The lock screen is the screen you see at startup and when you lock (Win+L) the PC. You will need to dismiss the lock screen to to see the sign-in screen and sign in to Windows.
You can customize your lock screen. You can change your lock screen background to Windows Spotlight, a picture, or a slideshow. You can also choose an app to show detailed status on the lock screen.
See also:
Personalize your lock screen
Learn how to personalize a Windows lock screen with a background photo, slideshow, or app notifications.
support.microsoft.com
This tutorial will show you different ways to change the lock screen background to Windows Spotlight, a picture, or slideshow for your account in Windows 11.
Contents
- Option One: Change Lock Screen Background to Windows Spotlight, Picture, or Slideshow in Settings
- Option Two: Change Lock Screen Background to Picture in Photos app
EXAMPLE: Lock screen background
1 Open Settings (Win+I).
2 Click/tap on Personalization on the left side, and click/tap on Lock screen on the right side. (see screenshot below)
Open Lock screen settings
3 Do step 4 (Windows Spotlight), step 5 (picture), or step 6 (slideshow) below for what you want as the lock screen background.
4 Change Desktop Background to a Windows Spotlight
A) Select Windows Spotlight in the Personalize your lock screen drop menu. (see screenshot below)
B) When finished, you can close Settings.
5 Change Desktop Background to a Picture
A) Select Picture in the Personalize your lock screen drop menu. (see screenshots below)
B) Select an image you want from Recent images.
C) If Recent images doesn't have an image you want, click/tap on the Browse photos button, navigate to and select an image, and click/tap on Choose picture
D) When finished, you can close Settings.
6 Change Desktop Background to a Slideshow
A) Select Slideshow in the Personalize your lock screen drop menu. (see screenshots below)
B) Click/tap on the Browse button to Add an album for your slideshow. Navigate to and select a folder containing pictures you want for the slideshow, and click/tap on Choose this folder.
C) Click/tap on the Remove button of any added folder of images you want to remove from the slideshow.
D) Turn on or off Include camera roll folders from this PC and OneDrive for what you want.
E) Turn on or off Only use pictures that fit my screen for what you want.
F) Turn on or off Play a slideshow when using battery power for what you want.
G) Turn on or off When my PC is inactive, show the lock screen instead of turning off the screen for what you want.
H) When finished, you can close Settings.
1 Perform the steps below while you have an image you want to set as the lock screen background open in the Photos app:
- Click/tap on the See more actions (3 dots) button.
- Click/tap on Set as.
- Click/tap on Set as lock screen.
That's it,
Shawn Brink
Related Tutorials
- Lock Computer in Windows 11
- Enable or Disable Lock Screen in Windows 11
- Enable or Disable Changing Lock Screen Background in Windows 11
- Enable or Disable Ctrl+Alt+Delete Secure Sign-in on Lock Screen in Windows 11
- Change Desktop Background in Windows 11
- Enable or Disable Show Lock Screen Background on Sign-in Screen in Windows 11
- Change Theme in Windows 11
- Enable or Disable Lock Screen Background Motion in Windows 11
- Reset and Re-register Windows Spotlight in Windows 11
- Change Lock Screen Time to 12 or 24 hour Clock Format in Windows 11
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