Solution for changing Big Sur login wallpaper to custom.

Yes, that is something someone should try I would start with the same instructions and create the Desktop Pictures folder and within that folder create separate folders with each users UUID and see if that works or maybe it has to be done for each user separately.

Hi FrankHRC,

I'm glad it helped.

What did you mean by that you manually put in the map though? I assume it created the lockscreen.png file.

If you turn FileVault back on it will revert back to the colorful login screen wallpaper. This solution only works for those who have FIleVault turned off and a single user system, not with multiple users.

Hope this helps.

Hi Soren

The lockscreen.png file was not created by my MacBook. I had to put it there myself.

Furthermore I thought I understood that the login screen would change accordingly to my desktop wallpaper but it doesn’t.

But that’s not an issue. I’m glad to loose the ugly colour thing. 😊

Welcome, StephCape, to Apple Support Communities!

Do you have only a single User on your system—not even the Guest user?

Do you have FileVault deactivated?

Do you have to select your User before you are presented with a Password field?

Actually, Made-In-Italy, if by «lock screen» you mean what Apple seems to refer to as the user’s “Lock Screen”—the screen you see when you Lock your account, without logging out (which is the same screen one see’s when one has selected a User and is about to enter the user’s Password)—then the Lock Screen, for each user, should already reflect the user’s Desktop image. (The steps presented, in this Discussion, without the parts on “Guest User” and FileVault, can be used to make sure the appropriate Lock Screen is set for each user.)

If you mean something else by «lock screen», then, please, let us know.

Made-In-Italy,

Does this work for you, I can't remember if you posted earlier saying it worked or not.

If not, I would give OnyX a try and see if you are able to change the login screen background that way.

Hope this helps.

There is a first login screen I can't change. When I choose to login with a user, I get the screen I want.

It doesn't work by changing the cache in library and even OnyX can't seem to change the first opening screen.

It's not that important .... I give up ;-).

Thanks all for your replies.

I followed all your very clear directions but it made no difference on my 2020 MacBook Pro. Do you have any other ideas? The lock screen image (Big Sur Graphic.heic) is in the System/Library/Desktop Pictures folder and I can't make any changes to this folder no matter what I try.

Thanks. Sally

These instructions worked for me. However, I found that the folder was already so named. It must have been the other steps that caused the rainbow login background to change to the png in the folder after restarting 2x. Much success.

The 11.2.3 update on my M1 MacBook Air destroyed that!

Mine was showing desktop/lockscreen images until that update.

Now it boots with that God awful, garishly colored screen that looks

like some bad acid trip from the '60s.

well. I have the 2021 version of big sur and the above does not work. the graphics are in a folder .../cashes/desktop pictures that only has system RW. and the user is not authorised to change them. I did as above described, but no luck.

I tried this and it only worked upon one reboot, i.e., power cycle machine and I was able to get rid of the annoying colored start-up login screen, until the 2nd reboot (next morning).

Then, the next morning the machine boots with the Big Sur (current) color splash "artwork".

Anyone else followed the instructions exactly, yet running into this also?

Hi Bandara75,

First, I would uninstall CleanMyMac as it can do more damage then good. Why you shouldn't use it.

I assume you were able to change the lock screen before but after using CleanMyMac it reverted back right?

Second you could consider reinstalling MacOS via recovery mode which will keep your data but should allow you to change the login screen and revert the system back to where it was before you ran CleanMyMac.

In summary, Macs don't need cleaning applications as they can tend to slow it down rather then actually "clean it"

Hope this helps.

Well, LeadMare, I have used Apple’s Feedback for BUG reports, many times, and have found Apple’s software teams to be quite responsive, to well researched and expressed BUG reports.

Admittedly, I would expect Enhancement requests to have a somewhat lower priority.

I did this - it works for the lock screen when the computer logs out but it doesn't change anything for the start-up lock screen (absolutely hideous - what were they thinking?). Hope there's someone who has a solution or at least that input like this kick start a solution for the designers of the Big Sur operating system upgrade.