How do you change your background on a macbook

  • You can change the lock screen of your Mac by changing the desktop's background image.
  • You can also change a Mac's lock screen image by replacing the "lockscreen.png" file in the "Desktop Pictures" folder.
  • To customize the lock screen, you can add a custom message and change the avatar icon.

Customizing the various features on a Mac computer can be a fun way to make it feel more like your own.

You can change the desktop background or icons, as well as the lock screen wallpaper, so your Mac truly feels like home. You can even add a custom message and a new avatar icon to your Mac computer's lock screen.

This can be handy, especially if you live or work in a place where multiple people use the same kind of Mac.

Here's how to change the lock screen on your Mac.

Change the desktop background image

The easiest way to change your lock screen is to change your Mac's desktop background. By default, your desktop and lock screen are linked, so changing the desktop will change the lock screen as well.

But first, you need to find an image to use as your new lock screen. Make sure it's a .png file, and that it fits the resolution of your computer. Then, follow the steps below.

1. Click the Apple icon in the top left corner of the screen and select System Preferences.

Go to your Mac computer's System Preferences. Stefan Ionescu/Insider

2. Double-click the Desktop & Screen Saver folder to open it.

Open the "Desktop & Screen Saver" folder in System Preferences. Stefan Ionescu/Insider

3. In the Desktop tab, select the image you want to be the new background and lock screen wallpaper.

Select a new image that will become the new desktop background and lock screen wallpaper. Stefan Ionescu/Insider

Replace "lockscreen.png"

There's also a more complicated way to change just your Mac computer or MacBook screen wallpaper, but keep your desktop the same.

1. Open the image using Preview. If Preview isn't your default image viewer, right-click the image and select Open with > Preview.

2. Rename the image as lockscreen.png by double clicking its name at the top of the Preview window.

The Preview window on Mac, with an image being viewed that has been renamed as “lockscreen.png.”

Rename the image as "lockscreen.png." Stefan Ionescu/Insider

3. Open Finder.

4. In the top toolbar, select Go and then Go to Folder.

Click on "Go > Go to Folder." Stefan Ionescu/Insider

5. Enter /Library/Caches in the pop-up window that appears and click Go.

Navigate to your "Caches" library. Stefan Ionescu/Insider

6. Double-click the Desktop Pictures folder to open it.

Open the "Desktop Pictures" folder. Stefan Ionescu/Insider

7. Double-click the folder with a name that is made up of a series of numbers and letters to open it.

8. Drag the image you want to use as your new lock screen into the folder and replace the original lockscreen.png image.

You'll see your new lock screen image the next time you log into your Mac after a restart or shut down.

Include a custom message on the lock screen 

Custom messages can be anything from a warm greeting to an inspiration quote.

1. Click the Apple icon in the top left corner of the screen and select System Preferences.

Go to your Mac's System Preferences. Stefan Ionescu/Insider

2. Click Security & Privacy.

Click "Security & Privacy." Stefan Ionescu/Insider

3. Select the General tab, click on the lock icon in the bottom left corner, and enter your password to proceed.

Click the lock icon in the bottom left corner. Stefan Ionescu/Insider

4. Tick the checkbox next to Show a message when the screen is locked and then click Set Lock Message.

Make sure "Show a message when the screen is locked" is ticked and then click "Set Lock Message." Stefan Ionescu/Insider

5.  Enter the message you wish to see on the lock screen and click OK.

Add a custom avatar to the lock screen on your Mac

If you don't like the avatar currently displayed on your lock screen, you can easily change that as well.

1. Click the Apple icon in the top left corner of the screen and select System Preferences.

Go to your Mac's System Preferences. Stefan Ionescu/Insider

2. Click Users & Groups.

Click "Users & Groups." Stefan Ionescu/Insider

3. Place the mouse over the current avatar and click Edit.

Hover over your current avatar and click "Edit." Stefan Ionescu/Insider

4. Choose a new image and click Save in the bottom right corner.

Devon Delfino is a Brooklyn-based freelance journalist specializing in personal finance, culture, politics, and identity. Her work has been featured in publications such as The Los Angeles Times, Teen Vogue, Business Insider, and CNBC. Follow her on Twitter at @devondelfino.

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