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User Account Default Logon Display Picture

How to Set a Default Logon Display Picture for All Users in Vista
Published by Brink
05-10-2008

How to Set a Default Logon Display Picture for All Users in Vista
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.
start_menu.jpg
RELATED LINKS:EXAMPLE: Logon Screen with a User Logon Display Picture
logon_screen.jpg


STEP ONE:
Change Default User and Guest Logon Picture
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.
user_account_pictures.jpg
5. Close this window when done.

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



STEP TWO:
Set or Unset a Default Logon Picture for All Users
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)
group_policy.jpg
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.
properties.jpg
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
reg1.jpg
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)
reg2.jpg
D) Type 1 and click on OK. (See screenshot below)
Name:  Modify.jpg
Views: 8736
Size:  31.5 KB
E) The registry will now look like this. (See screenshot below)
reg3.jpg
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.

That's it,
Shawn

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Applies to
All Vista Versions
64 Bit & 32 Bit

Old 05-22-2009  
aldorian


Ultimate x64, Ultimate X86, Vista Enterprise x86
 
 

Cool Re: User Account Default Logon Display Picture

That works great if you are allowing user accounts to be displayed. My question is if you are running on a domain and you don't show the last username that logged on, how do change the blank picture frame to show a company logo?

My System SpecsSystem Spec
Old 05-22-2009  
Brink


Vista x64 Ultimate SP2, Windows 7 Ultimate x64
 
 

Re: User Account Default Logon Display Picture

Hello Aldorian, and welcome to Vista Forums.

This can help how you how to have information about previous user logons display at logon.

How to Display Information About Previous Logons During User Logon in Vista

Unfortunately, there is no way to change the blank picture using the option in this tutorial though.

Hope this helps,
Shawn
My System SpecsSystem Spec
Old 05-22-2009  
aldorian


Ultimate x64, Ultimate X86, Vista Enterprise x86
 
 

Re: User Account Default Logon Display Picture

Thank you. I understand that this tutorial doesn't have that option but my question is if it is possible to change the blank picture to be a company logo? Where would these images be stored? For example, when using a Smart Card, that window has a Smart Card icon, where is that image and can it be changed? It has to be somewhere in a .dll or other file somewhere on the system. And there is probably a registry entry somewhere that controls it as well. I was just wondering if anyone new where that was?
My System SpecsSystem Spec
Old 05-22-2009  
Brink


Vista x64 Ultimate SP2, Windows 7 Ultimate x64
 
 

Re: User Account Default Logon Display Picture

From my understanding it was a bug that caused the blank Start Menu user picture when using the option in the tutorial. Normally the image used for this would be either the default user.bmp file, or the individual picture the user assigned that is overridden by the option in the tutorial.

If there is a way around, I have not found it yet other than manually changing the user display picture in each account and telling them not to change it.

I'll keep by eye out for any type of other workaround and post back with it if I can find one.
My System SpecsSystem Spec
Old 06-03-2009  
Fuzzymky


Windows Vista 32bit
 
 

Re: User Account Default Logon Display Picture

Greetings,
First I would like to thank you all for posting information regarding this topic. I was delighted to find this out there.

I'm also a little fustrated and wondering if anyone has come accross the problem we are experienceing. We have followed all the steps outlined in Method 1 above. I have read and re-read the documentation and followed all the steps to the best of my ability.

However, we are still not able to set the default picture on our systems. We would like to have the company logo displayed for all users. We are also trying to achieve setting a default user so that only one logon appears when the system is booted up. As it stands today we are not able to set the default picture for a single default user on our Vista system.

We have been successful at setting the default picture for all users and having this show up on the desktop. But this is the option where all the user show up on the desktop and then you select which user to sigon with. We don't want this. We are looking to set a default user and along with that set a the default logo picture for that single user. Following the steps above we are not able to do this.

Has anyone else expereinced this issue where you were not able to set the default picture AFTER following the steps in any of the Methods listed above? I'm scratching my head. This is the last item for our Company Vista build and i'm pulling my hair out trying to fix this. I've spent enought time on this topic. Any other ideas or suggestions out there? Thank you

fuzzymnky
My System SpecsSystem Spec
Old 06-03-2009  
Brink


Vista x64 Ultimate SP2, Windows 7 Ultimate x64
 
 

Re: User Account Default Logon Display Picture

Hello Fuzzymky, and welcome to Vista Forums.

The methods in the tutorial should change the default user picture only on the log on screen. It unfortunately will leave the Start Menu user picture blank though. Is this what you are seeing?

Shawn
My System SpecsSystem Spec
Old 06-03-2009  
Fuzzymky


Windows Vista 32bit
 
 

Re: User Account Default Logon Display Picture

Shawn,

Thanks for responding. I do appreciate it.

Yes, I'm aware of the start menu picture remaining blank. I'm fine with the start picture remaining blank. What we are tyring to change is exactly what is outlined in the tutorial, which would be the "default user picture".

We have followed the tutorial and are still not able to change the default picture. i'm wondering if there is some other setting or default user setting that we need to modify in order to the get the picture to change.

fuzzymky
My System SpecsSystem Spec
Old 06-03-2009  
Brink


Vista x64 Ultimate SP2, Windows 7 Ultimate x64
 
 

Re: User Account Default Logon Display Picture

If you can upload the image that you are wanting to use, I'll be happy to test it on my system to see what it may be as well.

I'll remove the image as soon as I have downloaded it so it will not be available for everyone.
My System SpecsSystem Spec
Old 06-04-2009  
Fuzzymky


Windows Vista 32bit
 
 

Re: User Account Default Logon Display Picture

Shawn,

Thanks again, I'm not sure where I would upload the picture to. I work for a small franchise owner and any servers open to public would be hanlded by corporate. I could email you the picture if that works.

Thanks again for the assistance

Dave

Last edited by Brink; 06-04-2009 at 10:14 AM.. Reason: Email address removed
My System SpecsSystem Spec
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