Sign in Screen - Change Background Color in Windows 8

How to Change Background Color of Default Sign-in Screen in Windows 8 and 8.1
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   Information

In Windows 8, there are two sign-in screens, and each has their own background color.

The first is the user's sign-in screen that only shows that user to enter their password.

The second is the default sign-in screen that shows all user accounts like in the example screenshot below.

This tutorial will show you how to change the background color of the "default" sign-in screen that displays all user accounts in Windows 8, Windows RT, Window 8.1, and Windows RT 8.1.

You must be signed in as an administrator to be able to do the steps in this tutorial.

EXAMPLE: Default Sign in Screen in Windows 8 and 8.1

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OPTION ONE

To Change Background Color of Default Sign-in Screen in Windows 8

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1. Press the :winkey: + R keys to open the Run dialog, type regedit, and press Enter.​

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2. If prompted by UAC, then click/tap on Yes.​

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3. In Registry Editor, navigate to the location below. (see screenshot below)​

NOTE: If you do not have an Accent key in the left pane, then right click on Explorer, click on New and Key, type Accent, and press Enter.​

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HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Accent

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4. In the right pane of Accent, right click or press and hold on an empty area, click/tap on New and DWORD (32-bit) Value, type DefaultColorSet, and press Enter. (see screenshot below step 3)​

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NOTE: If you already have the DefaultColorSet DWORD, then skip this step and go to step 5 below.​

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5. In the right pane of Accent, double click/tap on DefaultColorSet to modify it. (see screenshot below step 3)​

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6. Dot Decimal, and enter a number between 0 to 24 for the color in the tables below that you want the default sign in screen to have, and click/tap on OK. (see screenshot below)​

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7. If you like, you could lock winkey: + L) the computer, and click/tap on the back arrow button at the top left to quickly see the default sign in screen's new color.​

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8. When finished, you can close regedit if you like.​

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OPTION TWO

To Change Background Color of Default Sign-in Screen in Windows 8.1

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1. Use the steps in OPTION ONE of the tutorial below, temporarily change your Start screen background color to the color you want for the default sign-in screen. (see screenshot below)​

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NOTE: You'll be able to change your Start screen background color back later when finished at step 12 below.​

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How to Change Your Start and Sign in Screen Background and Color in Windows 8 and 8.1​

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2. Press the :winkey: + R keys to open the Run dialog, type regedit, and press Enter.​

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3. If prompted by UAC, then click/tap on Yes.​

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4. In Registry Editor, navigate to the location below. (see screenshot below)​

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HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Accent

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5. In the right pane of Accent, double click/tap on the StartColor DWORD. (see screenshot above)​

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6. Copy the hex value (ex: ff790000), and click/tap on OK. This hex value is for the color you selected in step 1. (see screenshot below)​

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7. In Registry Editor, navigate to the location below. (see screenshot below)​

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HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Accent

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   Note

If you do not have the Accent key, then right click on the Explorer key in the left pane, click on New and Key, type Accent, and press Enter.

   Note

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8. In the right pane of Accent, right click or press and hold on an empty area, click/tap on New and DWORD (32-bit) Value, type DefaultStartColor, and press Enter. (see screenshot above)​

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NOTE: If you already have the DefaultStartColor DWORD, then skip this step and go to step 9 below.​

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9. Double click/tap on DefaultStartColor to modify it. (see screenshot below step 7)​

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10. Paste the hex value (ex: ff790000) from step 6 above, and click/tap on OK. (see screenshot below)​

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11. If you like, you could lock winkey: + L) the computer, and click/tap on the back arrow button at the top left to quickly see the default sign in screen's new color.​

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12. When finished, you can close regedit if you like, then change your Start screen background color from step 1 back to what you wanted.​

That's it,
Shawn

Related Tutorials

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• Change Your Start and Sign in Screen Background and Color in Windows 8 and 8.1
• How to Force a Specific Background and Accent Color in Windows 8.1 Modern UI
• How to Set Default Start Background Image for All Users in Windows 8.1
• How to Always Show "All Users" or "Last User" on Sign-in Screen in Windows 8 and 8.1
• How to Sign in to Windows 8 and 8.1
• How to Require Users to Sign in with User Name and Password in Windows 8 and 8.1

 

[ecevit]

Thanks.

