Log On Screen - Change

How to Change Log On Screen Background in Windows 7​

   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.

   Tip

If you need or want the default Windows 7 log on screen background image, then you can click on the Download button below to get it. It is normally located at C:\Windows\System32\oobe\background.bmp by default in Windows 7. While this is the looks like the log on screen background image, it is not the location to change the log on screen background image of.
Download

   Warning

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

EXAMPLE: Default Log On and Ctrl+Alt+Del screens







EXAMPLE: Custom Log On and Ctrl+Alt+Del screens

OPTION ONE

Using the "Windows 7 Logon Background Changer" Program

NOTE: This will let you easily change the default Windows 7 log on screen automatically with a stand-alone exe program called by our member Julien (aka: link8583). You can use OPTION FOUR below to restore the default Windows 7 log on screen, or just select the image using this program.1. If you have not already, download the latest version of Windows 7 Logon Background Changer.

2. Extract (drag and drop) the Win7LogonBackgroundChanger folder to your desktop, and run the Win7LogonBackgroundChanger.exe file in it.
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.

   Tip

If you click on the Settings button, you could click on the Prevent other users from changing the background option to prevent standard users from being able to run this program to change the log on screen until the next time you change it. This option will give them a UAC prompt for them to have to type in an administrator's password before being able to run the program.

4. Click on the Choose a folder button at the top. (see screenshot below)

5. Navigate to and select the folder that contains the image you want to use for your log on screen background, and click on OK. (see screenshot below)

6. Select the image you want to use in the bottom row to have it displayed in the main window of the program, then click on the Apply button at the top. (see screenshot below step 4)
NOTE: You can click on the arrows boxed in red below to scroll through the available images. If you select an image that is over 256KB in size, it will automatically be reduced in size to be below 256KB.

7. If prompted, click on Yes to apply. (see screenshot below)

A) If prompted by UAC, then click on Yes.

8. When it's finished, your log on screen has now been changed. You can press Ctrl+Alt+Del to test it. Click on Cancel to return to the desktop.

9. When finished, you can close the Windows 7 Logon Background Changer program.
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.

10. 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.

OPTION TWO

Using the "Tweaks.com Logon Changer for Windows 7" Program

NOTE: This will let you easily change and restore the default Windows 7 log on screen automatically with another stand-alone exe program. 1. If you have not already, download the latest version of the Tweaks.com Logon Changer for Windows 7 program, and save it to your desktop.

2. Open the downloaded tweakslogon.zip file, extract (drag and drop) the TweaksLogon.exe file to your desktop, and run the program.

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

4. To Change the Log On Screen in Windows 7A) Click on the Change Logon Screen button. (see screenshot below)

B) Navigate to and select the JPG image that you want to have as the new log on screen background, then click on Open. (see screenshot below)

   Note

If the selected image is to large, then click on OK after clicking on Open to have it automatically resized for you.

C) Go to step 6.

5. To Restore the Default Log On Screen in Windows 7
NOTE: I find that this step doesn't work to well in this program. If you find the same, then you can use OPTION FOUR below to restore the default Windows 7 log on screen. A) Click on the Restore to Default Logon Screen button. (see screenshot below)


6. Click on OK. The log on screen has now been changed. (see screenshot below)

7. If you would like, click on the Test button to see how the new logon screen looks in case you change your mind and wish to change it again.
NOTE: This will take you to the Lock screen. You can log on again to your user account to be right back where you were without anything being closed.

8. When finished, close the program.

OPTION THREE

To Manually Change the Log On Screen in Windows 7

NOTE: This was discovered by Rafael Rivera at Within Windows. You should also visit his website for more detailed information on this.1. Unhide file type extensions.

2. Click on the Download button to download the file below.Use_Custom_Log_On_Screen.reg



Download



3. Save the .reg file to the desktop.

4. Right click on the extracted .reg file and click on Merge.

5. Click on Run, Yes (UAC), Yes, and OK when prompted.

6. 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.

