Change Your Mac Lock Screen Through System Settings

To change your Mac lock screen, open System Settings, go to Lock Screen, and choose a new wallpaper or screensaver. The process takes about two minutes and requires no restart. You can set different images for your lock screen and desktop, use a solid color, or pick from Apple's built-in collections.

Your lock screen is what appears when your Mac wakes from sleep or when you lock it manually. It is separate from your desktop background, so you can have completely different looks on each one. Changes take effect when ready.

Key Takeaways

  • Open System Settings, click Lock Screen in the sidebar, and select a new wallpaper or screensaver from the options shown.
  • You can choose from Apple's built-in wallpaper collections, your own photos, or a solid color for your lock screen.
  • Your lock screen image is independent from your desktop background, so you can set them differently.
  • If you use a screensaver on your lock screen, it will play when your Mac is locked or sleeping, then show your chosen wallpaper when you move the mouse.

Step 1: Open System Settings and Find Lock Screen

Click the Apple menu in the top-left corner of your screen and select System Settings. On the left sidebar, scroll down and click Lock Screen. You will see a preview of your current lock screen in the center of the window.

If you do not see Lock Screen in the sidebar, make sure you are running macOS Ventura or later. Older versions of macOS use different names and locations for these settings.

Step 2: Choose Between Wallpaper and Screensaver

At the top of the Lock Screen window, you will see two tabs: Wallpaper and Screensaver. Click Wallpaper to set a static image, or click Screensaver to set an animated option that plays when your Mac is locked.

If you choose Wallpaper, your lock screen will show a single image. If you choose Screensaver, the animation will play while your Mac is locked, and then your chosen wallpaper will appear when you move the mouse or press a key. Most people use Wallpaper for a cleaner, faster lock screen.

Step 3: Select Your Image or Collection

Under the Wallpaper tab, you will see several options: Collections (Apple's built-in sets like Aerial, Nature, or Solid Colors), Recent (images you have used before), and Folders (your own photo libraries). Click any collection to see thumbnails of available images.

To use one of your own photos, click Folders, navigate to the folder containing your photos, and select the image you want. You can also drag a photo directly from Finder into the preview area. Once you click an image, it becomes your lock screen when ready.

Step 4: Adjust Display Options (Optional)

Below the image preview, you may see additional options depending on which wallpaper you chose. For some images, you can toggle Show on lock screen to control whether the image appears on your lock screen, your login window, or both. Some collections also let you set the image to change automatically at sunrise, sunset, or on a schedule.

If you selected a screensaver instead of a wallpaper, you can choose how long your Mac waits before starting the screensaver. The default is usually 10 minutes of inactivity. Adjust this in the Start after dropdown if you want it to begin sooner or later.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Do not confuse your lock screen with your desktop background. Changing one does not change the other. If you want both to match, you will need to set them separately—lock screen in System Settings and desktop background in System Settings > Wallpaper.

If your new lock screen image does not appear, make sure you clicked it fully and waited a moment for the preview to update. If you are using a screensaver, remember that it only plays while your Mac is locked or sleeping; you will not see it while you are using your computer. Also check that your Mac is not set to require a password when ready upon waking, as this can interfere with screensaver display.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use a photo from my iPhone as my Mac lock screen?

Yes, if the photo is in your iCloud Photos library. Open System Settings > Lock Screen, click Wallpaper, then click Folders and select Photos. Your iCloud library will appear there. Any photo synced to iCloud will be available on your Mac.

Why does my lock screen look different than the preview I selected?

Some wallpapers adjust their appearance based on the time of day or your Mac's light/dark mode setting. If you selected an image that changes automatically, it may look different at different times. You can also check whether your Mac is in light or dark mode—go to System Settings > Appearance and switch modes to see if that changes how the image displays.

Can I set a different lock screen for different user accounts?

Yes. Each user account on your Mac has its own System Settings. Log in to a different account, open System Settings > Lock Screen, and choose a different wallpaper. When you switch accounts, the lock screen will change accordingly.

What if I want my lock screen to show a slideshow of multiple photos?

Use the Screensaver option instead of Wallpaper. Go to System Settings > Lock Screen, click the Screensaver tab, and select a collection like Memories or Highlights. These will cycle through multiple images from your photo library while your Mac is locked.