Vista - User Account Default Logon Display Picture

Information

This will show you how to change the default user logon picture to what you want and set it as the default logon picture for all users on the computer without it being able to be changed by the users in Control Panel User Accounts.

NOTE

This can be handy if you would like all accounts to display the same company logo for example. The only drawback, is that the display picture in the Start menu will be blank with this option enabled (Set). (See screenshot below)

WARNING

This will not work if you have it set to where a user must enter a user name and password at log on instead of just selecting a user icon as in the example screenshot below.

• How to Create a New User Account in Vista
• How to Change a User Account Display Picture in Vista
• How to Turn the Guest Account On or Off in Vista
• How to Change the Logon Screen in Vista
• How to Display a Logon Message Title and Text in Vista
• How to Change the Registered Owner and Organization Information in Vista
• How to Create or Remove a Custom Title Bar in Internet Explorer 7
• How to Add a Logo and Support Information to Vista
• How to Display Information About Previous Logons During User Logon in Vista

NOTE

You can select to use any BMP, DIB, RLE, GIF, JPG, or PNG image file for the display picture. The image can only be up to 128 x 128 pixels in size to prevent it from being automatically cropped to fit the user display box. If it is bigger than this, just resize it. Otherwise, your image may be cut off or not centered properly. These are the images used for the default user (standard and administrator) and guest logon display picture for the user accounts. ProgramData is a hidden system file. Account Type Default Picture Location Users C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\User Account Pictures\user.bmp Guest C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\User Account Pictures\guest.bmp

1. Name the image that you want to use to user.bmp and/or guest.bmp for the account type you want it as the default for.

2. Make sure that you have Show hidden files and folders selected in Folder Options.

3. Open a Windows Explorer Window.

4. Navigate to C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\User Account Pictures (See screenshot below)

A) For the default logon picture you want to change, right click on user.bmp or guest.bmp and click Rename.

B) Rename them to user.bmp.bak and/or guest.bmp.bak and press Enter, then click Yes, Continue, and Continue.

C) Right click on the image from step 1 and click on Copy, then click on a empty area in this window and click Paste.
NOTE: To undo this, delete the new image from step 4C and remove the .bak off the name of user.bmp.bak and/or guest.bmp.bak to restore the default images given by Vista.

5. Close this window when done.

6. Select Do not show hidden files and folders in Folder Options.

WARNING

You must change the default images in the STEP ONE section above first to what you want to be used by all user accounts, then use either METHOD ONE, METHOD TWO, or METHOD THREE below to apply the image.

METHOD ONE:
Through the Local Group Policy Editor

NOTE

This method is only available in the Vista Business, Ultimate, and Enterprise editions. See Method Two or Method Three below for all Vista editions.

1. Open the Local Group Policy Editor.

2. In the left pane, click on Computer Configuration, Administrative Templates, Control Panel, and User Accounts (See screenshot below)

3. In the right pane, right click on Apply the default user logon picture to all users and click on Properties. (See screenshot above)

4. To Unset Default Logon Pictures for All Users -

A) Dot Disabled or Not Configured and click on OK. (See screenshot below step 5A)

B) Go to step 6.

5. To Set Default Logon Pictures for All Users -

A) Dot Enabled and click on OK.

6. Close Local Group Policy Editor window.

7. Logoff and logon to see the change for the user logon display picture.

METHOD TWO:
Through a Download

NOTE

This method will work for all Vista editions.

1. To Set Default Logon Pictures for All Users -

A) Click on the download button to download the Set_Default_Logon_Picture.reg file.

B) Go to step 3.

2. To Unset Default Logon Pictures for All Users -

A) Click on the download button to download the Unset_Default_Logon_Picture.reg file.

3. Click on Save, and save the .reg file to the Desktop.

4. Right click the .reg (On Desktop) file and click on Merge.

5. Click on the Run button for Security Warning pop-up.

6. Click on Continue (UAC), Yes, and then OK when prompted.

7. When done, you can delete the .reg file (On Desktop).

8. Logoff and logon, or restart the computer to apply and see changes.

METHOD THREE:
Through the Registry

NOTE

This method will work for all Vista editions.

1. Open the Start Menu.

2. In the white line (Start Search) area, type regedit and press Enter.

3. Click on the Continue button in the UAC prompt.

4. In regedit, go to: (See screenshot below)
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer

5. To Set Default Logon Pictures for All Users -

A) In the right pane, right click on a empty area and click on New and DWORD (32-bit) Value. (See screenshot above)

B) Type UseDefaultTile and press Enter.

C) Right click on UseDefaultTile and click on Modify. (See screenshot below)

D) Type 1 and click on OK. (See screenshot below)

E) The registry will now look like this. (See screenshot below)

F) Go to step 7.

6. To Unset Default Logon Pictures for All Users -

A) In the right pane, right click on UseDefaultTile and click on Delete. (See screenshot above)

B) Click on Yes to confirm deletion.

7. Close regedit.

8. Logoff and logon, or restart the computer to apply and see changes.