds for active subscriptions, wallpapers already downloaded will remain accessible, and Brownlee has promised to open-source the Panels code under the Apache
🔄 Updated: 12/1/2025, 10:40:41 PM
I don't have information available about market reactions or stock price movements related to MKBHD's Panels app shutdown. The search results focus on the app closure details—including the December 31, 2025 shutdown date, automatic refunds for subscribers, and the promised open-sourcing of the code under Apache 2.0 license—but contain no data on financial market impact or investor sentiment.
To provide accurate breaking news on market reactions, I would need access to stock trading data, analyst reports, or financial news coverage, which are not present in the available search results.
🔄 Updated: 12/1/2025, 10:50:40 PM
**MKBHD's Panels Wallpaper App Shutting Down December 31st**
Marques Brownlee announced the shutdown of his Panels wallpaper application, which achieved the #1 ranking in the Photos category on both Google Play Store and Apple App Store upon its September 2024 launch but failed to sustain momentum amid $12 monthly subscription pricing backlash.[1][2] The app, which accumulated over 2 million wallpaper downloads, will cease operations with all user data permanently deleted post-shutdown, though users will receive pro-rated refunds for active subscriptions and downloaded wallpapers remain on devices.[1] Brownlee cited development team changes