Vista Tutorial - Screen Saver

Information

A screen Saver is a moving picture or pattern that appears on a computer screen when the mouse or keyboard has not been used for a specified period of time. Screen savers have the .scr file extension. This will show you how to setup, use, and change a screen saver in Vista.

NOTE

The default Screen Savers in Vista are located at: Screen Saver Location Aurora.scr C:\Windows\System32\Aurora.scr Bubbles.scr C:\Windows\System32\Bubbles.scr logon.scr (default Windows Logo) C:\Windows\System32\logon.scr Mystify.scr C:\Windows\System32\Mystify.scr PhotoScreensaver.scr (Photos) C:\Windows\System32\PhotoScreensaver.scr Ribbons.scr C:\Windows\System32\Ribbons.scr scrnsave.scr (Blank) C:\Windows\System32\scrnsave.scr ssBranded.scr (Windows Energy) C:\Windows\System32\ssBranded.scr ssText3d.scr (3D Text) C:\Windows\System32\ssText3d.scr

WARNING

If you cannot get your screen saver to work, then: Check your screen saver settings. For the Photos pictures screensaver, remove any videos from the selected folder to keep it from freezing. You may have downloaded a bad screen saver. Check by trying one that came with Vista above. The .SCR file (screensaver) was not installed in the C:\Windows\System32 folder. They sometimes get installed into the C:\Windows\SYSWOW32 or C:\Windows\SYSWOW64 folders by mistake instead. A wireless mouse or keyboard can cause this problem. For more on this, see: Microsoft Help and Support: KB911895 and Microsoft Help and Support: KB913405.

Tip

For free screen savers for Vista, see: WinCustomize: Screen Savers Gallery or 3Planesoft - Premium 3D Screensavers

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1. Right click on a empty area of the desktop and click on Personalize. (See screenshot below)

2. Click on the Screen Saver link. (See screenshot below)

3. You will now see the screen saver settings below.

4. To Change Screen Saver -
NOTE: To create your own screen saver, select Photo and click Settings button to browse to the image you want to use.

A) Click on the drop down menu and select a new screen saver from the list. (See screenshot below)

B) Click on Apply.

5. To Turn Off Screen Saver -
NOTE: To turn screen save back on, just select another one.

A) Select (None) and click on OK. (See screenshot above)

6. To Change Screen Saver Settings -
NOTE: Not all screen savers will have settings for them.

A) Click on the Settings button and make the adjustments to the setting to what you like. (See screenshot below step 4)

B) Click on Apply when done with the settings.

7. To Preview a Screen Saver -

A) Click on the Preview button to activate the selected screen saver from step 4. (See screenshot below step 4)
NOTE: Just press a keyboard key or move the mouse to stop the screen saver preview.

8. To Change Screen Saver Wait Time -

A) Adjust the number of minutes of idle time to wait before the screen save appears. (See screenshot below and below step 3)
NOTE: You should have the wait time set at least one minute before the Power Options for the Hard Drive, Display, and Sleep shutdown. See step two here: How to Troubleshoot a Vista Sleep Mode Problem and Find a Solution

B) Click on Apply.

9. To Enable or Disable Password Logon After a Screen Saver -
NOTE: When you resume from a screen saver it takes you to the Lock logon screen with just the current user displayed. The only way to see all users is to logoff first, then allow it to go into screen saver mode. For resume after sleep mode, see: How to Disable or Enable Password Protection on Wakeup in Vista
WARNING: If you logoff first, this will show you how to change the logon screen saver.

A) Check or uncheck On resume, display logon screen. (See screenshot below and below step 3)

B) Click on Apply.

10. Click on OK to apply and close screen saver settings window.