 

[Brink]

You're welcome ecevit.

 

[qwetymikey]

thanks for this !

those are the other colors, right?? there is no hot pink ??

 

[Brink]

You're welcome Mike.

Color 22 is about as close to that as possible.

 

[Techwavy]

What about if on a windows 8 tablet.?

 

[Brink]

Hello Techwavy,

It should work on a Windows 8 tablet just as well, but just more fun trying to edit the registry.

If you are unable to edit the registry easily on the tablet, then please just let me know what value you want for the color. I'll be happy to whip up a .reg file that you can download and use to make the changes automatically for you.

 

[Phillyacct]

Thanks & a Question

Thank-you... All Users = Mustard (21) , one user = light green, the other user = light Blue. It works!
But I want more....
Can I put a wallpaper Photo on the background?
Note: I've used the forum advice to permanently get rid of the space needle [Lands.. & Port..] &
now would like to add a photo to the "All Users" Screen Wallpaper.

Just asking, I really liked the advice.

John

 

[Brink]

Hello John, and welcome to Eight Forums.

If you like, you can also change each user's sign in screen color as well.

http://www.eightforums.com/tutorials/2678-start-screen-change-background-color-image.html​

Sorry, but there still currently is no known way to set a custom wallpaper for the sign in screen background.

 

[Phillyacct]

Thanks Again

Yes, I've set each users background color (mustard for all, lt blue for one, lt green for the other).
I bought one of those 3rd party software packages that is supposed to let you put a photo on a user's
Start Screen [we'll see...] , but I realized that even if this works, and the photo also appears on that
user's login screen, it won't solve the problem [a made up one I admit] of background wallpaper on the
"All Users" screen. Bah Humbug!

A bit long, but thanks very much for the Tutorial and your quick reply.

John

 

[Brink]

Yes, I've set each users background color (mustard for all, lt blue for one, lt green for the other).
I bought one of those 3rd party software packages that is supposed to let you put a photo on a user's
Start Screen [we'll see...] , but I realized that even if this works, and the photo also appears on that
user's login screen, it won't solve the problem [a made up one I admit] of background wallpaper on the
"All Users" screen. Bah Humbug!

A bit long, but thanks very much for the Tutorial and your quick reply.

John

Oh my. Option Two in the tutorial below is a free method on how to change the "Start" screen background image to anything you like. It's not the same as the sign in screen though.

http://www.eightforums.com/tutorials/2678-start-screen-change-background-color-image.html

 

[meth]

Is it possible this is broken in Windows 8.1? I tried it but nothing changed, it's still stuck on purple even though I put decimal value 17.

 

[Brink]

Hello Meth,

After some testing, this no longer works in Windows 8.1.

 

[meth]

That's unfortunate. That default purple color drives me nutts!

 

[Brink]

Yeah it does. Hopefully a solution for 8.1 will come soon.

 

[Brink]

Hello Meth,

I found a workaround to setting a default sign in screen color in Windows 8.1 for all users. You could do so by specifying a default background color and accent color for all users.

http://www.eightforums.com/tutorials/29573-color-background-accent-force-windows-8-1-a.html

Hope this helps.

 

[meth]

This does the trick thanks

 

[Brink]

You're most welcome Meth.

 

[Brink]

Tutorial has been updated to be able to change the background color of the default sign-in screen in both Windows 8 and Windows 8.1 now.

 

[balubeto]

In Windows 8.1 Update 1, to permanently change the background color of the screen that displays all users, should I apply the second method. Right?

Thanks

Bye