How to Change Windows 11 Lock Screen Background
The Windows 11 lock screen background is the first image you see before entering your password or PIN. You can change this picture in under 30 seconds using the Settings app.
Windows 11 gives you three background choices to pick from: a single photo, a photo slideshow, or Windows Spotlight (a feature that downloads new pictures from around the world every day).
Access Settings, then go to Personalization and Lock screen. You can then select Windows Spotlight for automatic image changes, choose a single Picture, or set up a Slideshow of your own photos.
How to Change Your Lock Screen Background
You can change Windows 11 lock screen pictures in a few seconds through the Settings app. Open Settings, go to Personalization, and click Lock screen. From there, you can pick a personal photo, set up a rolling slideshow of your own pictures, or turn on Windows Spotlight to get new daily photos from Microsoft automatically.
- Press Windows key + I on your keyboard at the same time.
- Click the Start button (Windows icon at the bottom left), then click Settings.
- Or, type Settings into the search box on the taskbar and click the Settings app.
Click Personalization from the left menu. Click Lock screen on the right side.
Options to pick what shows on the lock screen background appear here. Three choices exist:
- Windows Spotlight: Shows beautiful pictures from Microsoft that change daily. It also gives you tips about Windows.
- Picture: Lets you pick one photo you like. You can choose from Windows pictures or any photo saved on your computer.
- Slideshow: Lets you pick a folder of photos. Your lock screen will cycle through them like a slideshow.
Windows Spotlight runs by default, showing new pictures every day. Pressing Windows key + L locks the screen to test the appearance, revealing a new image from Spotlight.
Selecting Picture requires clicking the Browse button to find a photo on the computer. Choosing Slideshow requires picking a folder with preferred pictures.
Troubleshooting Tips
If your lock screen background is stuck or not updating, a few quick checks will fix it. Make sure Windows Spotlight is still active, verify that your chosen personal photo hasn't been moved or deleted from its original folder, and check that the setting to show the lock screen picture on the sign-in screen is turned on.
- Go to Start > Settings > Personalization > Lock screen.
- Make sure the option Show lock screen picture on the sign-in screen is turned ON.
Applying these steps resolves most problems with the lock screen background.
Summary
- Changing your lock screen background lets you personalize your Windows 11 PC.
- You can use Windows Spotlight, a single picture, or a slideshow of photos.
- Choose photos that make you happy or show your favorite memories!
- Enable the lock screen picture on sign-in to see it before logging in.
- Follow the simple steps above to easily customize your lock screen.
Customizing your lock screen background lets you personalize your computer with your own photos or fresh daily images from Microsoft. You can switch between a single picture, a slideshow, or Windows Spotlight at any time through the Personalization menu in Settings to make your sign-in screen look just how you want it.
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About the Author
Richard
Tech Writer, IT Professional
Richard is a writer at Geek Rewind who turns complex IT tasks into clear, step-by-step guides. He draws on years of hands-on experience in system administration and enterprise IT operations, focusing on Windows, Linux and WordPress: the problems people actually run into, and the fixes that work. His server and WordPress guides come from systems he runs himself. Richard builds and maintains the platform behind Geek Rewind, from its Ubuntu servers and Nginx configuration to its custom WordPress plugins. Many new tutorials start with readers' questions, and he's always glad to answer them in the comments.
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