“Windows splash screen” can mean two different displays. If you mean the picture shown before sign-in, change it in Settings > Personalization > Lock screen. If you mean the manufacturer logo that appears immediately after you press the power button, that is an early-boot firmware graphic and is not changed by the lock-screen setting. The supported custom-logo route involves a UEFI device’s Boot Graphics Resource Table (BGRT), which is normally an OEM or deployment task rather than an everyday Windows personalization option.
First, identify which “splash screen” you want to change
Windows presents several visuals during startup, and they are controlled by different systems. The lock screen is the full-screen background shown after Windows has started but before you unlock the PC. The sign-in screen is where you enter a password, PIN, fingerprint, or other credential. The early-boot screen appears before Windows loads, often showing a computer maker’s logo.
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A simple timing test helps: if you can already see Windows controls, a lock-screen choice is relevant. If the image appears immediately after pressing the power button, before Windows begins loading, it belongs to firmware. The Windows logo or a manufacturer mark can also appear during this early phase, so do not assume every startup image is a lock-screen setting.
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Repair common Windows errors and clear accumulated junk for a smoother, more stable PC - no reinstall needed.Free scan · no reinstallChanging a lock-screen picture does not replace the logo shown during firmware startup. Conversely, changing a firmware logo does not select the photograph, Spotlight image, or slideshow that appears at the Windows lock screen. Use the comparison below to choose the correct route.
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| Display or goal | Where it is controlled | What you can change | Typical access and compatibility |
|---|---|---|---|
| Windows lock screen | Settings > Personalization > Lock screen | Windows Spotlight, one picture, or a slideshow | Available through ordinary Windows settings in Windows 11 and Windows 10; labels can vary by release |
| Sign-in background | Lock-screen settings | Use the same lock-screen background at sign-in | Enable the “Show the lock screen background picture on the sign-in screen” setting |
| Early-boot logo | UEFI firmware and the device’s Boot Graphics Resource Table (BGRT) | A firmware startup logo, where the device implementation permits it | Device-level firmware access; feasibility depends on the PC’s UEFI implementation |
| Hide Windows startup elements | Unbranded Boot configuration | Suppress selected Windows startup UI elements | Optional feature for supported Enterprise, Education, and IoT Enterprise editions and configurations; it is not a general image picker |
For most home and office users asking how to “change the splash screen,” the first row is the practical answer. The firmware rows apply when the logo is visible before Windows itself begins loading. None of these routes requires buying a physical accessory or a generic wallpaper utility.
Change the Windows 11 lock-screen background
Windows 11 offers three built-in choices: a rotating set of Microsoft-provided images, a single picture, or images from one or more folders. You can change the selection without touching firmware or boot settings. The setting is per Windows installation, so changing it on one PC does not alter another PC signed in with the same account.
- Open Start, then select Settings.
- Choose Personalization in the left navigation.
- Select Lock screen.
- Under Personalize your lock screen, open the selection menu.
- Choose Windows Spotlight, Picture, or Slideshow, then complete the option-specific step below.
If a work or school administrator manages personalization, some controls can be unavailable or fixed. That restriction concerns Windows policy and does not make the firmware logo configurable.
Option 1: Windows Spotlight
Select Windows Spotlight to let Windows rotate Microsoft-provided images and show related content. This is the least hands-on choice: Windows selects the images rather than a folder on your PC. The available content and related controls can change as Windows updates. Spotlight is therefore a service-driven rotation, not a guarantee that a particular photograph will remain on screen.
Option 2: Picture
Select Picture when you want one fixed image, such as a family photograph, a company mark, or a locally stored illustration. Choose the available browse control, select the image on your device, and confirm the selection. The file remains a lock-screen choice; it does not become the firmware logo shown during power-on.
Use a copy of an important image in a stable local location. If you later move or delete the file, Windows may retain a cached version, but keeping the selected source available makes it easier to choose the picture again or troubleshoot a missing preview. This is ordinary file management, not a firmware requirement.
Option 3: Slideshow
Select Slideshow to use images from a folder. Choose the folder that contains the pictures you want Windows to display. A slideshow is useful when you want a set of images to rotate instead of one permanent background. Keep the folder limited to suitable images, because Windows will use the pictures it finds there.
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A slideshow folder is not the same thing as a boot-logo package. Adding a logo file to that folder only makes it another possible Windows background; it cannot make the file appear before firmware hands control to Windows.
Show the same image on the Windows sign-in screen
The lock screen and sign-in screen are separate moments, even though they can use the same artwork. In Settings > Personalization > Lock screen, enable Show the lock screen background picture on the sign-in screen. With that switch on, the selected Spotlight image, picture, or slideshow background is also used behind the credential prompt.
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This setting changes the Windows sign-in background only. It does not alter the manufacturer logo that can appear before Windows starts. If you turn the switch off, the sign-in screen can display its own Windows-managed background while your selected lock-screen mode remains unchanged.
Manage Windows 11 lock-screen widgets
Current Windows 11 lock-screen settings can also display widgets. Depending on the Windows release and available providers, you can add, remove, reorder, or turn off the widgets shown there. Provider availability and the amount of customization can vary, so a control visible on one installation may not appear identically on another.
