In Windows 10, the lock screen image is shown in a number of cases. For instance, if you locked your user session using Win+L or by clicking the user image in the Start Menu, the lock screen image will appear and show the image which is set in your Settings -> Personalization -> Lock screen. But if you sign out or the screen is locked at the user list screen, then Windows 10 shows another image. This is the default lock screen. So, there are two completely separate lock screens in Windows 10. Here is how you can set the default lock screen image in Windows 10.
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When you sign out from your Windows 10 user session, after one minute the default Lock screen image appears. If you enable the Ctrl + Alt + Del sign in requirement, it will appear instantly.
Here is how the lock screen image for my user account looks like:
And this is the default lock screen image set in my Windows 10:
As you can see from the screenshots above, they are two different images.
Unlike the per-user lock screen image, the default one cannot be changed using the Settings app. Here is how to change default lock screen image in Windows 10.
It can be done with a simple Registry tweak. Just do the following.
- Open Registry Editor
- Go to the following key:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Personalization
Tip: How to jump to the desired registry key with one click.
If you have no such key, then just create it.
- Create a new string value named LockScreenImage.
Set its value data to the full path of the desired image which will be used as the lock screen image:
Now the default lock screen background will be set to the specified image:
The user lock screen image will remain unchanged:
The only limitation of this trick is Windows Spotlight. It is not possible to enable it for the default Lock screen.
The same can be done using Winaero Tweaker. Go to Appearance -> Default Lock Screen Background:
Use this option to avoid Registry editing.
You also might be interested in disabling the Lock screen completely. See this article: How to disable the Lock Screen in Windows 10.
If you have any questions or suggestions related to this tweak, you are welcome to comment.
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Any tips on changing the log in screen?
A registries key above, or nothing.
for some reason, within the tweaker I am unable to see any of my .jpg photos to add as a new default lock screen. is there a reason for this?
I am an idiot…..nevermind….just found the selector for which types of files it searches for. starts out on .png hence the confusion
On your right-bottom there is a hint.
Were is the default lock screen image for Windows 10 located. Somehow I have managed to get mine set to my most recent Spotlight image. I know this is not supposed to be possible but it has happened. I would like the beach cave image back. Thanks.
Look in C:\Windows\Web\Screen. It and the other default images live there.
I know this changes the *default* lock screen image, but is there a way to change the *user* lock screen image through the registry? Yes, specifically through the registry, and not through the personalization menu.
This feature does not work on Windows 10 anniversary edition. In fact it also messes up the ability to change lock screen settings. Once you set this the option to change the lock screen just has a message at the top saying this is controlled by your company. It also changes the ability to change the diagnostic and usage settings from full to basic or enhanced. it again just says this option is controlled by your company.
I am running Windows 10 anniversary HOME edition.
Doesnt WORK in version 1607:; Build ; 14393.105
and i can’t put the normal background , even if i Delete the registryt values .
!
Doesn’t work in Anniversary Update (1607). Well, it does work but it makes it where the user cannot change their lock screen. That’s a problem. I just want to change the DEFAULT lock screen.
Why is it doing this?
It forces the image for ALL lockscreens.
The most suitable option to use the same image for all lockscreen at once.
Not so convenient, but this is all that Microsoft allows us.
What do you mean by “use the same image for all lockscreen at once?” Just not sure what that means.
In short, I meant the following.
1. Revert the tweak.
2. Change the user lock screen image.
3. Apply the tweak again.
Same result. It locks so that the user can’t change it.
After you reverted the tweak, try to do the following.
Open the command prompt and type
gpupdate /forceThe result should be as follows:
Then restart your PC.
This should restore the ability to change the user lock screen.
Definitely this tweak now does not work as before in the Anniversary Update, if you have auto logon enabled.
If you have to put in your password on logon, it does seem to still work.
With auto logon enabled you can have the cave picture or a plain colour, no alternative image seems to be possible.
:-(
Why do people use autologon?
This did not work for me, and i have tried everything. There is no way to change the Lock screen that is displayed when you first boot your PC. if Anything, the best i was able to do was to turn off the lock screen. everyone has a salutation for this, none of them work.
This did not work. I tried manually updating the registry and using the software. Same result. Still shows the beach cave image. Anyone have any ideas?
try to run gpupdate /force in the elevated command prompt after you changed the Registry.
This doesn’t seem to work with the April 2018 version of Windows 10. I tried it numerous times with JPEG and PNG images without luck. Possibly the structure of the settings has been changed by Microsoft.
