How to change default login/lock screen of Windows 8?

Question

How do I change the default login/lock screen of Windows 8 which is shown after Windows has loaded and no user is logged in? I've changed the lock screen of both users but when Windows starts this one here is always shown

Another problem I have is that it's displayed in English. I first installed the English version of Windows 8 and afterwards installed the German language pack and made German the primary language. Everything in Windows is now German expect the default login screen.

Answer 1

How to Change the Default Language

To change the language settings to the Welcome screen, the default lock screen, do the following:

1. Open the Start screen and type Region.
2. Select Settings as the search area, and
3. Click Region on the left pane.
4. Click Administrative tab.
   
5. Click Copy settings in the Welcome screen and new user accounts group.
   You will see the current settings.
6. Select Welcome screen and system accounts check box and click OK to copy the settings of the current user to the Welcome screen.
   

Since you switched to German language, you have to search for German word Region at step 1.

Alternative way:

1. Click the language on the Taskbar.
2. Then click Language preferences.
   
3. Click Advanced settings on the right.
4. Click Apply language setting to the welcome screen, system accounts, and new user accounts link in the Override for Windows display language group.
   It will open Region settings with Administrative tab selected.
   Follow the steps 5 and 6 from the instructions above.

Answer 2

Try this: Navigate to "C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\SystemData\S-1-5-18\ReadOnly\LockScreen_Z\" and replace that picture. You will also need to add permission to "System" to read it.

Let me know how it works.

Answer 3

I think the right way to set the default lockscreen is the Local Machine setting:

Set-ItemProperty HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Personalization LockScreenImage "C:\Path\To\Image.png"

You can also set it via Group Policy (depending on your version of Windows): Configuration\Administrative Templates\Control Panel\Personalization "Force a specific default lock screen image" ... there's even a matching "Prevent changing lock screen image" if you want to make sure nobody else using your PC can change it.

Answer 4

• Open up the side 'start menu'
• Click on 'Change PC Settings' down the bottom
• 'Personalize'
• 'Browse'
• Choose your picture.