Log On Screen - Change

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    Log On Screen - Change

    Log On Screen - Change

    How to Change Log On Screen Background in Windows 7
    Published by
    Designer Media Ltd


    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.
       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
    Log On Screen - Change-log_on_screen.jpg

    Log On Screen - Change-ctrl_alt_del_screen.jpg


    EXAMPLE: Custom Log On and Ctrl+Alt+Del screens
    Log On Screen - Change-custom_log_on_screen.jpg

    Log On Screen - Change-custom_ctrl_alt_del_screen.jpg





    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.

    Log On Screen - Change-settings.jpg



    4. Click on the Choose a folder button at the top. (see screenshot below)
    Log On Screen - Change-logon-main.jpg
    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)
    Log On Screen - Change-select.jpg
    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)
    Log On Screen - Change-change-confirm.jpg

    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 7
    A) Click on the Change Logon Screen button. (see screenshot below)
    Log On Screen - Change-tweaks-1.jpg
    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)
    Log On Screen - Change-tweaks-2.jpg

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

    Log On Screen - Change-note.jpg
    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)
    Log On Screen - Change-tweaks-4.jpg
    6. Click on OK. The log on screen has now been changed. (see screenshot below)
    Log On Screen - Change-tweaks-3.jpg
    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
    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.
    Log On Screen - Change-screen_resolution.jpg
    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)
    Log On Screen - Change-paint.jpg
    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)
    Log On Screen - Change-backgrounds_folder.jpg
    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
    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










  1. Posts : 4,282
    Windows 7 Ultimate Vista Ultimate x64
       #1

    Great work Shawn. :)
      My Computer


  2. Posts : 8,375
    W7 Ultimate x64/W10 Pro x64/W11 Pro Triple Boot - Main PC W7 Remote PC Micro ATX W7 Pro x64/W11 Pro
       #2

    The latest 7057 build sees the new sub folders created by default as part of the new option added into 7. For previous builds like the 32bit 7000 you would need to manually create the sub folders for that to work as seen in the view here.

      My Computers


  3. Posts : 71,977
    64-bit Windows 11 Pro for Workstations
    Thread Starter
       #3

    Thank you Mr. GRiM,

    Credit belongs completely to Rafael though. I Just tried to make a simplified version of it. :)
      My Computer


  4. Posts : 8,375
    W7 Ultimate x64/W10 Pro x64/W11 Pro Triple Boot - Main PC W7 Remote PC Micro ATX W7 Pro x64/W11 Pro
       #4

    It came out ok! Will the reg mod work on previous builds as well as needing to manually create the new subs? That will have to be looked into. Now to see a new screen painted there.
      My Computers


  5. Posts : 5,941
    Linux CENTOS 7 / various Windows OS'es and servers
       #5

    Thanks guys
    The Stardock option was a start but yours is simpler and easier for making custom screens.


    Glad I wasn't really the only one who didn't like the standard build 7057 logon screen.

    Cheers
    jimbo
      My Computer


  6. Posts : 5,941
    Linux CENTOS 7 / various Windows OS'es and servers
       #6

    Seemed to disppear again after a Reboot.

    Where exactly should I put the .jpg file

    I made an extra info directory but it didn't work (buid 7056 X-64).

    Must be doing something idiotic.

    Should I move the .jpg file to the en_US directory

    The instructions don't seem clear (or are ambiguous -- your picture doesn't show an info sub directory at all nor any file with a .jpg extension in it.

    (I think I'm reasonably computer litterate but I just can't get this to work any more after the initial one with ctrl_alt_del. Logon just reverts tback to the hideous standard screen again).

    I've restored a previous image so there's no "Stardock build" contamination in my system.

    cheers
    jimbo
      My Computer


  7. Posts : 4,282
    Windows 7 Ultimate Vista Ultimate x64
       #7

    jimbo45 said:
    Seemed to disppear again after a Reboot.

    Where exactly should I put the .jpg file

    I made an extra info directory but it didn't work (buid 7056 X-64).

    Must be doing something idiotic.

    Should I move the .jpg file to the en_US directory

    The instructions don't seem clear (or are ambiguous -- your picture doesn't show an info sub directory at all nor any file with a .jpg extension in it.

    (I think I'm reasonably computer litterate but I just can't get this to work any more after the initial one with ctrl_alt_del. Logon just reverts tback to the hideous standard screen again).

    I've restored a previous image so there's no "Stardock build" contamination in my system.

    cheers
    jimbo
    I though it was just me, you need to go back to the registry setting and set it to 1 again and afterward you need to change the folder options to read only.
      My Computer


  8. Posts : 71,977
    64-bit Windows 11 Pro for Workstations
    Thread Starter
       #8

    Strange, I just restarted, and it still works for me without having to set the folders as read only. I'm using the 7057 x64 build though.
      My Computer


  9. Posts : 18
    Windows 7 Ult 64 bit - RC 7600
       #9

    I was trying this last night when the first post about it came up. I couldn't get it to work.

    I tried This way using the download, and still doesn't work.

    I'm running 7057 64bit, the only thing that I really see that is differant from the how to's is my resolution is 2560x1600.

    Here is a SS of my backgrounds folders.
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails Log On Screen - Change-changeloginscreen.png  
      My Computer


 
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