Same problem, and i had several bluescreens while trying
2019.01.22
I had trouble with Lock and Logon background images refusing to change regardless of what I tried until I deleted (renamed) the two files: roaming.lock and settings.dat found at:
\AppData\Local\Packages\Microsoft.Windows.ContentDeliveryManager_\Settings
I hope this helps others having similar difficulties. Perhaps this seemingly safe and easy action could be added under-the-hood of the WinAero action of changing the lock screen.
~ cheers
change
Definitely doesn’t work in Win10 1903.
I’ve found a solution that works on the latest Windows 10 Pro Build 1903.
1. Go to C:\Windows\Web\Screen and take the ownership of img100.jpg
2. Rename it.
3. Copy an image you like to this folder as img100.jpg
4. Use the Winaero Tweaker or the above “How to change default lock screen image in Windows 10” with the same picture that you will put in other folder.
5. To be on the sure side Open CMD prompt as Administrator and write: gpupdate /force
6. Restart your PC.
The picture in default lock screen image will change.
(It will take few days until the Lock screen picture will change. In my case it took 3 days).
This worked for me with the latest Windows 10 Pro Build 1903:
1. Create the following folder if it does not exist: C:\Windows\System32\oobe\info\backgrounds
2. Copy a JPG image you like to this folder and name it backgroundDefault.jpg
3. In the Registry Editor, browse to HKLM\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Personalization and ensure that the following properties exist with the specified values:
[REG_SZ] “LockScreenImage”: “C:\Windows\System32\oobe\info\backgrounds\backgroundDefault.jpg”
[REG_DWORD] “NoLockScreen”: “0x00000001 (1)”
Alternatively, here are the contents of a .REG file:
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Personalization]
“LockScreenImage”=”C:\\Windows\\System32\\oobe\\info\\backgrounds\\backgroundDefault.jpg”
“NoLockScreen”=dword:00000001
4) The change should take effect immediately. If not, open a CMD prompt as Administrator and execute the following command: gpupdate /force
A few of these techniques work for me, Win10 v1803, 1809, 1903
WORKS – ToneDeF method using OOBE
WORKS – WinAero (original posting) registry ‘Personalization’
However – All of these (and other) methods only seem to work if the image is the same resolution as the current monitor setting. More specifically, the image displays at 1:1 resolution, so if you have a company logo or image that starts on the left, or right, it may be cropped. The lockscreen does not scale.
Worse is when there are multple users that each use a different monitor resolution. These methods do not work proper.
My solution, which is clumsy and high maintenance – until I find a better method is to replace the actual displayed lockscreens with the actual screen sizes that Windows detects and displays. These are located in a system locked folder at: C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\SystemData\ and within this folder are folders for each user, and each screen resolution you have. The system folder is .\S-1-5-18\ReadOnly\
To manage this, you need to take ownership such as:
takeown /F C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\SystemData /R /D N
Then allow access:
icacls C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\SystemData /grant {me}:(F) /T
Baffling why Microsoft chooses to make such a superficial cosmetic task a key system component and rewrite the settings every major update.
We use a script to cleanup all the Microsoft junk, unwanted and forces changes and other things constantly.
01.2020 Win10 Gome 1909
Is there a way to do it on Windows 10 HOME edition? I’ve tried everything from above and nothing works.
Bummer, leave it to Micro$oft for such a terrible design. Will they ever learn? I seriously doubt it. So many repeated mistakes version after version leads me to believe such things are by design to support 3rd party insiders to give them business.
I tried the winareo tweaker on 1909 I just installed but it fails and says “Setup was unable to create the directory C:\Users\myuser~1\AppData\Local\Temp\js-SQ9SU.tmp Error 2: The system cannot find the file specified.”
That looks like a programming error to me. I’m using version 0.16.1.0 of winareo.
The installer has no access to your temp directory for some reason. It is a permission issue.
Thanks for that info, but it is a temp directory setup either by microsoft or your app. I manually created a folder in that directory without issue, so if a permissions issue it’s due to how microsoft views your app, at least that’s my best guess.
The temp folder is buried a few layers deep under AppData, a hidden folder.
Might consider *DATING* these articles!
Tech moves along rather quickly, you know.
They are DATED.
Below the text!
I tried. The articles refused to go out with me on a date.
First, thank you for your great WinAero Tweaker and it’s nice descriptions on here!
