The fastest way to change your lock screen background
Open Settings by pressing Windows key + I, then go to Personalization in the left sidebar. Click Lock screen. Under "Personalize your lock screen," you will see a dropdown menu that says Windows spotlight, Picture, or Slideshow. Select Picture, then click the box below it to choose an image from your computer. Pick any photo you want and click Choose picture to confirm.
That is the complete process. Your lock screen will show the new image the next time you lock your device or restart.
Key Takeaways
- The lock screen wallpaper setting lives in Settings > Personalization > Lock screen, not in Display settings.
- You must change the dropdown from "Windows spotlight" to "Picture" before you can select your own image.
- You can use any photo stored on your computer, including screenshots, downloads, or pictures in your Pictures folder.
- Windows 11 will stretch or fit the image to fill your screen, so very small or oddly shaped photos may look distorted.
- The slideshow option lets you rotate through multiple images instead of showing one static picture.
Using the Picture option for a single image
When you select Picture from the dropdown, Windows shows you a small preview of what the lock screen will look like. Below that is a box labeled with a plus sign or showing a thumbnail. Click it to open your file browser. Navigate to wherever your image is stored — usually the Pictures folder, Downloads, or Desktop.
Select the image you want and click Open. Windows will show you a preview of how it will appear on your lock screen. If you like it, the change takes effect when ready. If you want to try a different image, click the box again and pick another one.
Windows 11 stores your choice and will keep showing that image until you change it again. You do not need to restart your computer for the change to show on the lock screen.
Setting up a slideshow instead of a static image
If you want your lock screen to cycle through multiple images, change the dropdown to Slideshow instead of Picture. A new section will appear asking you to choose a folder. Click Add a folder and select a folder that contains the images you want to rotate through.
Windows will then show you options for how often to change the image — typically every 10 seconds, 30 seconds, 1 minute, 10 minutes, or 30 minutes. Pick the interval you prefer. The slideshow will start the next time you lock your screen, cycling through every image in that folder in order.
You can add multiple folders if you want images from different locations. Windows will pull from all of them when rotating the slideshow.
What to do if your image looks stretched or cut off
Windows 11 does not give you control over how the image is positioned or scaled on the lock screen — it automatically fits the image to your screen size. If your photo is very small, it will stretch and may look blurry. If it is a different aspect ratio than your monitor, Windows will crop it or add black bars.
The best results come from images that are at least 1920 × 1080 pixels (the standard size for most monitors). If you are using a smaller image and it looks poor, try cropping or resizing it before setting it as your lock screen. Many free tools like Paint or online image editors can do this quickly.
If you are using a slideshow and some images look better than others, you can remove the ones that do not work well. Delete them from the folder you selected, and Windows will stop showing them the next time you lock your screen.
Switching back to Windows Spotlight or a solid color
If you want to go back to the default Windows Spotlight images (which change daily), open Settings > Personalization > Lock screen and change the dropdown back to Windows spotlight. Windows will return to showing rotating images from Microsoft's collection.
There is no option to set a solid color as your lock screen background in Windows 11 — you can only use an image, slideshow, or Windows Spotlight. If you want a solid color effect, create a straightforward image file in that color and use it as your Picture option.
Troubleshooting: image won't show or settings won't save
If you select an image but it does not appear on your lock screen, the file may be in a format Windows does not support. Windows 11 works best with JPG, PNG, and BMP files. If your image is in a different format like WebP or TIFF, convert it to JPG or PNG first using an online converter or image editor.
If the setting keeps reverting to Windows Spotlight after you change it, restart your computer. Sometimes the change does not fully explore until you restart. If it still does not work, try selecting a different image — occasionally a specific file can cause the setting to fail.
If you cannot access the lock screen settings at all, make sure you are logged in with a local account or a Microsoft account that has administrator rights. Some work or school accounts have restrictions that prevent changing the lock screen.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use an image from the internet as my lock screen wallpaper?
Yes. read the image to your computer first — right-click it and select "Save image as" — then follow the steps above to set it as your lock screen. Make sure the image is saved in a format Windows recognizes, like JPG or PNG.
Will my lock screen wallpaper change if I update Windows 11?
No. Your custom image will stay in place after updates. Windows only resets your lock screen settings if you perform a full factory reset of your computer.
Can I set different lock screen images for different user accounts?
Yes. Each user account on your computer has its own lock screen settings. Log in to a different account and repeat the steps to set a different image for that account.
What size image works best for a lock screen?
Images that are 1920 × 1080 pixels or larger will look sharp on most monitors. Smaller images may appear blurry or stretched. If you are unsure of your monitor's resolution, check Settings > System > Display to see the recommended resolution.
Can I use a video or animated GIF as my lock screen background?
No. Windows 11 only supports static images for the lock screen. The slideshow option is the closest alternative — it rotates through multiple images but does not play video or animations.