Where to Find Screen Saver Settings on Your Mac

Open System Settings (called System Preferences on older Macs), then click Lock Screen in the left sidebar. Scroll down to the Screen Saver section. Click the dropdown menu next to "Start after" to see all available screen savers and pick a new one. Your choice takes effect when ready — the next time your Mac locks or goes idle for the time you set, it will display your new screen saver.

If you do not see Lock Screen in the sidebar, your Mac is running an older version of macOS. On those machines, go to System Preferences > Desktop & Screen Saver, then click the Screen Saver tab at the top. The process is the same: choose from the list on the left, set how long before it starts, and you are done.

Key Takeaways

  • Screen saver settings live in System Settings under Lock Screen (or System Preferences > Desktop & Screen Saver on older Macs).
  • Click the dropdown menu next to "Start after" to see all available screen savers and select a new one.
  • You can set how many minutes of inactivity trigger the screen saver — the default is usually 10 or 20 minutes.
  • Some screen savers let you customize colors, speed, or content by clicking the Options button after you select them.

Choosing a Screen Saver and Setting the Delay

Click the dropdown menu in the Screen Saver section to see what is available. macOS comes with several built-in options: Aerial (moving video of landscapes), Floating Message, Kaleidoscope, Message, and others depending on your macOS version. Each one shows a small preview on the right side of the screen so you can see what it looks like before you commit to it.

Below the screen saver list, you will see "Start after" with a number field. This controls how many minutes your Mac sits idle before the screen saver turns on. The default is often 10 or 20 minutes. Lower numbers mean the screen saver starts sooner; higher numbers mean your screen stays on longer. If you want the screen saver to start right away, set it to 1 minute. If you rarely want it to appear, set it to 30 or higher.

Customizing Your Screen Saver with Options

Some screen savers have an Options button below the preview. Click it to adjust colors, speed, text, or other settings specific to that screen saver. For example, the Floating Message screen saver lets you type custom text that will float across your screen. The Kaleidoscope screen saver lets you change the pattern and speed.

Not all screen savers have options — many are fixed and cannot be customized. If you do not see an Options button, that screen saver does not offer adjustments. Preview the screen saver by clicking the play button (triangle icon) next to the preview window to see it in full screen for a few seconds before you finalize your choice.

Using Photos or a Folder as Your Screen Saver

If you want to display your own photos instead of a built-in design, look for Photos or Folder in the screen saver list. Select Photos to show random images from your Photos library. Select Folder to point to any folder on your Mac containing images — the screen saver will cycle through those pictures.

When you choose Photos or Folder, an Options button appears. Click it to decide whether to shuffle the images, how fast they change, and whether to zoom or pan across each photo. You can also choose which album or folder to pull from. These settings let you create a personalized slideshow that runs whenever your Mac is idle.

Turning Off the Screen Saver

If you do not want a screen saver at all, set "Start after" to Never. This disables the screen saver completely — your Mac will still lock or sleep according to your other settings, but no animated screen saver will appear in between.

Keep in mind that turning off the screen saver does not affect sleep settings. Your Mac can still go to sleep (turning off the display and slowing the processor) based on the timing you set in Lock Screen or Energy Saver. The screen saver is just what appears while your Mac is awake but idle.

Screen Saver vs. Lock Screen vs. Sleep — What is the Difference

These three features work together but do different things. The screen saver is an animated display that appears when your Mac has been idle for a set time — it keeps the screen active and moving. The lock screen is what appears when your Mac wakes up or when you manually lock it; it requires your password to get back in. Sleep is a power-saving state where your display turns off and your Mac uses very little energy, but it wakes when ready when you move the mouse or press a key.

You can set all three independently. For example, you might have a screen saver start after 10 minutes of inactivity, then have your Mac lock after 15 minutes, and then have it sleep after 30 minutes. Each one triggers in order if you keep not using your Mac. If you want your Mac to lock when ready without showing a screen saver first, set the screen saver to Never and then set the lock delay to a short time.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use a video file as my screen saver?

No — macOS screen savers are limited to the built-in designs, your Photos library, or images in a folder. You cannot point to a video file directly. However, you can convert a video to a series of still images, save them in a folder, and use the Folder screen saver option to cycle through them.

Why is my screen saver not starting even though I set a delay?

Check whether your Mac is actually idle. If you have a mouse or trackpad plugged in, even small movements can reset the idle timer. Also check your Energy Saver settings — if your Mac is set to sleep before the screen saver delay, sleep will happen first and the screen saver may never appear. Try moving your mouse or trackpad away from the desk and waiting the full delay time.

Does the screen saver use a lot of battery on a laptop?

Yes — a screen saver keeps your display on and your Mac awake, which drains battery faster than sleep mode. If you are on battery power, consider setting the screen saver to Never and letting your Mac sleep instead. Sleep uses far less power and still protects your screen from burn-in.

Can I set a different screen saver for each user account?

Yes. Each user account has its own System Settings, so you can log in to a different account and set a different screen saver there. When that user logs in, their chosen screen saver will appear. The settings do not carry over between accounts.

What if I want the screen saver to start when ready without any delay?

Set "Start after" to 1 minute — that is the shortest delay macOS allows. You can also manually trigger the screen saver right now by pressing Control + Shift + Eject (or Control + Shift + Power on newer Macs without an Eject key).