How to Change Lock Screen Wallpaper in Windows 11

Learn how to customize the lock screen in Windows 11 using custom wallpapers, Windows Spotlight, and wallpaper slideshow.

Whenever you turn on your PC or lock it, you will see the lock screen wallpaper. Clicking the lock screen wallpaper displays the password or PIN field to log in. By default, Windows 11 uses the Windows Spotlight feature to display a new wallpaper daily on your lock screen. This gives your desktop a fresh new look every time you log into your system.

While Windows Spotlight is a pretty good feature to give your lock screen a new look daily, you can also customize it to show a specific wallpaper or a custom wallpaper slideshow. In this quick and straightforward guide, I will show you the steps to change your lock screen wallpaper using a custom wallpaper, a wallpaper slideshow, and Windows Spotlight. Let’s get started.

Steps to Change Lock Screen Wallpaper in Windows 11

1. Open Settings by pressing the “Windows key + I” shortcut.
2. Navigate to the “Personalization” tab on the sidebar.
3. Click the “Lock screen” option.
4. Select one of the options below from the “Personalize your lock screen” dropdown menu.
   1. Windows Spotlight: Automatically changes the wallpaper daily by downloading a new wallpaper from the Internet.
   2. Picture: Click the “Browse photos” button, select the wallpaper, and click the “Choose picture” button.
   3. Slideshow: Click “Browse“, select your photos/wallpaper folder, and click “Choose this folder“.
5. Close the Settings app.
6. With that, you have changed the lock screen wallpaper.

Good to know: How to remove widgets from the lock screen in Windows 11

Detailed Steps (With Screenshots)

The first thing to do is open the Windows 11 Settings app. To do that, press the “Windows key + I” keyboard shortcut or right-click the Start menu and choose the “Settings” option.

Once the Settings window opens, navigate to the “Personalization” tab on the sidebar and click the “Lock Screen” option on the right panel. This page is where you will find all the lock screen-related options, including the wallpaper setting.

On this page, select one of the following options from the “Personalize your lock screen” dropdown menu. Depending on which option you choose, you will have more options to configure. The explanation of what the option does and how to configure it is given below.

Windows Spotlight: Selecting this option will make Windows 11 download a new picture every day and set it as your lock screen wallpaper. One of the best things about this setting is that the wallpapers will be gorgeous. That being said, Windows Spotlight requires an internet connection to download new wallpapers and might show additional information and tips on the lock screen.

Picture: Choosing this option lets you set a specific image or photo as your lock screen wallpaper. To use a custom photo as the lock screen picture, click the “Browse photos” button, select the image of your choice, and hit the “Choose picture” button.

Slideshow: If you have a set of images, like your family photos, that you want to show on your lock screen, you can select the Slideshow option. This will cycle through all the images and display them as your lock screen wallpaper at a specific interval. To set up a lock screen wallpaper slideshow, select the “Slideshow” option, click the “Browse” button, select the wallpaper folder, and click the “Choose this folder” option. Optionally, you can configure additional settings under the “Advanced Slideshow Settings” section.

Wrapping Up — Changing Lock Screen Background in Windows 11

That is all. You’ve changed the lock screen wallpaper. Depending on which option you selected, the wallpaper behavior will change. For example, if you selected “Windows Spotlight”, you will see a new wallpaper daily, but you don’t have to choose which wallpaper to show. On the other hand, selecting the “Wallpaper” or “Slideshow” option lets you pick and choose which wallpapers to display on your screen.

Of course, if you want, you can also disable the lock screen wallpaper. That way, you don’t have to click to display the login form.