How to change Window 7 login Background in a simple way

Microsoft Windows 7 has incorporated many visual customization options, whether it be the screen saver or setting themes for Windows. Microsoft understands the need for customization, and hence it comes with a lot of options to change the appearance of your system. However, Microsoft has not given a direct option to change Windows 7 login background under the control panel as we have for Windows 8, 10, and 11. Changing the Windows login screen is very easy on the later version of Windows 7 (i.e., Windows 8, 10, and 11) as the option is already present under the Windows Setting screen.

For Windows 7, setting a custom logon background was intended for original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) to customize their systems. However, there’s nothing stopping you from using this feature for yourself. Changing the Windows 7 login background requires a few additional steps through Group Policy Editor or Registry Editor. If you don’t want to change any settings in Group Policy Editor or Registry Editor, you can also try third-party software available for Windows 7.

Below are three methods to change Windows 7 login screen background.

1. Group Policy Editor
2. Registry Editor
3. Third-Party Software

Step 1: Enable Custom Windows 7 Logon Background Settings

1.) Group Policy Editor :
We recommend that our readers use the Group Policy editor for changing the windows 7 login background. Since it’s a lot safer and more accessible compared to an editing registry, at any time, you can revert the setting to default.

Steps:

• Open Group Policy editor, Press Win + R, and type “Gpedit.msc” in the run command or Go to Start and type “group policy”, You may find “Edit Group Policy” in the list.
• Go to the following branch:

Computer Configuration >> Administrative Templates >> System >> Logon

• On the right pane, change the setting for “Always use custom logon background” to “Enabled”, Apply the Setting, and exit the Group policy editor.

2.) Registry Editor :
There is no need to use this method since group policy is more straightforward. However, we have listed this method to let you know how it can be enabled using the registry editor. To make it more convenient, we have created the registry file; you just need to run it.

Steps 1:

Download the file here and Run the “Enable custom Windows logon.reg” file.
This will enable the option to custom logon background.

Step 2: Add Image for Login screen Background

Settings are changed, now it’s time to add the image you want in your logon background.

Steps:

2.) Now, Create a new folder in that directory named “info” and inside the same folder create one more folder named “Backgrounds”. The folder path should look like this.

 %windir%\System32\oobe\info\backgrounds

3.) Now place your desired logon wallpaper in this background folder with the file name as backgroundDefault.jpg

Note: The image Should be less than 256kb in size

If you feel lazy or not comfortable performing the above method, you should use third-party software. The software that can do this task efficiently and quickly is the Tweaks.com logon changer. This tool also supports Windows 8 and Windows 10.