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Tired of looking at the same ol’ boring lock screen on your PC? We’re here to help with our brief guide on how to customize the lock screen in a matter of minutes.
In the latest version of Microsoft Windows, the lock screen changes each time which keeps it interesting but it mostly displays images of nature from different parts of the world. And if you want something else to display on the lock screen that is close to your heart, this guide is for you.
Although customizing the display on your Windows-operated PC is quite easy, finding the right settings can be a bit mind-boggling if you’re not the most tech-savvy person. This is also the case with macOS-operated systems and that is why we will be covering how to customize the lock screen for both, Windows and Macs.
What we cover
How to customize the lock screen on Windows 10/11?
Microsoft Windows 10/11 allows you to customize everything that you don’t like about your system, this also includes a lock screen as well. To customize the lock screen on your Windows-operated system, follow these easy steps:
1. Right-click on the desktop and click on ‘Personalization’.
2. Click on ‘Lock Screen’ from the menu displayed on the left side of the window.
3. Customize the settings that you want.
The lock screen settings of Windows 10/11 also allow you to customize the lock screen entirely, this means changing the background, changing the duration after which the system should lock itself, and also allows you to add notifications from different apps.
In case you want to be notified on your lock screen of the texts that you receive, you can add that from the lock screen window and add the messaging app to your lock screen under the “Choose one app to show detailed status on the lock screen”. Here, you have the option to add a few native apps including Messages, Weather, Calendar, Mail, and a few more.
How to add a slide show to the lock screen on Windows 10/11?
Adding the slide show to your lock screen in Windows 10/11 can also be done through the lock screen settings. You can add many pictures in the slide show and they will appear whenever the system is locked. Now to add a slide show to the lock screen, follow these steps:
1. Right-click on the desktop and click on ‘Personalization’.
2. Click on ‘Lock Screen’ from the menu displayed on the left side of the window.
3. Click on the drop-down menu under ‘Background’.
4. Select ‘Slide Show’.
5. Add the folders where the pictures are stored.
Now, every time when the system is locked, the slideshow will appear.
How to add a new Lock Screen/Wallpaper?
If you want to replace the default lock screen with a new wallpaper, you will need to navigate to the lock screen settings to change it. But before we proceed, we highly recommend choosing a high-quality wallpaper for your lock screen because otherwise, the screen would look pixelated and ugly.
Once you’ve found a high-definition picture, follow these steps:
1. Right-click on the desktop and click on ‘Personalization’.
2. Click on ‘Lock Screen’ from the menu displayed on the left side of the window.
3. Click on the drop-down menu under ‘Background’.
4. Select ‘Picture’.
5. Select the picture that you want to display.
How to customize the lock screen on a Mac?
Changing the lock screen and adding some of your favorite pictures on the lock screen of a MacBook is just as easy as customizing the lock screen on a Windows-operated PC. Now, before getting started, if you plan on changing the background image, make sure that it is in PNG format.
Now, to change the lock screen on a Mac or customize it to give it a better look, follow these steps:
1. Download/Save the picture on your Mac.
2. Make sure it is in PNG format.
3. Rename the picture to ‘lock screen’.
4. Click on ‘Go’ from the drop-down menu.
5. Select ‘Go to Folder’.
6. Paste this address into the search bar and press enter: /Library/Caches/Desktop Pictures/
7. Replace the current image with the new one.
Note: Make sure to turn off FileVault during this process, otherwise this might not work.
How to add live wallpaper on Windows 10/11?
Microsoft Store is filled with different applications that let you run live wallpapers on your system. Unlike old times, you don’t have to download sketchy softwares on your system to show live wallpaper, you can now find native applications on the Microsoft store.
Currently, there are countless apps on the Microsoft Store that you can download for live wallpapers. If you’re fascinated by high-quality Earth pictures, you’ll surely find an app for it. Similarly, if you want a live view of Jupiter, you’re likely to find that as well on the Microsoft Store.
Now, if you want to choose from different types of live wallpaper, we highly recommend the ‘Lively Wallpaper’. It has some great options that you can choose from and give a unique look to your PC. To add a live wallpaper on Windows 10/11, follow these steps:
1. Search for ‘Microsoft Store’ and open it.
2. Search for ‘Lively Wallpaper’ and download it on your PC.
3. Once it is downloaded and installed on your PC, open the application.
4. Click on the wallpaper that you’d like.
By default, you have almost a dozen live wallpapers to choose from but if you can’t find the right one, you can always download it from the internet and add it to Lively Wallpapers. After that, every time your PC boots up, the live wallpaper will be displayed.
Keep in mind that live wallpapers enjoy feasting on your RAM so we only recommend getting a live wallpaper if you have some unused memory, otherwise, you may face some problems when playing memory-intensive games or any such task that demands a lot of memory.
FAQs
How do I customize the clock on my Lock screen?
To add a clock on your lock screen, follow these steps:
1. Right-click on the desktop and click on ‘Personalization’.
2. Click on ‘Lock Screen’.
3. Click on the ‘+’ button under ‘Choose which app shows quick status on the lock screen’ and select ‘Clock’ from the menu.
Although the clock is already displayed on the lock screen by default, you can still use this option to further customize the lock screen.
How to Switch Between Lock Screens?
Users can choose from three different lock screen options on Windows 10/11. To switch between the lock screens, follow these steps:
1. Right-click on the desktop and click on ‘Personalization’.
2. Click on ‘Lock Screen’.
3. Choose from the ‘Background’ drop-down menu.