Second, you missed the key “DisableLockScreenAppNotification” to proove the lock screen will work.
So this are the commands i always use:
(Assuming your picture in %windir%\System32\oobe\info\backgrounds\backgroundDefault.jpg)
reg.exe ADD HKLM\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Personalization /v LockScreenImage /t REG_SZ /d C:\Windows\System32\oobe\info\backgrounds\backgroundDefault.jpg /f 1
reg.exe ADD HKLM\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\System /v DisableLogonBackgroundImage /t REG_DWORD /d 0 /f
reg.exe ADD HKLM\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\System /v DisableLockScreenAppNotification /t REG_DWORD /d 1 /f 1
This article is not for your user account’s lockscreen but for the DEFAULT lockscreen. The default is the one which appears when no account is signed in. Got it?
You should mention, that this way of doing is only working on Windows 10 Enterprise or Education Editions.
For all WIndows 10 editions, including Home, you have two different solutions:
SOLUTION 1 – Changing Default LockScreen Image:
================================================
Attention: Be aware, that icacls using Administator name depending on your language!
Same thing with “echo F” for saying “file” at the xcopy file or folder question!
Do it better if you’re smarter out there :-)
:: set some good to know keys
reg.exe ADD HKCU\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\ContentDeliveryManager /v RotatingLockScreenEnabled /t REG_DWORD /d 0 /f
reg.exe ADD HKCU\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\ContentDeliveryManager /v RotatingLockScreenOverlayEnabled /t REG_DWORD /d 0 /f
reg.exe ADD HKLM\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Personalization /v NoLockScreen /t REG_DWORD /d 0 /f
reg.exe ADD HKLM\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\System /v DisableLockScreenAppNotification /t REG_DWORD /d 1 /f
reg.exe ADD HKLM\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\System /v DisableLogonBackgroundImage /t REG_DWORD /d 0 /f
:: take ownership of folder, backup old image, copy new image
:: replace MyNewImage.png with your full image path
TAKEOWN /F %WINDIR%\Web\Screen\ /R /A /D J
ICACLS %WINDIR%\Web\Screen\ /grant Administrators:F /T
REN C:\Windows\Web\Screen\img100.png img100.png.backup.%date%
echo F | xcopy /C /H /R /Y “MyNewLockScreenImage.png” “C:\Windows\Web\Screen\img100.png”
cd %ProgramData%\Microsoft\Windows
takeown /F SystemData\ /R /A /D J
ICACLS SystemData\S-1-5-18\ReadOnly\LockScreen_Z\ /grant Administrators:F /T
del /Q /F SystemData\S-1-5-18\ReadOnly\LockScreen_Z\*.*
SOLUTION 2 – Use the “CSP” Registry Keys
================================================
This takes effect immediatly without reboot or logoff. The images are changed, but the lockscreen option at the pc settings is now locked. The user cant change the image anymore if this keys are set.
reg.exe ADD HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\PersonalizationCSP /v LockScreenImagePath /t REG_SZ /d “MyNewLockScreenImagePath.png” /f
reg.exe ADD HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\PersonalizationCSP /v LockScreenImageUrl /t REG_SZ /d “MyNewLockScreenImagePath.png” /f
reg.exe ADD HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\PersonalizationCSP /v LockScreenImageStatus REG_DWORD /d 1 /f
Thanks for Solution 2 “PersonalizationCSP” !
Stefan, the CSP solution worked like a charm!
If I could kiss you and stroke your forehead I would
In Windows 10 1909 and 2004 (and possibly others going back) the GPO method does not work outside of Enterprise and Education SKUs. WinAero should be updated to not make this option available if running on a machine that doesn’t support the GPO method. Maybe WinAero should present another option to implement the prior poster’s (Stephan) method #2 (using the CSP registry keys), as this has worked for me on all machines I’ve tried it on.
PS…Thank you Stephan
Its not working for me anyway :(
I’m using a last build of Win 10 Pro – 20H2
build 19043.1586
I can’t change lock screen any more
winaero tweaker
registry editor
gpedit
directly edit C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\SystemData\S-1-5-18
none of the above works…
it was very useful for me this post
M$ has W_O_N!
It’s obvious that they have been watching [here] and don’t intend to
lose this [change the background] battle!
Dirty S~Ds!
A trick is to CHANGE the user lock screen image and then sign out. For Windows spotlight, switch to “Picture”, then back to “Windows spotlight” and sign out.