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

8. Open Paint, and click on the File icon (top left corner), Open, and navigate to and select the .jpg image from step 6.
NOTE: You can open Paint by typing mspaint.exe in the Start menu search line and pressing enter.

9. In Paint, click on Resize, dot Pixels, uncheck Maintain aspect ratio, then resize the .jpg image to the screen resolution size in step 7. (See screenshot below)

10. In Paint, click on the File icon (top left corner), Save as, then save the new .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 6) 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

11. When done, close Paint.

12. In Windows Explorer, navigate to
C:\Windows\System32\oobe\info\backgrounds. (See screenshot below step 13)
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.

13. Copy and Paste the .jpg files from step 10, and from step 6 into the C:\Windows\system32\oobe\info\backgrounds folder, then close the window. (See screenshot below)

14. 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.

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

16. 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.

OPTION FOUR

To Restore the Default Log On Screen

NOTE: This will restore the default Windows 7 log on screen if it was changed from either OPTION ONE, OPTION TWO, or OPTION THREE above.1. Click on the Download button to download the file below.Use_Default_Log_On_Screen.reg


Download



2. Save, and the .reg file to the desktop.

3. Right click on the extracted .reg file and click on Merge.

4. Click on Run, Yes (UAC), Yes, and OK when prompted.

5. 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 downloaded .reg and .zip files if you like.

That's it,
Shawn

Related Tutorials

---

• How to Change the Windows 7 Log On Screen Text Shadow
• How to Enable or Disable Secure Logon CTRL+ALT+DELETE in Windows 7
• How to Automatically Log On a User Account at Windows 7 Startup
• How To Change or Remove the Windows 7 Log On Screen Text Branding
• How to Add and Change the "System" OEM Support Information in Windows 7
• How to Enable or Disable the Windows 7 Log On Screen Saver
• How to Make Windows 7 Require a User Name and Password at Log On
• How to Add or Remove Ease of Access Center from Windows 7 Log On Screen
• How to Change Your User Account Picture in Windows 7
• How to Change the Windows Logo on the System Properties Page
• How to Change the "Welcome" Text Message at Log On in Windows 7 and Vista
• How to Fix Windows 7 Logon Screen Showing Only "Other User" and Last Logged On User Icon
• How to Change the Font on the Log On Screen in Windows 7

 

[Brink]

nevesswodniw,

That option is to prevent a standard user from being able to run the program in OPTION ONE by giving them a UAC prompt to enter an administrator's password until the next time the administrator changes the log on screen. I added a TIP box in OPTION ONE for that setting.

 

[nevesswodniw]

nevesswodniw,

That option is to prevent a standard user from being able to run the program in OPTION ONE by giving them a UAC prompt to enter an administrator's password until the next time the administrator changes the log on screen. I added a TIP box in OPTION ONE for that setting.

Ok, gotcha So its just a program specific setting, I thought it had something to do within windows settings.


Thanks again.

 

[Brink]

Yeah, it's program specific using UAC in Windows to enforce it.

 

[muiacir]

is there a way to change the windows logg off(shutdown) background?

i find this thread....as the admin said we can only set one picture to log off and log on

 

[Brink]

Hello Muiacir,

Sorry, but the log on screen consists of the Welcome, Ctrl+Alt+Del, Shutdown, Lock Computer, Switch User, Log On, and Log Off screens. They are all the same screen.

 

[o770]

Hello Brink. The second warning brings the size of 1360x768px. Should that read 1366x768 perhaps?
I can confirm mine working with the later well.

 

[Brink]

Hello o770,

1360x768px is just the official supported size, but I would image that if it was real close in size like your 1366x768, it would still work.

Thank you for confirming that it works with that size as well though.

 

[Phanjam]

Hi Night Hawk. I registered on this forum just to say "thank you" for this post. I had tried a bunch of logon screen-changer programs and somehow got my logon screen stuck on one image and it would not budge from there!
But the Use_Default_Log_On_Screen.reg file did the trick! Thank you so very much!

