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How to Change Windows 10, 8 or 7 Logon Screen
9 min. read
Updated onOctober 4, 2023
updated onOctober 4, 2023
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Lots of Windows 8, Windows 10 users are complaining about the lack of customization options that are offered by default. However, Windows 8, Windows 10 does have some notable features that allow users to customize their devices.Changing the Windows 8, Windows 10 logon screenis one of these features, and because many are not quite clear on how to do this, today I’ll show your exactly how you can change your logon screen on any Windows 8, Windows 10 device.
Apart from the classic lock screen, Windows 8, Windows 10 does have some other methods of authentication, like picture passwords. We’ll be taking a look at all of these changes you can make to your Windows 8, Windows 10 computer.
Want to change your Windows logon screen? Here’s how to do it on Windows 10 and Windows 8
Changing logon screen settings is rather simple in Windows 10 and 8.1, and in this article we’re going to cover the following topics:
Changing the default logon screen on Windows 8
If you’ve recently installed, Windows 8, you will probably have the simple picture lock screen that shows you different apps. This screen ca be customized by adding other pictures and other apps, as well as adding a completely new logon screen.
If you want to change your Windows 8 logon screen picture to another one, you just have to follow these steps:
There you will find the option to choose another logon image or browse your computer for a custom picture. In the same window, you have theStart Screentab, which allows you to change the background style and color of the Modern UI screen.
If you want to change your Windows 8 logon screen to a picture password, all you need to do is to the Users window and click or tap onCreate a Picture Password.
From here, you will enter a wizard where you have to browse your computer for the picture you wish to set as your picture password, then add the three actions that will unlock your computer.
These actions can be a line, a point or a circle, and you have to input them in the same order and direction as you originally made them, otherwise it will not allow you to log on to your computer.
As you can see, the process of changing the Windows 8 logon screen is pretty easy. It does not require the users to waste too much time on this task, and it also adds to the feel of the device, making it reflect the user’s personality better.
Another thing you can do is delete the password from your computer. While I strongly advise you to not do this, some users want their computers to open without needing a password. Nevertheless, here’s how you do it:
Note:Removing your computer’s password is not possible when using the Microsoft account, therefore you need to use a local account
Change the default logon screen on Windows 10
On Windows 10 changing the logon screen process is slightly different. If you want to change the background picture on your login screen, you just need to do the following:
Now you can customize the appearance of your lock screen. For example, you can choose a background image that you will use for your lock screen. There are several pictures available to choose from, but you can also browse your PC for your own pictures.
In addition to a single picture, you can also have a slideshow on your PC while your PC is locked. Or if you always want a different picture on your lock screen, you might want to useWindows spotlightfeature.
If you want, you can enable fun facts and tips from Windows andCortana. This is just an optional feature but it might provide you with some interesting information once in a while. Of course, you can see detailed status from certain apps right on your lock screen which is useful if you need to check your calendar or email.
The lock screen also allows you to see quick status of your apps, so you can easily check the number of new emails or missed messages. Speaking of quick statuses, you can see quick statuses from up to 7 different apps on your lock screen.
In addition to visual customization, Windows 10 allows you to change how you sign in to Windows 10. To access these settings, you need to do the following:
From here you can change various sign-in settings. For example, you can set your PC to automatically lock if you’re away. This feature is rather useful if you want to protect your PC from unauthorized access. By using this feature you’ll prevent your coworkers or roommates from using your PC when you’re not around.
Windows 10 also supportsWindows Hellofeature, and if you want to configure your PC to sign in with yourfingerprint, you can do that from here. In addition to fingerprint, you can also sign in by scanning your face. Keep in mind that in order to use Windows Hello you need to have appropriate hardware.
You can also easily change your account password right from this section. If you want, you can set up aPINand use it instead of your password to sign in to Windows.
You can also use your PIN to sign in to other applications on your PC. Using a PIN has its advantages, and if you don’t want to memorize your password or if you want to quickly sign in to Windows 10, PIN might be the right choice for you.
Of course, picture password feature is still there and you can unlock your PC by performing gestures on the lock screen.
You can also use a Dynamic lock feature and pair your PC with your smartphone or any otherBluetoothdevice. By enabling this feature, your PC will automatically lock itself whenever your phone moves out of the Bluetooth range.
This is a great feature because it will automatically lock your PC once you step away from it. Keep in mind that different phones and Bluetooth adapters have a different range, so your PC might not get locked as soon as you move away from it.
Lastly, there’s a privacy option available. If you want to hide your account details, such as your email address, from the lock screen be sure to disable this feature.
As you can see, the process of changing the Windows 8, Windows 10 logon screen is very simple and anyone can do it with next to no effort.
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Milan Stanojevic
Windows Toubleshooting Expert
Milan has been enthusiastic about technology ever since his childhood days, and this led him to take interest in all PC-related technologies. He’s a PC enthusiast and he spends most of his time learning about computers and technology.
Before joining WindowsReport, he worked as a front-end web developer. Now, he’s one of the Troubleshooting experts in our worldwide team, specializing in Windows errors & software issues.
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Milan Stanojevic
Windows Toubleshooting Expert
Before joining WindowsReport, he worked as a front-end web developer. Now, he’s specialized in Windows errors & software issues.