How to change pre-login image in Windows 8

Anonymous

This is a home computer that has several accounts. The image displayed is Seattle which is not the lock image for any account (including the hidden administrator account). I would like to change this pre-login/sign-out image to something (anything) else. What steps do I need to take to avoid having to look at this stupid image (sorry Microsoft, not all of us are from Seattle nor want any image that looks drawn from crayons)?

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Anonymous

Hi Gator,

We are glad to assist you with the issue on Microsoft Community.

Before I approach towards any suggestion, I would like to collect some information on thsis issue:

Are you referring to the Local screen on the computer?

If you are referring to Lock screen on the computer, then let us try the following steps by navigating to “Change PC settings” on the computer.

Please follow the steps:

a) Press Windows and c key together to open the Charms bar.

b) Click on Settings.

c) Click on Change PC settings option at the bottom of the charms bar.

d) Click on Personalize option.

e) Click on Lock Screen.

f) Choose the required picture you want to save as the lock screen picture.

You may refer to the link below in response to this query:

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows-8/change-backgrounds-pictures#1TC=t1

Hope it helps. Please write us if it does not resolves the query.

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Answer accepted by question author

Anonymous

http://superuser.com/questions/484206/how-can-i-change-the-lock-screen-in-windows-8-that-appears-for-the-default-user

To make a change that is resilient to changing screen resolutions, replace C:\Windows\Web\Screen\img100.pngwith your new picture. Then delete the resized image caches from C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\SystemData\S-1-5-18\ReadOnly\LockScreen_Z. You'll need to take ownership of the folders/files in question to access them.

Alternative: Disable the lock screen. To do this, search Settigns for "group policy". Navigate to Computer Configuration, Administrative Templates, Control Panel, Personalization. Set "Do not display the lock screen" to Enabled.

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46 additional answers

Anonymous

2014-01-25T04:25:53+00:00

Thank you. This was helpful but a crazy and risky process for something that should be simple and automated. I am hoping I did not mess up the system privileges. The image I plugged in has slightly different dimensions and did not come up. Fortunately, the ugly ceramic plate image is replaced with the seattle image ... at least that is some improvement.

Microsoft, please watch this video and build a function to do this!
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Anonymous

2014-01-20T17:22:58+00:00

I had the same question as well - and FINALLY found the answer in this video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jw0OsSHql64

it took me a few tries to get the folders to accept the Security changes (but i think that was all me).

I now have my own .jpg for the pre-logon screen instead of the swirly Vista screen - i didn't even get Seattle!

if you make these changes and re-boot, and you get a pale blue screen instead of what you thought you setup, don't worry. see the the last comment (below the video) about someone getting that. they forgot to set the permission for System on one of the folders. I made the exact same error, made the change and now SOOOO happy :)

it can be done! why it is so very hard, i have no idea - these are our device and WE should be able to control every facet (in my opinion anyway)....

good luck!
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Anonymous

2014-01-05T18:23:04+00:00

I have the same question ... how do we change the PRE-LOGIN screen (NOT the lock screen) without going into the guts of the system? Is this available via a control panel function on the system?
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