Solution for changing Big Sur login wallpaper to custom.

Perhaps you are using a different terminology to what I am using, jamesfromsherman.

I’m calling the screen that is displayed when one chooses a particular user to login as the Lock Screen, because that is the terminology the Operating System (OS) is using (calling those images “lockscreen.png”).

Once a user logs in, then what is shown is the Desktop image.

The background that is seen on a multi-user system, before any user is selected, I’m calling that the Login Screen.

Some have called that the “boot” or “startup” screen, but those terms tend to be more properly applied to screens shown before the macOS gets to the point where one may choose a user to login as.

Does that help clarify the terminology I’m using?

Do you have better terminology you wish us to use?

it could be called a sign-in screen or

something. Or a type your name here in order to unlock this screen so you can log on to this device with your secure user credentials as this computer is locked in order to protect it from unauthorized and possible malicious intent, by unscrupulous individuals screen. That’s what I’m sayin’

So, the Login Screen, to put it most succinctly, jamesfromsherman. 🙂😏

(Incidentally, if you have ever seen this Login Screen, on a Multi-User system, you’ll know that you usually do not need to «type your name here in order to unlock this screen». Instead, one simply clicks on a user image, going to the Lock Screen, of that user, where they then enter their password, or Touch-ID, or whatnot, in order to finish the login process: where the user actually signs in.)

I suppose one could call the Login Screen the Choose User Screen or Select User Screen or User Selection Screen, but none of those are as succinct.

I think I saw your «self expression», jamesfromsherman.

I’m not at all surprised that disciplinary action was taken.

Hopefully, you’ll be more circumspect, in the future.

By the way, the brightly colored Big Sur Graphic is, almost certainly, an artist’s impression of the Big Sur landscape (probably at dusk, along the highway, going South).

This method does not work on the latest version of Big Sur 11.0.1

Why are we not allowed to change that rainbow colored login/switch user/lock screen ?

I have followed all of your steps and it still did not work. Even after both a restart and shutdown.

Any workarounds that you know of ? I have 2 user accounts and always leave the log-in screen up so this rainbow color background is incredibly annoying for me.

First: thank you for these steps. I followed the steps, and it works so long as you leave FileVault deactivated.

However: As soon as re-enable FileVault the butt-ugly login screen re-appears.

Apple engineers/Mac product management: If you are listening... fix this please, and consider firing whomever came up with the most irritating splash screen for Big Sur os. The colors are abhorrent together, and the shapes and fading is annoying. Whomever approved this or thinks it is a great on-ramp for a Mac needs to have their head examined.

rob185,

Great, that's all we can do at this point and hopefully Apple will address it in the next point release of Big Sur. Even a check box under Users & Groups or under Desktop & Screensaver that says sync desktop picture with login screen background or just fix it so it syncs automatically as not sure why anyone would want it different but that's my opinion.

Thank you Soren, it helped (I was trying in the system folder instead), but only after I switched off the FileVault.

It takes only the screen that I've put manually in the map though.

But that doesn't really bother me.

Will it still work if I switch FileVault back on?

StephCape wrote:

I agree with both petroc2 and Halliday - but it should be your choice - not forced upon you, don't you think?

Oh. I quite agree that the user (system administrator) should be able to choose what image is best for their system.

As Soren Pearson has written:

«Hopefully Apple will address this with a future update. What … you can do is submit feedback at this point and hope they read it. That's all you can do at this point.»

I would recommend using the macOS Feedback, and choosing the “Bug” report: this is preventing you, the system administrator, from setting the most appropriate Login Screen (User Selection Screen, or whatever Apple calls that screen, before selecting a User to login as) for your system.

Fortunately, I have had good experiences submitting “Bug” reports to Apple.

StephCape wrote:

I submitted a bug report yesterday, using Apple's feedback form, yes - hopefully Apple will receive enough feedback on this issue to offer a solution.

I’m glad you submitted Feedback to Apple.

Now, if you want more help on working around this issue, if you are running a truly single user setup—so not even the Guest User—please answer the questions I asked of you in my previous comment, to you.

StephCape wrote:

Agreed - will / can you re-post it with all the steps?

Well, since this isn’t my Discussion, anything I post is obscured by the entirety of this Discussion (all 20 pages, so far).

That means someone would have to read down to my post.

If the Original Poster (OP) were still active, on this discussion, they could repost and/or mark such a post as “Solved”, but I haven’t seen any new activity from them for quite some time!

However, this might be a good thing for you to Post, as an Updated Solution, for Single User systems! You would even be able to re-order the steps so they can make more sense to others!

(If I were at Level 5, I could publish an article on this subject that all could see and reference, but I don’t have that privilege, yet.)

Halliday,

I did post an updated solution which clarifies a few steps and made them clearer back when appleworm was active. They had suggested that I do it as well since they weren't able to edit the original post.

Hope this helps.

The startup screen on my iMac looks like this:

But, of course, with my name and image and a second "Guest" image before it advances to the login screen where I can type my password. I would VERY MUCH like to change this, initial screen so that it matches my login screen.

Daniel

Thank You @applewarm !

Have you tried this out personally ?

https://www.titanium-software.fr/en/release_onyx.html

OnyX 3.9.3

• Issue corrected that deleted the widgets when running the maintenance tasks

Is this fully functional ? I wan't to use to use this to change the lock* screen.

I have 3 user accounts and unfortunately your method did not work for me although i really appreciated the effort ! =)

I must say i was impressed.

• I'm on the latest version of Big Sur 11.1 on Mac Mini M1.
• Wireless Logitech Keyboard + Mouse

I'm waiting for somebody to confirm it is 'safe' to use this method. Thank You guys.

We should not have to work so hard to change a lock screen. It's rather ridiculous.

This screen will always have the Big Sur Graphic image («the rainbow colored background»).

We have not found a way to change this image, or the image used for this Login Screen («log in screen» or User Selection Screen).

I used to bypass the Windows10 screen using

https://www.thewindowsclub.com/ultimate-windows-tweaker-4-windows-10

I was hoping Onyx could do the same.

We'll keep our detective hats on for this one.

Somebody's gonna solve this mystery. . . eventually. . .hopefully. lol

Thanks for your swift responses. I really appreciate that.

Marked as helpful.👍