 

[New person]

Windows 8

Hi,

What a bout Windows 8?
How can I Change the Windows 8 Log On Screen Background?

thanks.

 

[Brink]

Hello New person, and welcome to Seven Forums.

For Windows 8 issues, it would be better to register and post at our sister site Eight Forums instead.

For Windows 8 log on screen:

• Start Screen - Change Background Color and Image
• Sign in Screen - Change Background Color in Windows 8

Hope this helps,
Shawn

 

[hddvd]

having issues with this

Sorry to revive this old thread but im having a weird issue applying the logon screen. When i name a JPG backgroundDefault.jpg it gets applied. But if i specify the JPG name with one of the approved resolution names it will not apply. Is backgroundDefault.jpg the only approved name in later build of Win7? My screen resolution is 1280×1024 and the image i am trying to apply is 1280×1024 with a name of background1280×1024.jpg. Thanks for any help.

 

[Brink]

Hello hddvd, and welcome to Seven Forums.

You might give OPTION ONE or OPTION TWO to have it done automatically to see how it works for you. They are standalone .exe files that do not install on your system, and do not need to remain running for your log on screen to remain.

Hope this helps,
Shawn

 

[hddvd]

i was trying to avoid using EXEs. I am actually trying to deploy OS images using SCCM and i want to be able to change the logon screen during the deployment.

 

[Brink]

You could still do so afterwards.

The program will have all of the background images created for you afterwards to make it easier to use them.

 

[hddvd]

haha. i see. I wanted to avoid any user interaction if possible. This is probably the wrong forum for this question though.

 

[Brink]

Yeah, you might post one in "Installation & Setup" for this. I'm not familiar with deploying images to help much with that part.

For now, you could test with having the other image sizes as well to see how it works.

For your earlier questions:

• You will need to have the original backgroundDefault.jpg image from step 6 and the background1024×768.jpg type images from step 10 saved in the same "C:\Windows\system32\oobe\info\backgrounds" folder at step 13.
• The images file size must be under 256 KB.

 

[hddvd]

For your earlier questions:

• You will need to have the original backgroundDefault.jpg image from step 6 and the background1024×768.jpg type images from step 10 saved in the same "C:\Windows\system32\oobe\info\backgrounds" folder at step 13.

When you say original backgroundDefault.jpg do you mean the default windows 7 one?

 

[VistaKing]

hddvd

The login background image should be called backgroundDefault.jpg. Did you already create the folders inside C:\Windows\System32\oobe\info\backgrounds

Along with the registry edit of

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Authentication\LogonUI\Background



You’ll see an DWORD value named OEMBackground. If you don’t see it, right-click in the right pane, point to the New submenu and create a new DWORD value with this name.

Double-click the OEMBackground value and set its value to 1.

 

[hddvd]

thanks for the response. I did all of that. It applies the image if its named backgroundDefault.jpg but if i use a custom res image and label it any of these it will not get applied:

• background768×1280.jpg
• background960×1280.jpg
• background900×1440.jpg
• background1024×768.jpg
• background1024×1280.jpg
• background1280×768.jpg
• background1280×960.jpg
• background1280×1024.jpg (this is the res. of my monitor and the image im using is also this res)
  
• background1360×768.jpg
• background1440×900.jpg
• background1600×1200.jpg
• background1920×1200.jpg

I tested this on 2 different machines running Windows 7 Enterprise x64. When i get home i will be able to try it on another version of Win 7. Please note that i DID NOT have the backgroundDefault.jpg in the folder, i just had the custom background1280×1024.jpg. Do i still need the backgroundDefault.jpg in the same folder if im trying to have windows auto apply the image with the best suited resolution? I dont mean to make this simple task difficult (there are tools to change the LogonUI), i just want to avoid using tools.

 

[VistaKing]

The wallpaper image should be the size but the actual name is backgroundDefault.jpg without the size in the name .