How To Change Lock Screen Windows 10

It'southward something you stare at each fourth dimension you sit down in front of your PC, only I doubt yous fifty-fifty see it as you quickly type in your countersign and unlock windows. The Windows 10 ($147 at Amazon) lock screen can be more than just a password-entry screen. It can be fix to show app notifications, calendar events and the engagement and time. You can add your own photos for its groundwork or permit Windows add rotating images. Here'south a handful of tips for customizing the Windows x lock screen.

Choose your background

Yous accept three options for the lock screen background: Moving-picture show, Slideshow or Windows Spotlight. The Picture selection lets you choose one of your photos for your background, and the Slideshow lets you choose a folder that will cycle through a collection of your photos. The Windows Spotlight will select high-resolution photos from Bing'due south homepage. Spotlight photos cycle periodically. To make your selection, go to Settings > Personalization > Lock screen > Background.

Add some apps

If y'all want your lock screen to exist functional, y'all tin can add up to eight apps that will display at-a-glance statuses -- one app to show detailed statuses and 7 apps to show quick statuses. To pick these apps, go toSettings >Personalization > Lock screen > Choose an app to show detailed status or Choose apps to show quick statuses. You can and then click or tap a box to pick an app.

If you don't want to bear witness apps, click each box and set the app to None. Apps that can bear witness statuses include Weather, Skype, Calendar, Mail, Store and Xbox. They'll vary depending on the apps installed on your device.

lock-screen-settings — Screenshot by Matt Elliott/CNET

Put Cortana on the lock screen

Yous tin can chat with Cortana without first unlocking your PC, but you'll need to exist comfortable with anyone beingness able to chat with Cortana. Caput toSettings > Cortana and toggle on Use Cortana fifty-fifty when my device is locked.This volition let her perform basic tasks, such equally looking upwardly information or the weather, while your device is locked. If you are comfortable with Cortana existence able to admission your personal information and do things like brand appointments, yous can check the box forAllow Cortana access my calendar, email, messages, and Ability BI data when my device is locked.

Change your sign-in screen background

You accept two options for your sign-in screen background: A solid color or the photo displayed on your lock screen. To brandish a photo, go to Settings > Personalization > Lock screen and toggle on Show lock screen groundwork picture on the sign-in screen. If you exit information technology toggled off, your sign-in screen will brandish a solid colour. To choose this color, go to Personalization > Colors and pick an accent color.

Hide your email address

In the involvement of privacy, Windows 10 lets y'all hide your e-mail accost on the sign-in screen. You can toggle it off by going toSettings >Accounts > Sign-in options > Privacy > Show account details (eastward.g. email accost) on sign-in screen.

Plow off notifications

Lock screen notifications can be convenient merely they can also be read by whatever passerby. To turn them off, go toSettings >System > Notifications & actions > Show notifications on the lock screen and toggle it off.

notifications-settings — Screenshot by Matt Elliott/CNET

Originally published on Aug. 11, 2016.
Update, Dec. 6, 2018: Added information nigh Windows 10 Oct 2018 Update.