Change MacOS Monterey Login Screen Wallpaper

if you are the sole user (not even a guest account) AND file vault is turned off you can go to System Preferences > Users & Groups > Login Options and set "Display login window as" to "List of users". then your login screen matches your desktop background.

if you are using file vault or have multiple users, the above will not work.  if that's your situation, you will need to wait for apple to address this. it may be worth your time to send feedback directly to apple. Feedback - macOS - Apple. 

These steps worked for me on a new 16" MacBook Pro M1 with Montery 12.1

1) System Preferences > Security & Privacy > FileVault > Turn Off FileVault

2) Desktop & Screen Saver > Change background to background of your choosing, or change to another and change back

3) Apple menu > Lock screen >> background should be the one you've chosen

4) Turn FileVault back on

Hi everyone.

Was having the same issue, but looked for possible solutions in the web and found these steps that actually fixed it very quickly, even though they were probably meant for a previous version of macOS:

1. Copy the PNG you want as login window wallpaper to the /Library/Caches folder
2. Make sure the above mentioned file name is set to "com.apple.desktop.admin.png"
3. Log Out

The new background should be there by then.

Keep the following in mind:

• I'm using Macbook Pro (16-inch, 2021) with the latest version of macOS Monterey (12.1) as of today
• My current screen resolution is 2056x1329 which is the higher scaled resolution available in Display Settings for the built-in Retina XDR display
• Try to make sure the image has the same dimensions as a standard macOS static lock screen background - you can use the one in "/Library/Caches/Desktop Pictures/<your UID>/lockscreen.png" as an example
• FileVault has been turned on since the macbook was initialized so that shouldn't be an issue in this case like it was mentioned in previous posts

Not sure if any of these have an impact in it working, but just sharing for reference. I hope it helps.

I agree with you... I have 9 friends who, like me, refuse to move from Catalina because of that abomination of a lock screen, and because it cannot be changed.

AppleSoft’s arrogance in this matter is astounding

This does not answer the question jeffreythefrog

The question is how to change the WALLPAPER (i.e. the BACKGROUND IMAGE) of the login screen.

I don't understand why your answer is "Apple recommended".

anita249 wrote:

I am talking about the login screen When you first turn on your computer and log on.

That can't be done. It's built into the read only portion of the drive and can't be changed. Tell Apple what missing features you'd like restored or new features added to the system via Feedback - macOS - Apple.  

I took a look at it and noticed that it only works when you're already signed in and you sign out into the Login screen, but not if you restart or power on. There must be a startup process that is picking a default background from somewhere else other than the Library Cache.

I already raised a feature request in the Product Feedback - Apple page, and I think it helps if more people do the same. It only takes 2 minutes. Hope they take it into consideration.

The long-running discussion will provide insite:

https://discussions.apple.com/thread/253314107

Can I change login screen with OS Monterey

@jeffreythefrog's solution worked for me (if you want the same background as you desktop for your lock screen) - but, I had to toggle from my default setting "List of users" to "Name and password" then log out and back ind and change it back to "List of Users" and log out. Then my lock screen had the same image as my Desktop background.

I followed @jeffreythefrog's instructions & took @Ronnie DC's advice of toggling between preferences.

I made myself the sole user (turned off guest account that was on), & switch settings to 'Name & Password'. I also went under 'Security & Privacy' & turned off fire vault. I then chose to 'Lock Screen'. My Lock Screen wallpaper finally matched my desktop (home screen)! I then turned fire vault back on.

However, I was greedy & wanted to see if I could also add back my guest account. I logged back in & went back to 'User Group & Settings.' I turned on the guest account & toggled again between 'List of Users' & 'Name & Password.' I then chose 'Lock Screen' again & ta-dah! I now have a pretty lock screen & a guest account.

Thank you so much @jeffreythefrog & @Ronnie DC!!

I have used this App Called Deeper. https://www.titanium-software.fr/en/deeper.html

I have set up a picture for the logon Screen on the app and now its set up. Regardless if File vault is On or Off.

This is a screen shot of the Deeper App where I choose to change the background on the logon/Lock Screen.

0n3d3r3r wrote:

1. Hi everyone.

Was having the same issue, but looked for possible solutions in the web and found these steps that actually fixed it very quickly, even though they were probably meant for a previous version of macOS:

Copy the PNG you want as login window wallpaper to the /Library/Caches folder

2. Make sure the above mentioned file name is set to "com.apple.desktop.admin.png"

3. Log Out

•

The new background should be there by then.

Sounded promising, but doesn't work for me I'm afraid (MacBookPro 14", Monterey 12.1).

But does this work when there are multiple users? I'm the administrator of my 13" MacBook Pro and use it with my 2 different user accounts (and have FileVault turned on). It's incredible that the administrator can't select the background.

I think the lock screen is trying to be more hip than feminine - I'm a woman and I hate it, too - installed Monterey the other day and was expecting a beautiful photo of, well, Monterey, and was HORRIFIED to see this psychedelic image ... And there was another similar background on the Safari bookmark grid page which I happily succeeded in returning to black...

So far I've also found a few small annoyances with the widget/notification center thing that pops up on the RHS of the screen... Sort of wish I had stuck with Catalina, or at least just moved up to Big Sur...

I should not have said `the lock screen' for my individual account - it is the login screen allowing any user to log in that appears when the computer starts up from shutdown that is the problem. There seems to be some confusion between the terms in this thread

If you are seeing "Other..." on the login screen, you can't change the wallpaper. To disable "Other..." and thus see your wallpaper, see here:

https://apple.stackexchange.com/questions/232449/remove-other-from-login-screen