How To Customize Windows 7 Logon Background

There are significant changes after the release of Windows 7 Build 7057 as compared to its previous builds. Some of the changes are the introductions of new set of Windows 7 wallpapers, the ability to remove Windows component like Internet Explorer 8 (IE8) and the roll-out of New User Account pictures. However there is significant feature overlooked by many but spotted by a good observant Windows user, Rafael Rivera.

With this latest build, you can now change Windows 7 Build 7057 login UI background without the use of third-party software or manual hacks; thanks to Windows 7 for having the ability to load images into the background of the login screen.

Step-by-step to change Windows 7 Build 7057 Logon Background Image

1. Press Win button + R key and type regedit at run prompt

2. Locate the following registry key

HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Authentication\LogonUI\Background

3. Look into right pane, find OEMBackground and change its value to 1.

4. Now place your custom image in %windir%\system32\oobe

5. Create a new folder info and background within the newly created info folder

Folder path should look like this %windir%\System32\oobe\info\backgrounds

6. Now you can place your preferred logon wallpaper within this background folder with file name as backgroundDefault.jpg

Image name with respective resolution:

• backgroundDefault.jpg
• background768×1280.jpg (0.6)
• background960×1280.jpg (0.75)
• background900×1440.jpg (0.625)
• background1024×1280.jpg (0.8)
• background1024×768.jpg (1.33-)
• background1280×1024.jpg (1.25)
• background1280×960.jpg (1.33-)
• background1440×900.jpg (1.6)
• background1600×1200.jpg (1.33-)
• background1920×1200.jpg (1.6)
• background1360×768.jpg (1.770833-)
• background1280×768.jpg (1.66-)

NOTE: Images must be less than 256kb

The backgroundDefault.jpg image is loaded and stretched to fit when a specific ratio/resolution background cannot be found.

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