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Change the login screen background?

Quackers

Quackers

macrumors 68000
Sep 18, 2013
1,938
708
Manchester, UK
Incidentally I messed up my user name when I re-installed BS.
I created a new user with admin privileges and removed admin privileges from the wrongly named account then deleted that former user (after a couple of restarts).
My new user name now uses a different lockscreen/login screen.
 
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Bozzlabb

macrumors newbie
Nov 13, 2020
28
10
Just do it right do the manual, but even after restart i had no effect to the login ..
 
Quackers

Quackers

macrumors 68000
Sep 18, 2013
1,938
708
Manchester, UK
Bozzlabb said:
Just do it right do the manual, but even after restart i had no effect to the login ..
Click to expand...
Thank you. Something must work because I don't have that login screen on my laptop since I deleted the original admin account.
Did you find the /Library/Caches/Desktop Pictures and did it have a folder with your UUID as a title?
And did it have the lockscreen picture in it?
Mine has (but a different lockscreen).
I'll have a mooch about :)
 
B

Bozzlabb

macrumors newbie
Nov 13, 2020
28
10
I had no such Folder ;I created one by myself, named it Desktop Pictures , include one folder with the UUID inside and put my lockscreen .png picture inside ..

i assume , i must wait for a suitable onyx version.
 
Last edited:
Quackers

Quackers

macrumors 68000
Sep 18, 2013
1,938
708
Manchester, UK
Bozzlabb said:
I had no such Folder ;Ii created one by myself, named iz Desktop Pictures , include one folder with the UUID inside and put my .png picure inside ..

i assume , i must wait for a suitable onyx version.
Click to expand...
Again, thank you.
I take it you called it lockscreen.png ?
 
Quackers

Quackers

macrumors 68000
Sep 18, 2013
1,938
708
Manchester, UK
All very interesting.
https://macreports.com/how-to-change-the-login-screen-background-in-macos-big-sur/
This works for me but see below.
Old login
IMG_0008.jpeg
New login
IMG_0007.jpeg
But remember, as per post 26 in this thread
I cocked up my admin user name when I re-installed Big Sur.
I created a new admin account with the correct name and restarted.
I then removed admin privileges from the original (wrong) user and restarted.
I then deleted that original user account and rebooted.
I then had a new login screen (pic 1).
Then I went through the process descibed in the link and I can now change login screen at will.
 
Airsculpture

Airsculpture

macrumors 6502
Oct 14, 2020
344
85
Genuine question, as I've seen countless threads on this on the Apple discussion forum, why are people so keen to change the login screen background, especially as you only ever see it when you log in ?
 
Quackers

Quackers

macrumors 68000
Sep 18, 2013
1,938
708
Manchester, UK
Airsculpture said:
Genuine question, as I've seen countless threads on this on the Apple discussion forum, why are people so keen to change the login screen background, especially as you only ever see it when you log in ?
Click to expand...
I wasn't keen I don't mind it :)
But others couldn't do it so I had to try and find out why.
(Even though I've only done it by user subterfuge :) )
And the login screen is also the lock screen.
 
Last edited:
Monotremata

Monotremata

macrumors 6502
Apr 11, 2019
369
217
Fontana, CA
Quackers said:
I wasn't keen I don't mind it :)
But others couldn't do it so I had to try and find out why.
(Even though I've only done it by user subterfuge :) )
And the login screen is also the lock screen.
Click to expand...

My lock screen is the same as my desktop.. My actual login screen when I restart the Mac is the big vomit of colors.
 
Quackers

Quackers

macrumors 68000
Sep 18, 2013
1,938
708
Manchester, UK
Monotremata said:
My lock screen is the same as my desktop.. My actual login screen when I restart the Mac is the big vomit of colors.
Click to expand...
So was mine originally but the user change of post 26 changed it. I didn't mind that one.
But for some reason I can now change it at will via the link I posted earlier.
 
halofan56

halofan56

macrumors 6502
Oct 23, 2015
259
60
Bozzlabb said:
I had no such Folder ;I created one by myself, named it Desktop Pictures , include one folder with the UUID inside and put my lockscreen .png picture inside ..

i assume , i must wait for a suitable onyx version.
Click to expand...
You know what? That's exactly what I am doing. According to Onyx website, when Big Sur released last week, it takes about 2-3 weeks to bring up the latest version. You have to read the notes on changing the login screen before you make that change. This is not imperative to change it, If it is too involved, i won't do it. I am curious how people and beta testers have made remarks about the login screen, maybe suggest a utility within macOS to make changes like the user background. I know Windows 10 has a simple procedure to make a change, I did it on my son's PC when he had it.
 
