How To Change Windows 7 Logon Screen Easily [Without Using Hacks & Tools]
Posted March 16, 2009 – 10:55 am in: Windows 7, Windows 7 GuidesFinally Microsoft has incorporated a new feature in the latest build (7057) of Windows 7 which supports the end user to change the logon screen background without using any hacks or third-party tools.
In previous version of Windows, user had to use third-parry tools like Tune-Up-Utilities to change the logon screen background easily. Windows 7 now supports customization of Windows 7 logon screen officially. Replacing the old logon screen is just another task like changing wallpaper (Desktop background). Thanks to withinwindows for finding out this excellent feature.
Follow the procedure below to change the Windows 7 logon screen.
1. Download the registry file from here. Extract the file and double-click on the file to enable this feature (Alternative method: right-click, select Merge).
2. Now, head over to the following folder:
C:\Windows\System32\oobe (“C” is your Windows Seven Installation drive)
3. Here, create a new folder named Info. Again, create a new folder inside the Info folder and rename it as backgrounds.
4. Copy your favorite image file to this folder and rename it as backgroundDefault. Note that the image must be in JPG format and the size should be less than 256 KB.
5. You are done. Reboot your system and see the change.
The following files (sorted by width-to-height ratio) are supported in C:\Windows\System32\oobe\Info\Backgrounds folder:
* backgroundDefault.jpg
* background768×1280.jpg (0.6)
* background900×1440.jpg (0.625)
* background960×1280.jpg (0.75)
* background1024×1280.jpg (0.8)
* background1280×1024.jpg (1.25)
* background1024×768.jpg (1.33-)
* background1280×960.jpg (1.33-)
* background1600×1200.jpg (1.33-)
* background1440×900.jpg (1.6)
* background1920×1200.jpg (1.6)
* background1280×768.jpg (1.66-)
* background1360×768.jpg (1.770833-)
- How to get Windows 8 Start screen with live tiles in Windows 7
- How to get Windows 8 betta fish boot screen in Windows 7
- How to get Windows 8 Taskbar user picture tile in Windows 7
- How to get Windows 8 lock screen and sidebar menu in Windows 7
- How to get Windows 8 Start screen like home page web browsers
- How to get Windows 8 logon screen date and time in Windows 7
- 14 Excellent Windows 7 themes
- How to make bootable USB
- 27 Beautiful Vista logon screens
- How to install Windows 7 from USB
- Remove Watermark from Windows 7 desktop
104 Comments
Or you could use this simple little proggy. Works
Here ya go. Source included for the curious (and paranoid. NO MALWARE!)
Feel free to do anything with it.
Does all this in one go:
* Enables/Disables the registry key
* Resizes the selected image to your current rez (or any other size if you tell it to)
* Sets it to 96dpi 24bit
* Finds the highest JPG compression that would still keep it below 256kb
* Saves it as backgroundDefault.jpg in the correct folder (and create a backup if one is already in there)
Tested on Win 7 build 7057 nd works on previous buils to.
http://www.neowin.net/forum/index.php?act=attach&type=post&id=222340
Original thread here
http://www.neowin.net/forum/index.php?showtopic=747098&st=105&start=105
Will this trick work on Windows 7 RC1 also? (Build 7100)
You can always type this string in RUN and you will always land in the currently installed Windows’ directories;
%windir%\System32\Oobe
Basically %WinDir% tells the current system to go to the currently installed Windows Installation Folder.
Great tip on changing the Logon Screen, that’s what brought me here anyway
Thanks.
^^
Yeah, if you’re dumb enough to change the default installation folder.
This worked perfect, it’s exactly what I wanted! Thanks!
does this work on windows 7 starter… im planning on buying a netbook…
@ aj
Yes. It should work fine.
Can you upload the rar file to another filehost site? the link you have for that file is constantly saying that its over its bandwidth use. Use 4shared.com or mediafire or something that wont have a bandwidth limit.
yeah, uhh… bandwidth issues. thanks anyway.
@Cheezehead
Link updated. You can now directly download it from our server only. Btw, thanks for notifying about the issue.