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Windows 10 instructions and support status
In Windows 10, the route is also Start > Settings > Personalization > Lock screen. The Microsoft Support article documents the Windows 10 controls separately, and the exact interface can vary by release. Look for the lock-screen background choices and the setting that shows the lock-screen picture on the sign-in screen.
Microsoft states that Windows 10 support ended on October 14, 2025. The setting can still exist on an installed copy, but an unsupported operating system no longer receives the normal support and security servicing associated with a supported Windows release. For a current installation, follow the Windows 11 path first. The end-of-support date does not convert a Windows 10 lock-screen image into a firmware logo and does not change the device’s UEFI capabilities.
Why the early-boot logo is different
The logo displayed immediately after power-on is drawn before the normal Windows personalization layer is available. It is associated with the device firmware, typically UEFI, and the firmware’s Boot Graphics Resource Table (BGRT). A lock-screen photograph is therefore the wrong control for this job.
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Microsoft’s documented position is explicit: “The only supported way to replace the startup logo with a custom logo is to modify the Boot Graphics Resource Table (BGRT) on a device that uses UEFI as the firmware interface.” Read the full guidance in Microsoft Learn’s Boot Screen Components documentation.
That statement describes a device-level firmware path, not a universal Windows setting. Whether a custom logo can actually be used depends on the computer’s UEFI firmware and how its manufacturer implemented the boot graphics. A machine can therefore meet the UEFI requirement yet still offer no supported consumer-facing control for replacing its logo.
Before attempting any firmware change, identify the exact model and consult its manufacturer documentation. Firmware interfaces, update packages, recovery procedures, and image requirements are model-specific. A utility advertised as a “splash-screen changer” is not automatically an equivalent to Microsoft’s supported BGRT path.
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What Microsoft’s firmware design guidance says
Microsoft’s OEM boot-screen guidance provides constraints for a firmware boot logo. These are design recommendations for the early-boot screen, not instructions for sizing a lock-screen wallpaper:
- The background is black.
- Transparency is unsupported.
- The logo’s center is recommended at 38.2% of the screen height from the top edge. Microsoft does not state a year for this figure on the referenced page.
- The logo is recommended to stay within 40% of the screen height and 40% of the screen width. Microsoft does not state a year for these limits on the referenced page.
These proportions matter to an OEM preparing firmware assets. They do not mean that a personal lock-screen image must be black, centered at 38.2%, or limited to 40% of the display. Do not crop a family photograph to these numbers merely because it is used on the lock screen.
When Unbranded Boot is the right tool
Microsoft’s Unbranded Boot documentation describes an optional Windows feature that suppresses Windows elements shown during startup. It is listed for Windows 11 and Windows 10 and supports Enterprise and Enterprise LTSC, Education, IoT Enterprise, and IoT Enterprise LTSC editions.
Unbranded Boot is not enabled by default. Its documented purpose is to hide or suppress startup UI elements in specialized deployments, such as a managed device that should present a streamlined boot experience. It is not a general consumer control for browsing to a photograph and assigning it as a splash image. Suppressing a Windows animation or message is a different objective from replacing a manufacturer’s firmware logo.
Choose this route only when your edition, deployment model, and device requirements match Microsoft’s documentation. If your goal is simply to show a personal image before entering your password, use the lock-screen setting instead; Unbranded Boot addresses a different problem. Home and ordinary Pro users should not assume that installing a different edition is necessary for normal lock-screen personalization.
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You want a personal photograph after Windows starts
Use Settings > Personalization > Lock screen, choose Picture, and optionally enable the sign-in-background switch. This requires no firmware change, special edition, or paid software.
You want rotating photographs
Choose Slideshow and point Windows to the folder containing the images. If you prefer Microsoft-selected imagery, choose Windows Spotlight instead. These choices affect the Windows lock screen and, when the toggle is enabled, the sign-in background.
You want the same artwork behind the password prompt
Keep your chosen lock-screen mode, then turn on Show the lock screen background picture on the sign-in screen. The switch controls the sign-in background, not the power-on logo.
You want to replace the logo visible before Windows loads
That is a UEFI/BGRT firmware question. Check the device manufacturer’s documentation and deployment support before changing firmware data. Windows’ ordinary personalization pages cannot perform this replacement. If the manufacturer offers no supported workflow, the practical answer may be that the logo cannot be changed safely on that model.
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You want a managed device with fewer startup messages
Evaluate Unbranded Boot on a supported Enterprise, Education, or IoT Enterprise edition. Its purpose is to suppress startup elements, not to provide a consumer image-selection dialog. Confirm both the edition and the deployment scenario before planning around it.
Troubleshooting the lock-screen change
The new picture appears at the lock screen but not at sign-in
Return to Settings > Personalization > Lock screen and confirm that Show the lock screen background picture on the sign-in screen is enabled. Selecting a picture or slideshow alone does not automatically apply it to the credential screen.
The settings page looks different
Microsoft notes that the exact interface can vary by Windows release. Verify that you are in Settings > Personalization > Lock screen, then look for the Personalize your lock screen selector and the sign-in-background option. A different arrangement of controls does not indicate that the firmware logo has become configurable.
