Make signing in to Windows more personal

Windows has two screens that you regularly see when you start up your PC, or when you have been away from the computer for a while. You will see the lock screen if no one is logged in to the computer or if the PC is locked. The login screen will come next, where you will need to type in your login name and password. Adjust these screens to your own taste via the Windows Settings. For example, by setting other photos or showing information from apps on the screen.

A photo may accompany the name of your user account. Think of a portrait of yourself or a photo that appeals to you. Here’s how to set it up with a photo stored on the PC:

• Click the Start button.
• click on Institutions (cogwheel icon).
• click on Accounts.
• If necessary, click Your info.
• In Windows 10, click Search image. In Windows 11, click behind ‘Choose a file’ on Browse files.
• An Explorer window opens. Navigate to the photo you want to use.
• click on Choose image.

The photo is set. If there are several users on the PC, it is useful to use different photos of which it is immediately clear who it is.

Every day a different photo of a beautiful location somewhere in the world. Windows Spotlight takes care of that. Choose whether you want to see the photo only on the lock screen or also on the login screen. Turn this feature on like this:

• Click the Start button.
• click on Institutions (cogwheel icon).
• click on Personal settings.
• click on Lock screen.
• Turn on the Windows Spotlight feature. Do it like this:
  • Windows 10: Under ‘Wallpaper’, click the menu. click on Windows spotlight.
  • Windows 11: Click on the menu after ‘Personalize your lock screen’. click on Windows spotlight.
• In Windows 10, scroll down to “Show lock screen background image on the login screen” if necessary. In Windows 11, this option is called “Show the lock screen background image on the logon screen.”
• Does it say ‘Off’? Then click on from. It will show ‘On’.

Spotlight’s photos appear on the login screen and lock screen after logging out and logging back in.

Is your email address shown on the login screen? This is not useful from a privacy point of view, especially not on laptops. Turn this off in the following way:

• Click the Start button.
• click on Institutions (cogwheel icon).
• click on Accounts.
• click on Login options.
• Scroll down a bit and under ‘Show account details such as my email address on login screen’ on On. It will show ‘Off’. Was it already ‘Off’? Then you don’t have to do anything.

The lock screen may show some additional information from special apps. Examples include the Mail, Calendar, and Weather apps. In Windows 10, you can display multiple apps on the lock screen. In Windows 11, you choose just one app.

• Click the Start button.
• click on Institutions (cogwheel icon).
• click on Personal settings.
• click on Lock screen.
• Select the app(s) you want to show on the lock screen. Do it like this:
  • Windows 10: Click the plus sign under “Choose one app to see detailed status on the lock screen.” In the displayed list, click an app. Slightly below, the other plus signs let you choose even more apps. They are shown smaller.
  • Windows 11: Click on the menu after ‘Lock screen status’. In the displayed list, click an app.