Replace Login Screen Background in Leopard

FHKE has posted an image on Flickr showing his customized Leopard login. To accomplish this, simply replace /System/Library/CoreServices/DefaultDesktop.jpg.

Don’t worry Tiger users, to accomplish this same thing you have to edit the following file: /Library/Preferences/com.apple.loginwindow

Open Terminal and type sudo defaults write /Library/Preferences/com.apple.loginwindow DesktopPicture '/Path/To/Picture.jpg'. Enter your password, log out and you should see the changes.

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Written by Brad Jasper on October 28, 2007 at 10:44 pm - Replace Login Screen Background in Leopard has 18 comments - Categorized in Easy Tips, Leopard Tips, OS X Tips, Terminal Tips

18 Responses to “Replace Login Screen Background in Leopard”

Berg527

I am using Tiger and I can't seem to make this work. Is there anything else I need to know. I had help from a friend he knows HTML pretty good but we couldn't make this work. If someone knowns more in depth information about this please post another comment. Thanks October 29th, 2007 at 3:40 pm
Omer Zach

First of all, you'll want to launch the Terminal application, located in the Utilities folder of the Applications folder. Then, enter the command "sudo defaults write /Library/Preferences/com.apple.loginwindow DesktopPicture '/Path/To/Picture.jpg'".

What yo might have misunderstood is the part that says '/Path/To/Picture.jpg'. You do not actually type that in, but instead replace it with the path for where the picture you want to use is located. For example, '/System/Library/NewDesktop/'. October 29th, 2007 at 3:50 pm
Berg527

I typed in the sudo defaults write /Library/Preferences/com.apple.loginwindow DesktopPicture/ and added the path to the picture then I entered my password and it came up with a new command that said logout and below that [Process Complete] so I logged out and the picture didn't show up. Is there something I am doing wrong? I got the path from getting the info of the picture and so I copied the path and put it in where it belongs. I don't know why its not working. I am sure I am doing something wrong. Do I have to restart my computer? October 30th, 2007 at 11:14 am
Brad

@Berg527, Let's try this another way:

Open terminal and type: sudo /Developer/Applications/Utilities/Property\ List\ Editor.app/Contents/MacOS/Property\ List\ Editor

This opens the Property List Editor as root, allowing you to make the necessary changes to the file.

Open /Library/Preferences/com.apple.loginwindow and make the necessary changes to DesktopPicture.

Save and log out--it should be working now. October 30th, 2007 at 3:27 pm
Deuz Augustine

I did this in Tiger and now my login screen is a plain blue. :( November 5th, 2007 at 1:10 am
Brad

@Deuz, I think that's because it can't find the image. Make sure the path is correct. November 5th, 2007 at 10:11 pm
Deuz Augustine

It appears to be correct to me. /Users/GacktBook/Pictures/space-desktop.png

:S November 7th, 2007 at 2:55 am
myc

When I type the command it comes up with this
Rep argument is not a dictionary
Defaults have not been changed. November 13th, 2007 at 1:16 pm
ruth

I got the same thing as deus up there. I did it in leopard and now I have a blue screen at log in im typing
sudo defaults write /Library/Preferences/com.apple.loginwindow DesktopPicture '/Users/Ruthie/Desktop/Art/portfolio/Sketchbook Cover 2007.jpg'

what im i doing wrong? argh!!!!!! February 6th, 2008 at 3:22 pm
Brad Jasper

Ruth, I think it may have to do with the spaces in your image. Try removing the spaces or the following command:

sudo defaults write /Library/Preferences/com.apple.loginwindow DesktopPicture '/Users/Ruthie/Desktop/Art/portfolio/Sketchbook\ Cover\ 2007.jpg' February 6th, 2008 at 3:25 pm
ruth

i copied and pasted and nothing.
sketchbook cover 2007 has no spaces on the path name.
i still get the blue screen
I even wrote sudo defaults write /Library/Preferences/com.apple.loginwindow DesktopPicture '/Users/Ruthie/Desktop/Art/portfolio/SketchbookCover2007.jpg' nothing I think I am giving up. How do I make it the default stupid aurora leopard crap again? and is there any way I can change the login background the same way II did to my apple logo change, through finding the resources folder in finder? February 6th, 2008 at 4:11 pm
Brad Jasper

Ruth,

When you tried it without spaces did you rename the file?

Let's try it a way I suggested to another user.

Open terminal and type: sudo /Developer/Applications/Utilities/Property\ List\ Editor.app/Contents/MacOS/Property\ List\ Editor

This opens the Property List Editor as root, allowing you to make the necessary changes to the file.

Open /Library/Preferences/com.apple.loginwindow and make the necessary changes to DesktopPicture.

Save and log out--it should be working now.
February 6th, 2008 at 4:44 pm
ruth

ruthscomputer:~ Ruthie$ sudo /Developer/Applications/Utilities/Property\ List\ Editor.app/Contents/MacOS/Property\ List\ Editor
sudo: /Developer/Applications/Utilities/Property List Editor.app/Contents/MacOS/Property List Editor: command not found

nope February 6th, 2008 at 5:15 pm
Brad Jasper

Ruth,

I'm sorry--I didn't read carefully enough that you were using Leopard. I was at work and only able to glance at it for a few seconds.

To accomplish this with Leopard you only need to replace /System/Library/CoreServices/DefaultDesktop.jpg with the image you want.

That should do it for you.

- Brad February 6th, 2008 at 6:49 pm
ruth

thank you very much
bye bye terminal
Im off to promote your site.
thanks for your patience!
yay!

All I found the folder and replaced the picture it was great!
thanks February 7th, 2008 at 9:48 am
Brad Jasper

Ruth, glad to hear it worked out for you :) February 7th, 2008 at 11:00 am
Fred

The defaults write command works in Leopard, too, but it seems the image can't be in the /Users hierarchy. I got it to work by putting the image in the root of the hard drive. February 10th, 2008 at 11:51 pm
James

This is really awesome, just had to make sure my image was a .jpg or it wouldn't work.

Would be ace to see if you can edit the login window as well? April 3rd, 2008 at 11:10 am