I

iStorm

macrumors 68020
Sep 18, 2012
2,023
2,426
The link @Quackers posted only works if you aren't using FileVault. If FileVault is turned on, it completely changes how this is done...if it is even still possible with Big Sur.

When FileVault is enabled, you are booting to a separate Preboot volume to log in, so that it can unlock the encrypted OS/Data volume and continue booting into it. In this case, the login screen background is actually set in the Preboot volume.

Here is the method that is used to change the login background when FileVault is turned on in Mojave.
https://sneakypockets.wordpress.com/2019/05/30/change-the-filevault-login-background-in-mojave

Of course this no longer works with Catalina due to the way the OS and data were split into two volumes. The location of the default desktop picture is on the system/read-only volume and cannot be changed easily without disabling SIP to change it. Here is the updated method that is used for Catalina.
https://macreports.com/macos-catalina-how-to-change-the-login-screen-background

Theoretically, the method for Big Sur should be similar as Catalina, but I think things will be even tougher (or impossible?) now that Big Sur is also using a signed/sealed volume.
 
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Quackers

Quackers

macrumors 68000
Sep 18, 2013
1,938
708
Manchester, UK
iStorm said:
The link @Quackers posted only works if you aren't using FileVault. If FileVault is turned on, it completely changes how this is done...if it is even still possible with Big Sur.

When FileVault is enabled, you are booting to a separate Preboot volume to log in, so that it can unlock the encrypted OS/Data volume and continue booting into it. In this case, the login screen background is actually set in the Preboot volume.

Here is the method that is used when FileVault is turned on in Mojave.
https://sneakypockets.wordpress.com/2019/05/30/change-the-filevault-login-background-in-mojave

Of course this no longer works with Catalina due to the way the OS and data were split into two volumes. The location of the default desktop picture is on the system/read-only volume and cannot be changed easily without disabling SIP to change it. Here is the updated method that is used for Catalina.
https://macreports.com/macos-catalina-how-to-change-the-login-screen-background

Theoretically, the method for Big Sur should be similar as Catalina, but I think things will be even tougher (or impossible?) now that Big Sur is also using a signed/sealed volume.
Click to expand...
Good point!
I can confirm that I'm not using FileVault.
 
Sakellaris

Sakellaris

macrumors member
Jul 24, 2014
38
16
Nea Makri Marathon Greece
-texan- said:
Hi,
How do I change the login screen background in Big Sur?
Click to expand...
This is my solution:

  1. boot into the recovery mode
  2. open terminal
  3. type: csrutil disable
  4. press enter
  5. type: mount -uw / /dev/diskXsY <--


Attention!!! X=your Big Sur disk from 'diskutil list'

Y=your Big Sur disk slice

Now the Big Sur volume should be writable

6. Reboot normaly

7. name your own grafic image as Big Sur Graphic.heic

8. copy your own grafic image in to Macintosh HD

9. reboot into the recovery mode

10. open terminal

11. type: mount -uw / /dev/diskXsY <--



Attention!!!! X=your Big Sur disk from 'diskutil list'

Y=your Big Sur disk slice

12. type: cd /

13. type: cd /Volumes/Macintosh\ HD/System/Library/Desktop\ Pictures

14. type: mv /Volumes/Macintosh\ HD/System/Library/Desktop\ Pictures/Big\ Sur\ Graphic.heic /Volumes/Macintosh\ HD/System/Library/Desktop\ Pictures/Big\ Sur\ Graphic.heic.orig

15. type: mv /Volumes/Macintosh\ HD/Big\ Sur\ Graphic.heic /Volumes/Macintosh\ HD/System/Library/Desktop\ Pictures/Big\ Sur\ Graphic.heic

16. Reboot

Now you have your new login background

17. Reboot into the recovery mode

18. open terminal

19. type: csrutil enable

20. press enter

21. reboot e voilá

¯\_(ツ)_/¯
 
RJMang

RJMang

macrumors newbie
Nov 23, 2020
4
1
I created UUID folders with the correctly named .png file inside. put it in the Cashes/Desktop Pictures folder in BOTH Library folders. Gave correct permissions. did it for both login users. no change. still the ugly login background
 
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