Windows 7 - Log On Screen - Change

Information

This will show you how to change the default Windows 7 log on screen background to a custom image of your choice. The log on screen consists of the Welcome, Ctrl+Alt+Del, Shutdown, Lock Computer, Switch User, Log On, and Log Off screens.

Note

This was discovered by Rafael Rivera at Within Windows. You should also visit his website for more detailed information on this.

Tip

If you need or want the default Windows 7 background.bmp image, then you can click on the Download button below to get it. It is normally located at C:\Windows\System32\oobe by default in Windows 7.

Warning

The custom image that you use must be a .jpg image less than 256 KB in size, or this will not work.

Note

This will let you easily change the default Windows 7 log on screen automatically with a stand-alone exe program called Windows 7 Logon Background Changer by our member Julien (aka: link8583). You can use OPTION THREE below to restore the default Windows 7 log on screen, or just select the image using this program.

1. Download Windows 7 Logon Background Changerat this link for the latest version, or click on the Download button below to download the Windows 7 Logon Background Changer 1.3.4 version.

2. Extract and run the Win7LogonBackgroundChanger.exe file.
NOTE: This is only a standalone EXE file, and does not install on your computer.

3. Click on Run in the Open File - Security Warning dialog box.

4. Click on an available image available in the preview bar at the top, or click on Choose a folder to open and add images of your own to the preview bar to select from instead, to see a preview of it as the log on screen in the main window. (See screenshot below)
NOTE: You can click on the arrows boxed in red below to scroll through the available images.

5. When you have selected the image you want as log on image, click on the Apply this background button. (See screenshot above)

6. When it's done, click on OK. (See screenshot below)
WARNING: It is important to wait until the program has completely finished creating the images and applying the background before closing the program or testing it.

7. You're log on screen is now changed. You can press Ctrl+Alt+Del to test it. Click on Cancel to return to the desktop.

8. When done, close the Windows 7 Logon Background Changer program.

9. Depending on how light or dark your background image is, you may want to change the log on screen text shadow to make it look better as well.

1. Unhide file type extensions.

2. Click on the Download button to download the
Use_Custom_Log_On_Screen.zip file.

3. Click on Save, and save the .zip file to the desktop.

4. Open the .zip file and extract the .reg file to the desktop.

5. Right click the .reg file (On Desktop) and click on Merge.

6. Click on Run, Yes, Yes, and OK when prompted.

7. Save the custom .jpg image you want to use to the desktop with the name backgroundDefault.jpg.
WARNING: The custom image that you use must be a .jpg image less than 256 KB in size, or this will not work.

8. Check to see what your primary display screen resolution is. (See screenshot below)
NOTE: For example, mine is 1920 x 1280.

9. Open Paint, and click on the File icon (top left corner), Open, and navigate to and select the .jpg image from step 7.
NOTE: You can open Paint by typing mspaint.exe in the Start menu search line and pressing enter.

10. In Paint, click on Resize, dot Pixels, uncheck Maintain aspect ratio, then resize the .jpg image to the screen resolution size in step 8. (See screenshot below)

11. In Paint, click on the File icon (top left corner), Save as, then save the .jpg file to the desktop with the exact file name below with the screen resolution size of the image.
NOTE: For example, since by screen resolution is 1920 x 1280, I will resize the image to this size and save it with the name background1920×1200.jpg.


WARNING: The custom image that you use must be a .jpg image less than 256 KB in size, or this will not work. The backgroundDefault.jpg (step 7) image will be Streched to Fit and used by default if Windows 7 cannot find or use the correct screen resolution image file created in this step. These are the only sizes supported by the log on screen.

• background768×1280.jpg
• background960×1280.jpg
• background900×1440.jpg
• background1024×768.jpg
• background1024×1280.jpg
• background1280×768.jpg
• background1280×960.jpg
• background1280×1024.jpg
• background1360×768.jpg
• background1440×900.jpg
• background1600×1200.jpg
• background1920×1200.jpg

12. When done, close Paint.

13. In Windows Explorer, navigate to
C:\Windows\System32\oobe\info\backgrounds. (See screenshot below step 14)
NOTE: If you do not have any of these folders (ex: info and backgrounds usually), then create a new folder for the missing folder and rename it to the missing folder's name. If you are prompted by UAC when creating and renaming the folders, just click on Yes to approve.

14. Copy and Paste the .jpg files from step 11, and from step 6 into the C:\Windows\system32\oobe\info\backgrounds folder, then close the window. (See screenshot below)

15. You're logon screen is now changed. You can press Ctrl+Alt+Del to test it. Click on Cancel to return to the desktop.
NOTE: You can now delete the .reg and .zip files on the desktop if you like.

16. You can now hide the file extensions again if you like.

17. Depending on how light or dark your background image is, you may want to change the log on screen text shadow to make it look better as well.

Note

This will restore the default Windows 7 log on screen if it was changed from either OPTION ONE or OPTION TWO above.

1. Click on the Download button to download the
Use_Default_Log_On_Screen.zip file.

2. Click on Save, and save the .zip file to the desktop.

3. Open the .zip file and extract the .reg file to the desktop.

4. Right click the .reg file (On Desktop) and click on Merge.

5. Click on Run, Yes, Yes, and OK when prompted.

6. You're logon screen is now changed back to the default one. You can press Ctrl+Alt+Del to test it. Click on Cancel to return to the desktop.
NOTE: You can now delete the .reg and .zip files on the desktop if you like.