Spotlight is not showing the image you expected
Spotlight is a rotating Microsoft-provided service, not a folder picker. Choose Picture for one local image or Slideshow for a folder you control. If exact image choice matters, Spotlight is the wrong mode by design.
Widgets are missing or cannot be rearranged
Widget availability and provider customization vary by Windows release and provider. Check the current lock-screen widget controls on your installation; their presence is independent of the sign-in-background and firmware-logo settings.
The manufacturer logo remains unchanged
That is expected when you changed only the lock screen. The early-boot logo is controlled by UEFI firmware and BGRT, so a Windows wallpaper change cannot replace it. Use the device-specific firmware documentation to determine whether customization is supported at all.
A company-managed PC will not let me choose an image
Management policies can restrict ordinary personalization controls. Contact the administrator rather than trying to bypass policy with an unverified utility. A policy restriction on the lock screen does not imply that changing firmware is approved or supported.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Safety and compatibility checks before touching firmware
A lock-screen change is reversible through Settings. Firmware work has a different risk profile because it affects the device before Windows starts. Before pursuing a custom early-boot logo, verify all of the following:
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1Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors2Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches3Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems- The machine uses UEFI firmware rather than a legacy firmware interface.
- The manufacturer documents a supported BGRT or boot-logo workflow for that model.
- Your image meets the firmware’s format, color, and size requirements.
- You understand the recovery process if the firmware rejects the asset or an update fails.
- You are not confusing a deployment feature such as Unbranded Boot with an image picker.
If the manufacturer provides no supported procedure, do not assume that a third-party utility is an equivalent Microsoft-supported method. The official documentation establishes BGRT modification on a UEFI device as the supported path, while the actual implementation remains device-specific. Back up important data and follow the manufacturer’s recovery instructions before any firmware operation; do not experiment on a production device merely to change a logo.
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Using Windows themes for broader personalization
If your goal extends beyond the lock screen, Windows themes can coordinate backgrounds and other appearance settings. Microsoft’s overview is available in Personalize Your Windows Experience With Themes. Themes still operate within Windows; they do not rewrite the UEFI startup logo. A theme can complement a lock-screen picture, but it cannot bridge the gap between Windows personalization and firmware graphics.
Frequently confused terms
- Lock screen: the Windows screen shown before you unlock the session.
- Sign-in screen: the credential-entry screen, which can be configured to reuse the lock-screen background.
- Startup or boot logo: the early-boot graphic supplied by firmware, often associated with the device maker.
- Unbranded Boot: an optional specialized feature for suppressing Windows startup elements on supported editions, not a general custom-wallpaper control.
- BGRT: the Boot Graphics Resource Table used by UEFI firmware to describe boot graphics; changing it is a device-level operation.
Keeping these terms separate prevents the most common mistake: expecting a lock-screen wallpaper change to alter what appears before Windows has loaded.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use a GIF or slideshow to replace the manufacturer logo during power-on?
The documented consumer lock-screen choices are Spotlight, Picture, and Slideshow. The early-boot logo is a UEFI/BGRT firmware asset, so those Windows choices do not replace it.
Does enabling the sign-in background also change the BIOS or UEFI screen?
No. It applies the selected Windows lock-screen background to the credential-entry screen. Firmware startup graphics are controlled separately.
Is Unbranded Boot required to customize a normal Windows 11 lock screen?
No. Normal lock-screen personalization is available in Settings. Unbranded Boot is an optional specialized feature for supported Enterprise, Education, and IoT Enterprise editions and is intended to suppress startup UI elements.
Why do I still see the computer maker’s logo after choosing a new lock-screen picture?
The maker’s logo appears during early boot and is controlled by UEFI firmware. The lock-screen setting starts working only after Windows has loaded.
Can I change the startup logo from Windows Settings?
No. Microsoft identifies UEFI firmware and the Boot Graphics Resource Table as the supported custom-logo route. Availability depends on the specific device implementation.
Do the 38.2% and 40% measurements apply to my lock-screen wallpaper?
No. Those are Microsoft OEM design recommendations for a firmware boot logo: center placement at 38.2% of screen height and a logo limited to 40% of screen height and width. They are not consumer wallpaper requirements.
Do I need to buy software or hardware to change the Windows lock screen?
No. Windows 11 and Windows 10 provide Spotlight, Picture, and Slideshow controls in Settings. A firmware logo is device-specific and has no generic product recommendation.
Is Windows 10’s lock-screen procedure still available?
The path remains Start > Settings > Personalization > Lock screen, although the interface can vary by release. Microsoft says Windows 10 support ended October 14, 2025, so Windows 11 is the current supported path.
The Bottom Line
For a normal Windows “splash screen” change, open Settings > Personalization > Lock screen and choose Spotlight, Picture, or Slideshow. Turn on Show the lock screen background picture on the sign-in screen if you want the same image behind your credentials. A logo shown before Windows loads is a separate UEFI/BGRT firmware asset; changing it requires manufacturer-supported device guidance, while Unbranded Boot is a specialized feature for suppressing startup UI on supported editions.
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