This article explains how to change the screen saver in Windows 10, 8 and 7. It includes information on how to select from your own photos for a screen saver in Windows 10.

What to Know

  • Windows 10: Search for screen saver. Select Change screen saver. Choose from the drop-down menu.Windows 8 and 7: Open Control Panel > Appearance and Personalization > Personalization > Screen Saver.

How to Set the Windows 10 Screen Saver

While screen savers aren’t necessary anymore, they’re still a fun way to turn your monitor into an art display or add some security to your computer.

Here’s how to set the screen saver on Windows 10.

  • Right-click the Start menu, then select Search.
  • Type screen saver into the search field that appears, then select Change screen saver.
  • This will bring up the Screen Saver Setting dialogue box. Use the drop-down menu to choose the screen saver you like. To preview them, select Preview.
  • You can also determine how long Windows should wait before engaging the screen saver, as well as set the screen saver to demand your log-in credentials before it will disengage. If you want more privacy and security, select On resume, display log in screen.
  • Select OK.

How to Change Screen Saver to Use Your Own Photos

Windows comes with a selection of beautiful screen savers, but one of them, the Photos Screen Saver, lets you display your photos on your monitor when you aren’t using your computer.

Right-click the Start menu, then select Search.

Type screen saver into the search field that appears, then select Change screen saver.

This will bring up the Screen Saver Setting dialogue box. Use the drop-down menu to choose the screen saver you like. To preview them, select Preview.

You can also determine how long Windows should wait before engaging the screen saver, as well as set the screen saver to demand your log-in credentials before it will disengage. If you want more privacy and security, select On resume, display log in screen.

Select OK.

  • Using Windows Search, search for screen saver, then select Change screen saver.
  • This will bring up the Screen Saver Setting dialogue box. Using the drop-down menu, select Photos.
  • Click Browse and navigate to the folder containing the pictures you want to use.
  • Select Shuffle photos if you don’t want your photos to always in the same order. You can also dictate how quickly the photos change.
  • Select Save > OK.

How to Change the Screen Saver on Windows 7 and 8

Not much has changed in the Windows Screen Saver settings in the last three versions of Windows, but you have to do so using the Control Panel.

Using Windows Search, search for screen saver, then select Change screen saver.

This will bring up the Screen Saver Setting dialogue box. Using the drop-down menu, select Photos.

Click Browse and navigate to the folder containing the pictures you want to use.

Select Shuffle photos if you don’t want your photos to always in the same order. You can also dictate how quickly the photos change.

Select Save > OK.

To change the Windows 7 and 8 screen saver, open Control Panel, then select Appearance and Personalization > Personalization > Screen Saver. From there, follow the same directions as for Windows 10.

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