I have found this method doesn’t work on 7 rtm unless you go to Group Policy> Go to start menu and in the search box type gpedit.msc right click and click ‘run as administrator…click on Computer Configuration in Group Policy then Administrative TEmplates then Sysytem and choose ‘Logon’ near the bottom of Logon Double click ‘Always use custom logon background’ and choose ‘enable’ in this…it is set to ‘Not Configured’ by default.Then do the above tutorial and it should work! Hope this helps someone! Keith!
Now I just after realising that the Registry download link probably does this for you, anyway…if it doesn’t my last post will work!
Hi Keith,
Win7 can’t find gpedit. If have tried the oobe thing, but this doesn’t work here. Anyone else have ideas?
Seems gpedit is only available in Ultimate.
Thanks! Love to tweak!
Thanks for the tip. I’m so happy now since I no longer have to stare at the borring logon background that comes with Windows 7.
Great tutorial!
Curious, you can’t put an image that is bigger than ~256KB, why so, and is there a way to overide it?
And simple “deactivation”-deleteing the picture!
Excelent post! Got me to this site.
@John, it realy shoud have to find it! Did you wrote “gpedit” or “gpedit.msc”? If you write the full extension (the 2nd option) you will have listed on the top the application in “Programs” category.
hey buddy, its good but heres one more utility where u havent need to do all of this just select folder n then select picture ur logon screen automatically change…. utilty name is “windows 7 logon backgroung changer”
@ Keith Hanly: group policy editor (gpedit.msc) is only available to those with Professional or Ultimate editions.
@ Everyone else: If you have a home edition of Windows 7, you need to edit the registry.
you did say:
“without using any hacks or third-party tools”
and then immediately following described how to ‘hack’ the registration files…
respectfully this post is a fail.
here’s why:
although this trick may work, and I may end up trying and using it… it means manually editing the registry files *OR* downloading a program… which means this is *NOT* as easy as changing your background image. *AND* windows has *NOT* included changing your log-in screen easily.
the topic and title should have been:
“Change your Windows 7 log-in screen with a simple reg edit”
So easy, so quick, so nice!
!
Thanks a lot
When i try to copy jpg files there it says:
Target Folder is not available.
the info folder was already there too… with sony stuff in it.
Sorry to double post, please merge my posts.
I found a way to get a .jpg file in the folder, I open it with paint and save as in the backgrounds folder..
anyone knows how I can allow copying files in this folder?
Keith…thanks…I’m on Win7 Ultimate, just downloading the reg key didn’t work but it did after I edited the logon properties with gpedit.msc.
thanx
Tim
mmm i just tried follow the instructions but it dos not work what else can I do?
Worked for me. Ty so much.
great
it’s very helpful thanks so much
It is not working on windows 7 ultimate. Can anyone hep me
it works fine! thank you
.
works totally fine. just one thing though. how can i have a screen capture of my log in screen just like the image you showed in this post. thanks.
I m using windows starter and i followed all the instruction but it didnt work…
If you name your backgrounds in this format
backgroundresolution.jpg(ex..background1280X1024.jpg) it should work everytime. You will just need to edit the .jpg with paint and resize it to your current resolution. Then name your .jpg in the above manner for your resolution and it should work just fine. This has worked for me numerous times now.
hey, i was also trying to change my logon background, but it just doesn’t work on my computer. i’ve edited the registry and i’ve also changed the state in the gpedit.
you have any ideas what can possibly be the problem?
it should work also if i have a couple of users right?
helpp i tried several times and it didn’t work can come one email me some help on this please
THERE ALREADY EXIST INFO & BACKGROUND FOLDERS SO PLEEEEEEEEEEZ HELP ME OUT
I AM USING WIN7 HB
did it work on windows 7 starter???
This MESSED UP my computer. I’m getting a blue screen with a long message that says something like, “If this is the first time you saw this or you saw this is more than once.” How do I fix what the registry download changed? PLEASE HELP!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Restore your system to the previous system restore point by booting into the WinRE environment. To do this, just turn on your PC, hit F8 key and then select Advanced options. In the install screen, click Repair my computer and finally click restore my computer to earlier restore point.
