How to change the Logon UI background in Windows 7.

March 30th, 2009 . Filed under: Tips. Tags: Customize, Logon UI

You can now change the logon UI screen of Windows 7 with or without the use of 3rd party software or hacks, since Windows 7 now supports the ability to load images into the background of the login screen.

Although this functionality was designed for OEMs in mind, it is pretty easy to turn on and off using regedit and some images lying around your hard drive.

First, a check is made to determine if the customization functionality is enabled or not.

More precisely, a DWORD value named OEMBackground in the
HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Authentication\LogonUI\Background
registry key is checked.

Its data, of Boolean type, defines whether or not this behavior is turned on, i.e. 1 for enabled, 0 for disabled.

This value may not exist by default, depending on your system.

As this is an OEM feature images are derived from %windir%\system32\oobe\info\backgrounds.

Like the registry value, this folder may not exist by default.

More at WithinWindows.

But if you like you can also use any one of the following 3rd party freeware utilities:

1. Logon Changer for Windows 7. This utility lets you change the Windows 7 logon screen background. It provides an easy way to customize the logon screen background with just a few clicks. Simply download the free application, run it and click Change Logon Screen.

2. LogonUI Background Changer For Windows 7 is a small tool from Codeplex, which can help you to change the LogonUI background image in Windows 7, by modifying the Registry.

3. This Windows 7 Logon Changer Tool will allow you to customize the logon screen for Windows 7 without touching the registry at all.

4. This Windows 7 Background Changer, is WPF based, it’s a nice technical demo of Windows Presentation Foundation capabilities for those interested in WPF. It requires a decent GPU for the 3D animations to run smoothly. It runs fine with my Radeon HD 3200 on my laptop computer, but it should also work with lower end graphic cards, albeit slowly.

5. Windows 7 Logon Screen Rotator is a free application that will change the logon background image to an image of your choosing and also at a time you select. Current options include: each day, each logon and each computer lock.

6. Windows 7 Logon screen editor, is a tool developed by Deviantart user which can quickly set your wallpaper as the logon screen background.

7. Thoosje Windows 7 Logon Editor, also also comes with a libairy of free login screen backgrounds, Like great windows 3D logo’s and various other Themes like Movie, Cars and many more.

8. Windows 7 Login Changer lets you add a collection of pictures and change them at a specified interval. Images formats supported: Bitmap (BMP), Portable Network Graphics (PNG), Joint Photographic Experts Group (JPG), and Graphics Interchange Format (GIF).

9. Logon Background Changer Win 7, too lets you change the Windows 7 logon screens easily.

These links may also interest you:
Hack to change your Windows 7 Logon Wallpaper…and make it stay!
Customize your Windows 7 & Vista Logon screen by displaying a Text Message.