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How to Personalize Your Windows Login Image

Personalizing your Windows login image is an easy way to add some flair and personalization to your device. Every time you turn on or unlock your computer, you’re greeted with the login screen. Rather than stare at the default Windows logo image, you can change it to display one of your own photos, a slideshow, or an image provided by Windows Spotlight.

Customizing the login image only takes a few minutes. This guide will walk you through the entire process, from accessing the settings to choosing your new login photo.

Prerequisites

Before changing your Windows login image, ensure:

  • You are running Windows 10 or 11
  • You have admin access to change settings
  • You have a specific image in mind to use (unless choosing Windows Spotlight)

Access Windows Personalization Settings

The first step is to access the Personalization settings where you can customize the login image. Here’s how:

  1. Open the Start Menu
  2. Click the Settings icon (gear shape)
  3. Select Personalization from the left sidebar

This will open the Personalization settings.

Choose the Login Image Source

Within the Personalization window, you need to navigate to the lock screen settings:

  1. Click on Lock Screen in the left sidebar
  2. Scroll down and locate the Background section
  3. Open the dropdown menu next to Background
  4. Select one of the following background source options:
    • Windows Spotlight – Automatically displays different high-quality images from Bing
    • Picture – Allows you to select a single image from your files
    • Slideshow – Rotates through a folder of images you select

Enable Login Screen Image

By default, your customized lock screen background will not carry over to the login screen. You must enable this feature:

  1. Under the Background section, toggle On the option for Show lock screen background picture on the sign-in screen

This setting makes your login screen image match what you set for the lock screen.

Choose Custom Image/Slideshow

If you selected the Picture or Slideshow background option, you can now specify the custom images:

For a single image:

  1. Click Browse to open File Explorer
  2. Navigate to and select the image you want
  3. Click Choose Picture

For a slideshow:

  1. Click Browse to open File Explorer
  2. Navigate to the folder containing your slideshow images
  3. Click Choose This Folder to set the image folder

Confirm Login Screen Image

You can easily preview and confirm the login screen image:

  1. Save your settings and close the Personalization window
  2. Press Ctrl + Alt + Del on your keyboard to bring up the login screen
  3. Confirm your selected image or slideshow displays correctly

If set up properly, you should see your personalized login screen background.

Tips for Best Results

Follow these tips for a seamless customized login image:

  • Use high resolution images for best quality
  • For slideshows, add at least 10+ images to prevent repetition
  • Periodically change the image to keep your login screen fresh
  • Make sure any custom images are saved locally on your device

Alternative: Use Third-Party Software

The above method utilizes the built-in Windows settings to change your login screen image. Alternatively, you can use third-party software for more customization options.

Some top third-party login screen apps include:

  • Logon Workshop – Highly customizable with unique transition effects
  • Logon Screen Changer – Easy to use with image download capabilities
  • Windows Logon Background Changer – Allows different images per user account

These apps provide more flexibility compared to the Windows settings. However, they may have compatibility issues or learning curves.

Summary

Personalizing your Windows login image is simple with the built-in settings, and only takes a few minutes. You can easily set a custom photo, slideshow, or use Windows Spotlight images. Just enable showing the lock screen image on login, choose your background, and confirm your personalized login screen.

Additionally, third-party apps provide alternative methods for enhanced customization. Follow the steps in this guide to change your boring default login image to something more visually appealing.

About the Author

My name is John and I have over 10 years of experience in IT and cybersecurity. I enjoy tweaking and customizing computers and software in my personal time. Changing default system images with custom photos or slideshows is an easy way to inject some personal flair and make your device feel unique. I hope this comprehensive guide helps you successfully personalize your Windows login image. Let me know if you have any other questions!

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