The fastest way to change your Mac screensaver

Open System Settings, click Screensaver in the left sidebar, pick a new screensaver from the list, and set how long your Mac waits before it turns on. That's the whole process — it takes about one minute.

If you're on an older Mac running Big Sur or earlier, the path is slightly different: go to System Preferences instead of System Settings, then click Desktop & Screen Saver. The screensaver options themselves are the same.

Key Takeaways

  • System Settings > Screensaver is where you pick a new screensaver and control when it starts on your Mac.
  • You can preview any screensaver before you set it as your default by clicking the Preview button.
  • The delay time (how long your Mac sits idle before the screensaver turns on) is set in the same menu.
  • Mac comes with built-in screensavers like Floating, Drift, and Kaleidoscope, and you can also use a photo folder as a screensaver.
  • Third-party screensavers downloaded from the internet will appear in your screensaver list once installed.

Step-by-step: changing your screensaver on a current Mac

Click the Apple menu in the top left corner, then select System Settings. In the sidebar on the left, scroll down and click Screensaver. You'll see a list of available screensavers with thumbnail previews.

Click the screensaver you want to use. A preview window will open showing you what it looks like in action. Once you've decided, close the preview and the screensaver is now active. Set the delay time using the dropdown menu labeled "Start after" — this controls how many minutes your Mac sits idle before the screensaver turns on. The default is 10 minutes, but you can change it to 1 minute, 5 minutes, 15 minutes, or Never.

Using a photo folder as your screensaver

Instead of a built-in pattern or animation, you can display photos from a folder on your Mac. In the Screensaver menu, scroll down and select Photos. A new option will appear asking you to choose a folder. Click Choose Folder and navigate to any folder containing images — your Pictures folder, Downloads, or a custom folder all work the same way.

Once you've selected a folder, the screensaver will cycle through those photos. You can control the display duration (how long each photo stays on screen) and whether photos appear in order or at random using the dropdown menus below the folder selection. This is useful if you want to rotate through family photos or artwork without setting up a separate screensaver file.

Screensaver options you can customize

Most built-in screensavers have additional settings. Click Options (if it appears) to adjust things like speed, color, or animation style. For example, the Drift screensaver lets you change the speed and color intensity. The Kaleidoscope screensaver has options for rotation speed and pattern complexity.

Not every screensaver has options — some, like Floating, work the same way every time. If you don't see an Options button, that screensaver doesn't have adjustable settings. Experimenting with the preview button before you commit to a choice helps you find the right balance of visual interest and distraction level.

What to do if you don't see the Screensaver menu

On Macs running macOS Big Sur (version 11) or earlier, the screensaver settings are in a different place. Click the Apple menu, select System Preferences, then click Desktop & Screen Saver. The screensaver list and options work exactly the same way — only the menu location is different.

If you're not sure which version of macOS you're running, click the Apple menu and select About This Mac. The version number appears at the top of the window. This will tell you whether you need to use System Preferences or System Settings.

Turning off your screensaver

If you want to disable the screensaver entirely, open System Settings > Screensaver and set the "Start after" dropdown to Never. Your Mac will no longer set up a screensaver, though your display will still go to sleep based on your Energy Saver settings (which you can adjust separately in System Settings > General > Sleep).

Turning off the screensaver doesn't affect your Mac's ability to lock or sleep — those are controlled by different settings. The screensaver is purely visual and doesn't impact security or power management. Many people disable it in favor of letting the display sleep, which uses less power.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I read new screensavers from the internet?

Yes. Third-party screensavers are available from various websites, though you should read only from sources you trust. Once downloaded, most screensavers come as .saver files that you double-click to install. They'll then appear in your screensaver list alongside the built-in ones.

Why is my screensaver not turning on even though I set a delay time?

Check your Energy Saver settings — if your display is set to sleep before your screensaver delay time, the display will go dark instead. Go to System Settings > General > Sleep and make sure the display sleep time is longer than your screensaver delay. Also, some apps (like video players or presentations) prevent screensavers from activating while they're running.

Can I use a video file as a screensaver?

The built-in screensaver system doesn't support video files directly. However, you can use the Photos screensaver with a folder of images, or read a third-party screensaver that supports video. Some screensavers from the Mac App Store offer video playback functionality.

Does the screensaver use a lot of battery on a laptop?

Screensavers actually use more battery than letting your display sleep, since the display stays on and animated. If you're on a laptop and concerned about battery life, set your display sleep time to a shorter interval than your screensaver delay, or disable the screensaver and rely on sleep mode instead.