Windows 11 — How To Change Lockscreen Wallpaper

How to Change the Lock Screen Wallpaper in Windows 11: A Complete Guide The lock screen in Windows 11 is the first thing you see when you start your PC, wake it from sleep, or lock it (Windows key + L). By default, Windows 11 shows a rotating set of beautiful "Windows Spotlight" images. While these are nice, you might prefer a personal photo, a favorite piece of art, or a solid color. Below is every official method to customize your lock screen wallpaper, from basic settings to advanced workarounds. Method 1: The Standard Way (Settings App) This is the primary method Microsoft intends for most users.

Open Settings: Press Windows + I on your keyboard, or right-click the Start button and select Settings . Navigate to Personalization: In the left sidebar, click Personalization . Select Lock Screen: Click on Lock screen (the icon looks like a padlock with a landscape image). Choose Your Background Type: Under the "Personalize your lock screen" section, you'll see a dropdown menu with three options:

Windows Spotlight: Automatically shows new, curated images from Microsoft. You can't control which ones appear, but you can click "Like the image you see" via a pop-up. Picture: Use a single static image of your choice. Slideshow: Cycle through a folder of images at your chosen interval.

If you choose "Picture":

Click Browse photos to select an image from your PC. You can also pick from recent images shown directly below.

If you choose "Slideshow":

Click Browse to select a folder containing your images. Use the Advanced slideshow settings to control whether the slideshow should also use images from your camera roll and when to turn off the screen. how to change lockscreen wallpaper windows 11

Preview & Close: The lock screen preview at the top will update immediately. Close Settings when done.

Method 2: Using File Explorer (Quick Set as Lock Screen) If you're browsing your photo folder and see an image you like, you can set it directly.

Open File Explorer ( Windows + E ). Locate the image you want (JPG, PNG, or BMP format). Right-click the image file. From the context menu, select Set as desktop background (Note: There is no direct "Set as lock screen" here anymore in Windows 11, but this method is useful if you want to use the same image for both desktop and lock screen). To use a different image for lock screen, you must use Method 1. How to Change the Lock Screen Wallpaper in

Method 3: The Registry Tweak (For Advanced Users) Warning: Incorrectly editing the registry can cause system instability. Back up your registry first. This method forces a specific image as your lock screen, overriding Windows Spotlight if it's stuck. It's especially useful in Windows 11 Pro, Enterprise, or Education editions that have Group Policy restrictions.

Press Windows + R , type regedit , and press Enter. Navigate to: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Personalization