The quickest way to change your lock screen

Open Settings by pressing Windows key + I, then go to Personalization in the left menu. Click Lock screen. Under "Personalize your lock screen," you'll see a dropdown that says Windows spotlight, Picture, or Slideshow. Choose which type you want, then select or upload an image. The change takes effect the next time you lock your device.

If you want to use a photo from your computer, select Picture, then click Browse and navigate to the image file. Windows will resize it to fit your screen. If you choose Slideshow, you can pick a folder full of images and Windows will cycle through them each time you lock and unlock.

Key Takeaways

  • The Settings app is the main place to change your lock screen: press Windows key + I, then go to Personalization and Lock screen.
  • You can choose between Windows Spotlight (rotating images from Microsoft), a single Picture, or a Slideshow of your own photos.
  • When you pick Picture or Slideshow, you browse your computer for the image or folder you want to use.
  • Lock screen changes appear the next time you lock your device, not when ready.

Using Windows Spotlight for automatic lock screens

Windows Spotlight is the default setting and requires no action from you. Microsoft automatically rotates new images on your lock screen, usually daily. These images come from Bing and change based on your region and interests.

If you like the Spotlight images but want to see information about them, click the heart icon on the lock screen itself. This tells Windows which images you prefer. If you want to turn off Spotlight and use something else instead, select a different option from the dropdown in Settings.

Uploading a personal photo as your lock screen

Select Picture from the dropdown in Settings > Personalization > Lock screen. A Browse button will appear. Click it and navigate to any image file on your computer — JPG, PNG, and BMP files all work. Windows will automatically crop and center the image to fit your screen dimensions.

You can change the picture at any time by clicking Browse again and selecting a different file. There's no limit to how many times you can swap it out. If you want the same image to appear every time, this is the method to use.

Creating a slideshow of multiple images

Choose Slideshow from the dropdown in Settings > Personalization > Lock screen. Click Browse and select a folder that contains the images you want to cycle through. Windows will display one image each time you lock your device, moving to the next image in the folder on the next lock.

The slideshow works best with a folder that has 10 or more images so you don't see the same picture too often. You can add or remove images from the folder later, and Windows will include the new ones automatically. If you want to use images from multiple folders, create a new folder, copy the images into it, and point the slideshow there.

Adjusting lock screen details and notifications

Below the image selection in Settings, you'll see options for Show lock screen background picture on the sign-in screen and Get fun facts, tips, and more on your lock screen. Toggle these on or off based on what you want to see. The first option extends your lock screen image to the sign-in screen that appears before you enter your password. The second adds text overlays to your lock screen.

You can also control which apps show notifications on your lock screen. Scroll down to App notifications and toggle individual apps on or off. This determines whether you see alerts from Mail, Calendar, or other programs when your screen is locked.

Troubleshooting lock screen changes that don't appear

If you change your lock screen but the new image doesn't show up, lock and unlock your device to refresh it. Sometimes Windows caches the old image in memory. Press Windows key + L to lock when ready, then enter your password to unlock.

If the image still doesn't appear, restart your computer. This clears the cache completely. If you're using a slideshow and the images aren't changing, make sure the folder you selected actually contains image files and that Windows has permission to read them. Try moving the folder to your Pictures library, which Windows always has access to.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use a video as my lock screen instead of a photo?

No, Windows 11 lock screen only supports still images. You can use a slideshow of images to create a similar effect, but not a video file. If you want video on your desktop background instead, that's a different setting in Personalization > Background.

What image size works best for the lock screen?

Windows automatically crops any image to fit your screen, so size doesn't matter much. Larger images (1920 x 1080 or bigger) will look sharper, but Windows will resize smaller images without quality loss. Use whatever image you have — Windows handles the adjustment.

Will my lock screen image sync across my devices?

If you're signed in with a Microsoft account, your lock screen choice syncs to other Windows devices you own. The image itself doesn't always transfer, but the setting (Picture, Slideshow, or Spotlight) does. You may need to re-select the image folder on each device.

Can I set different lock screens for different times of day?

Windows 11 doesn't have a built-in scheduler for lock screens. Your best option is to use Slideshow with images organized by theme, or manually change the image when you want a different look. Some third-party tools offer scheduling, but they're not part of Windows itself.

Why does my lock screen image look blurry?

Small or low-resolution images may appear blurry when stretched to fit your screen. Use an image that's at least 1920 x 1080 pixels for best results. If you're using a slideshow, check that all images in the folder are high quality — one low-resolution image will stand out when it appears.