
In the right pane, you’ll see a value named OEMBackground. In the Registry Editor, navigate to the following key: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Authentication\LogonUI\Background Launch Registry Editor by hitting Start, typing “regedit,” and then pressing Enter. You can also use the Group Policy Editor if you have a Professional version of Windows-we’ll cover that a bit later in this section. This feature is disabled by default, so you’ll have to enable it from the Registry Editor. All you have to do is change a single Registry value and then put an image file in the correct location. Step One: Enable Custom Backgrounds in Windows 7įor Windows 7, the ability to set a custom logon background is intended for original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) to customize their systems, but there’s nothing stopping you from using this feature yourself. We’ll also show you a third-party tool you can use as an easier alternative. First, you’ll make a Registry edit that enabled custom backgrounds, and then you’ll store the image you want in a special Windows folder. To use a custom login background in Windows 7, you’ll need to take two steps. Windows 7 Users: Set a Custom Login Background

RELATED: How to Add a PIN to Your Account in Windows 10 Windows 8 and 10 Users: Set Custom Lock Screen and Sign In Backgrounds In Windows 7, there’s only one sign in screen and you’ll have to enable a custom background for it in the Registry (or through Group Policy) before you can select a new background. You can change the lock screen background through a simple setting, but you’ll have to dive into the Registry to change the sign in screen background. The second is the sign in screen itself where you enter your password, PIN, or picture password.

The first is the lock screen-the one you have to click or swipe to get out of the way so you can sign in. In Windows 8 and 10, you actually see two different screens at sign in.
