macOS Ventura login screen wallpaper customization

Ralph The Magician wrote:

There are three distinct "login screens" in macOS now.

1) Initial login after a restart or shutdown (disk fully encrypted)

2) Login screen after an initial login has occurred

3) The lock screen

1) Cannot be changed easily. It's the preboot phase of a FileVault protected drive. Everything encrypted.

2) Can be changed (and no need to disable FileVault) -> see below how to.

3) Can be changed by the user : Systems Settings -> Wallpapers

To change 2) :

1. Set you preferred background in Systems Settings -> Wallpapers
2. then go to Systems Settings -> Lock Screen -> Show message when locked -> enable the option -> set a message (you can disable it after) -> it will update the default login screen wallpaper to include the message -> that's the trick
3. Quit Systems Settings
4. Logout -> the new wallpaper is used for the login

Note : if you want to have a different wallpaper for login screen and for session : after step 2, redo step 1, then Step 3 & 4

Hope it helps

jcrosby wrote:

Please let users with multiple accounts and FileVault activated change this.

unfortunately, you hit the nail on the head. you must have only one user account, not even a guest, AND file vault must be turned off, to have a login screen that matches the wallpaper of your user account.

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

The information from @jefferythefrog is very correct thought not what the user wishes hear sorry to say.

Apple Designed and Built the Computers and Software that it runs on.

There is nothing we can do but lament the Limitation Imposed, which will change nothing .

There is way to manually change the ridiculous default neon lock screen and replace it with your own - google it. (the process involves the path HD/Library/Caches/Desktop Pictures [create if necessary]/[folder named UUID]/lockscreen.png)

jimfromgowanda wrote:

(the process involves the path HD/Library/Caches/Desktop Pictures [create if necessary]/[folder named UUID]/lockscreen.png)

sorry to rain on your parade, but for that method to work, it requires a single user setup, and file vault must be turned off. and that is precisely the OP's issue here.

It actually doesn't honor your System Settings wallpaper, you probably just set it to "Ventura Graphic" so it appears to match. But it is always Ventura Graphic, because this setting loads from the sealed system snapshot before the data volume is decrypted at all.

There are three distinct "login screens" in macOS now.

1) Initial login after a restart or shutdown (disk fully encrypted)

2) Login screen after an initial login has occurred

3) The lock screen

1 and 2 are part of the sealed snapshot that is not user changeable. It is determined by Apple. After the update to Ventura, all Macs now display the orange Ventura graphic (except, perhaps, new ones—they may get a special screen as designated by Apple the same way you had Chrome Red/Blue previously). Chrome Red/Blue still appear if you log out (after an initial login) or if you go to change users. The lock screen will display your normal wallpaper.

Why Chroma Red/Blue appear at all is a bit of a mystery. That may well be a "bug" in that it was an oversight. This should probably be the same Ventura Graphic that is present in #1. In either case, it is the same cause—it is the file that loads by default from the sealed system snapshot.

I have the same "problem" and read all the replies. The reasoning behind not being able to change the wallpaper makes sense. How about a compromise - what if the design team presents 5 or so wallpapers before an update and lets the community vote on it? I really wouldn't make such a big deal except that Ventura's pic is very jarring... I didn't mind Monterey's at all.

Out of my depth...but I have read that....

The initial login screen graphic is “/System/Library/Desktop Pictures/Ventura Graphic.heic”

After logging in, if the computer locks, the desktop background is used as the unlock screen.

Urban Legend says disabling S.I.P. will allow the "Ventura Graphic.heic" file to be changed. I have not had any luck doing that.

Note: S.I.P. (System Integrity Protection) must be disabled via Recovery boot.

csrutil status

csrutil disable

csrutil enable

I was looking for a solution here and sadly found out from the discussion that there is none for macOS Ventura. I did signal my feedback though and I hope everyone who comes here looking for an answer does too. Thanks for everyone's suggestions, as I was about to waste time trying the solutions mentioned for macOS Monterey, but that others here said didn't work.

You answered the question I was going to ask, and thank you for explaining it clearly. I recently updated the OS on my Macbook Pro to Ventura 13.1, and I can't escape the flowery orange/yellow graphic that comes with starting the computer. I've looked at a bunch of settings, but I had come close to concluding that there was no way to alter that graphic, and I think you just confirmed it. Annoying, and not user-friendly, but knowing that there's nothing I can do gives me some closure, at least....

This is definitely a nice aesthetic feature that shouldn't be disabled from things that have nothing to do with it such as File Vault or multiple users. File Vault is a requirement for me but as a designer not being able to change it to my desktop background drives me a little mad lol. Come on Apple.

Nishimori wrote:

things that have nothing to do with it such as File Vault or multiple users.

in actuality, they are related. the situation that macOS faces when either of those things apply, it's kind of like coming to a fork in the road where there are no street signs, and you have no directions, but need to figure out which way you need to go.

Thanks much! Tried this and on my M1 macOS Ventura (latest) it didn't work. The Lock Screen text shows up on the Screen #1, the wallpaper changes on the screen #2 (meaning the login screen for a particular user once you select the user) and that's it. (FYI: by #1 & 2 I mean various screens as per your numbering provided above).

GreyT,

Have you restarted? I think you'll be disappointed.

After I upgraded from v13.02 to v13.2, macOS presented a login screen that had my desktop background / restart image. I was elated. Short lived. After restarting Mr. Ugly appeared again.