Works perfect, thank you for this guide!
thanks…………….alot
This worked great for win7pro, muchas gracias! My only problem now is I don’t have the ‘Other User’ option available on my logon screen. I can disable showing the last logged on user and then logon as another user, but I’d prefer to show the last user. Any ideas?
Worth reiterating that 1920×1080 is NOT supported. I think I just saw 1920×1200 in the list and read it as 1080. I just copied my image to both backgroundDefault.jpg and background1920x1200.jpg instead of background1920x1080.jpg but left both images at a 1920×1080 resolution and it works. Not sure which of those 2 names really did the trick but I don’t want to break it playing with figuring that out.
Hello, I have an alienware laptop that came with this regedit already installed (so that it came with a cool alienware logon screen). Unfortunately, I think after a windows update or something, the logon screen reverted back to the original win 7 picture (lame).
I can’t figure out to fix this, none of the .exe files work. I don’t want to just delete the file out of the system32 folder since it’s a registry edit and reinstall. Can/should I do that? The image is named properly and is in the info folder.
I’m using win 7 home premium 64 bit.
Thank you in advance!
to bad, that image must be 256KB or less, because I have a really nice looking image, but it’s 500KB.. Tried resizing, but then the quality of image went down.. Still nice trick you got there
I have used logonStudio since vista came out and it has worked great, even with win7. However, I just bought a Dell Inspiron 570 for a customer and it came with an OEM login screen. LogonStudio could not change it.
So, I used the regedit file provided here, followed the loacation in the registry and changed it from a value of 1 to a value of 0. Now LogonStudio works!
It seems that dell has used the information here to change the default logon. thanks for the reg file, it helped me find what value to change.
Thanks! Very handy.
Your reg key really was the answer for me.
By the way is there also a way to get rid of: the small
“Windows 7 ultimate” logo at the bottom of the screen during starting?
@Dirk,
Here you can find the guide How to Remove “Branding Logo” and “Ease of Access” (Accessibility) Button from Windows 7 Logon Screen
http://www.funamess.com/tw/how-to-remove-branding-logo-and-ease-of-access-accessibility-button-from-7-logon-screen
Worked great! Thanks a bunch!
Dude it really worked just follow the steps and its so easy u have to resize the wallpaper in ur current resolution and then name it with that resolution. For example: current res is 800×600 u need one wallpaper background800x600.jpg and backgrounddefault.jpg must be 800×600 too. (u can resize it with paint, only before placing in the map!) At paint choose Options, Properties, change scale & height (make sure its in pixels) make it all ur own resolution! if u have problems with the reg download windows tweaker so u can take ownership of the reg and can do anything with it.
Peace!
A very big thanx. it work.now i can change my logon image daily.
Simple download of a reg file? What, was I born yesterday? No thanks.
It’s N’t Workin Win7 Ultimate .So Can U Help in Other!
WHERE the heck did u get the flower background logon screen, can’t find it anywhere :\
OSAM BRO……….
thank you!! worked for me perfectly
Thanks a lot .. it really works……………….
This worked really well, Though i had to change the image to 800×600. It wouldn’t work any other way and i have Windows 7 Home. Thank You so much for the post. Great work.
Can it be undone?
There’s already and info file, should i make another one or use the one existing?
This is one of the best things windows did to be able to customize more of windows hope they will eventually make more changes to custumize it even further, people like me are very into customizing and thanks to windows for making it easier without any use of software
Tweaking windows is fun !
Thanks, and can someone tip me more tips on how to tweak windows 7 ?
Thanks a lot.. It’s working
I have a problem… i don`t find this INFO, he doesn`t it .
dose this work on windows 7 home premium???
@Karan
Yes, it works on Home Premium as well.
There is a another info file so should i delete it or what and i tryed placing the defalt folder in it and it doesnt work. it wont let me expand or merge the file.
There is a much easier way to do this with no registry hacking. I’m using Windows 7 64bit so it may be different to 32bit.
Go to C:\Windows\SysWOW64\oobe
Replace the file background.bmp with an image that fits the requirements stated above.
Logout.
Yeah, it is working on my windows7 System. More over no malware is detected..
Thank u for posting
This worked flawlessly on the first try. Thank you.
