Change MacOS Monterey Login Screen Wallpaper

AppleSoft has decided that you must accept whatever they decide you should have.

Think Identical

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.

I've added my request. Let's get this noticed! This is not acceptable and if enough of us add feedback, they will be forced into listening.

eanniep wrote:

I've added my request. Let's get this noticed! This is not acceptable and if enough of us add feedback, they will be forced into listening.

I'd be surprised if they'll get much feedback. These days there's no need for most people to reboot their Macs at all, except when the occasional macOS update requires it.

It is much more frequent in many cases. For Macs with multiple users, and one or more with login passwords, this screen comes up each time one switches to a user with password.

"AppleSoft."

*THAT* is spot on! Sadly.

ALL Mac products used to be so intuitive. Now it's coasting on past reputation.

THIS one it maddening. I got desktop pic (easy), and log in screen (a bit more challenging) to change. But if you turn your Mac OFF and on.... that "chosen-by-Apple" image comes up. Mine's not the pink/purple (thank God) but equally annoying.

After numerous attempts with all the offered solutions with no result I tried this and it worked for single user. Not sure if changing back to multiple users will invalidate it.

After getting this to work by following Jeffrey and Ronnie's advice, toggling off and on, I went back and enabled both Guest User and File Vault, restarted and saw the original Apple login screen. I disabled both, restarted and now my login screen matches my lock screen/desktop again. I'm not going to fool around with it any more for now. This is on a new MBP 14", latest Monterey update.

This no longer works with the update to macOS 12.2.1. Thanks Apple...

That's strange - I updated to 12.2.1 and it did work.

Making that change will happen only if Apple adds that capability in a future update or upgrade.

AppleSoft’s apparent attitude is that you’ll accept what they decide you’ll accept.

Think Identical

It was working before the update to 12.2.1, but it no longer works after the update. No amount of toggling settings off/on, restarting, and toggling settings on/off make this work. Pretty disgusted with Apple.

Fortunately, my main computer runs Windows, which allows you to pick whatever background you want for your login screen.

Yes, putting the picture into /Library/Caches/com.apple.desktop.admin.png worked for me.

I wonder if it would also work if it were a symlink to the user picture in "/Library/Caches/Desktop Pictures/".../lockscreen.png

This worked on my MacBook Pro 16" 2021 with Monterey 12.2.1!!!! I hated the red and black depressing startup screen. I chose one of my photos for the desktop and this solution also made it my lock screen. I'd love to have a different photo on each screen, but I'm thrilled to get this. Thanks!!