Thanks for this post. it really worked. thanks a lot
and a big thanks to Keith Hanly , your post really helped me to complete this. Thanks for you toooooooooo
Yiou should change the “5. You are done. Reboot your system and see the change.” part to:
5. You are done. Pres “Switch user” to see the change.
Got mine to work fine…
With tweaks.com login changer for windows 7
Works great for me..
Windows 7 professional 32bit.
It has a revert button to.
Default location for the folder ….is on my system..
C:windows/system32/oobe/info/backgrounds
But remember te tweaks.com program will auto resize pics if needed.
Cheers all…
And text size ..font size…..can be tweaked easily with a regedit
Using simple dword add in. And can be deleted if wanted to.. Open regedit as admin…navigate to hkey users /.default/control panel/desktop/ new dword value..use decimal n change to you epi you want to use… I made mine 120 but between 96 and 150 is ok.
Hope this helps all
Again cheers
Is there any way the prompting word ‘Password’ can be amended in the log in screen password box?
I have the “C:\Windows\System32\oobe\Info\Backgrounds\” folder, it’s filled with default Gateway screens of varying resolutions (no surprise there).
I also have the folder “C:\Windows\System32\oobe\Info\Backgrounds-NOWAIT\”, filled with the same Gateway files;
anyone know what the different folders are for?
@ samuel try this lil’ neat program its way easier to use tweaks.com/software/tweakslogon I’m running windows 7 eternity 64 bit x86 and all the the other methods didn’t work
you do not have to reboot, just log-off!
Thank you for 32 bit
i changed the image on log on screen. but i wanna some more. can anyone help me?
i also wanna remove the text “Windows 7 Ultimate” which is show on the bottom position of log on screen.
yes, it works perfect in windows 7 starter
but you dont need to create a folder if theres one already.. just change backgrounddefault picture
and you dont need to reboot just press the start button+L and it will lock
Thanks
its superb it also works on pirated and also on original windows 7
do not reboot only log off
its awsome!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
@JBL
I know this is coming in long after you posed the question, but you may need to change the permissions on this folder to be able to copy into it. I’ve been using this technique to change my logon screen for so long I honestly don’t remember if I had to change the permissions or not.
Fast and simple. Thanx for the trick
Great tip, many thanks!
i want to unmerge the windows registry that i merge how do i do it
thnx,it worked
Thanks… its simple and easy..
Its working fine.
I can not write persion in explorer although I have installed it’s fonts before.please help me
Thank you, working great.
Keep up the good work.
mine did not work. huhuhu. i did regedit and changed the oem background, but there is no boolean option just hexadecimal and decimal. i followed as well the size of the image and the file name and both did not work. please help me out thanks
For some reason, my log on screen just turned black. No background, nothing, just black. I went into those folders for the login backgrounds and they’re still in the right place but they don’t show up. Any ideas as to why they’re like that?
Awesome dude!!!
Windows XP had a very simple way of doing this, MS decided to make lives difficult for IT folks in Windows 7.
Thanks a million, works like a charm on windows 7 enterprise
Nothing Happen
The ‘info’ directory already exists. Does it means i need to put the ‘backgrounds’ directory in it?
Thanks alot;
Matthew
thanks ….i do it and get really .
I need to create a custom log in screen for security reasons in win7. I would like to use a (my customized) wallpaper with sign-in bar. I would also request info on how to create executable icons and icons in general, of my choice, to launch programs, files and folders. I know this is a lot to ask, but I am getting to old to remember how-to with today s technologies. Can you help or direct to the correct source?
Much Thanks
i am using mouse without borders, there is an option “Personalize logon screen”, set it to Local or Bing.com.I dont need to bother about resizing and renaming the file less than 256kb and desktopBackground.
It automatically creates the oobe\info\backgrounds, and sets the registry key to 1.
Thanks. We have already covered about this tool here:
http://www.intowindows.com/how-to-automatically-set-bing-search-pictures-as-windows-7-logon-background/
Thanks for the info..its working..:)
The pref for me – solid color – twas shorter/quicker of sorts getting the file permissions, then using paint to put new color image to the jpg files for UI logon. Worked great, now to do the boot image is next.
thank a ton it really works bro u r damm good