User Logon Display Picture - Set Default for All Users

How to Set a Default User Logon Picture for All Users in Vista, Windows 7, and Windows 8​

   Information

This tutorial will show you how to set a default user logon picture that cannot be changed for all users in Vista, Windows 7, Windows 8, and Windows 8.1.

   Note

This can be handy if you would like all accounts to display say a company logo as their default user account picture.

The only drawback, is that the user logon display picture in the Start menu in Vista and Windows 7 will be blank with this option enabled. (see screenshot below)

   Warning

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

EXAMPLE: Logon Screen with a User Logon Display Picture

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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.

For: Vista, Windows 7, and Windows 8

Accounts	Default Picture Location
Guest	C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\User Account Pictures\guest.bmp
Standard	C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\User Account Pictures\user.bmp
Administrator	C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\User Account Pictures\user.bmp

For: Windows 8.1

Accounts	Default Picture Location
Guest	C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Default Account Pictures\guest.bmp
Standard	C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Default Account Pictures\user.bmp
Administrator	C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Default Account Pictures\user.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.​

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

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3. In explorer, navigate to the location below. (See screenshot below)​

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(Vista, Windows 7, and Windows 8)​

C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\User Account Pictures ​

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OR​

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(Vista, Windows 7, and Windows 8)​

C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Default Account Pictures ​

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

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

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C) Right click on the image from step 1 and click on Copy, click on an 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.​

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4. Close this window when done.​

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

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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 or Windows 7 Professional, Ultimate, and Enterprise editions.. See Method Two or Method Three below for all other editions.​

1. Open the Local Group Policy Editor.​

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

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

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4. To Unset Default Logon Pictures for All Users​

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

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B) Go to step 6.​

5. To Set Default Logon Pictures for All Users​

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A) Dot Enabled and click on OK.​

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6. Close Local Group Policy Editor window.​

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7. Log off and log on to see the change for the user logon display picture.​

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Method Two

Using a REG File Download

NOTE: This method will work for all Vista editions.​

1. To Set Default Logon Pictures for All Users​

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A) Click on the Download button to download the file below.​

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Set_Default_Logon_Picture.reg​

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B) Go to step 3.​

2. To Unset Default Logon Pictures for All Users​

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A) Click on the Download button to download the file below.​

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Unset_Default_Logon_Picture.reg​

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3. Save the .reg file to your Desktop.​

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4. Double click/tap on the downloaded .reg file to merge it.​

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5. Click/tap on Run, Continue (UAC) or Yes (UAC-Windows 7/8), Yes, and then OK when prompted.​

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

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7. Log off and log on, or restart the computer to apply and see changes.​

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Method Three

Manually in Registry Editor

NOTE: This method will work for all Vista editions.​

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

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2. If prompted by UAC, then click on the Continue (Vista) or Yes (Windows 7/8).​

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3. In regedit, go to: (See screenshot below)​

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HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer​

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4. To Set Default Logon Pictures for All Users​

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

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B) Type UseDefaultTile and press Enter.​

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

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

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

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F) Go to step 6.​

5. To Unset Default Logon Pictures for All Users​

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

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B) Click on Yes to confirm deletion.​

6. Close regedit.​

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7. Log off and log on, or restart the computer to apply and see changes.​

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That's it,
Shawn

Related Tutorials

---

• How to Create a New User Account in Vista
• How to Change a User Account Display Picture in Vista
• How to Change Your User Account Logon Picture in Windows 7
• How to Change your User Account Picture in Windows 8 and 8.1
• How to Delete Recent Account Pictures in Windows 8 and 8.1
• How to Create an "Account Picture" Shortcut in Windows 8.1
• 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 Add a Logo and Support Information to Vista
• How to Display Information About Previous Logons During User Logon in Vista

 

[aldorian]

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?

 

[Brink]

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

 

[aldorian]

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?

 

[Brink]

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.

 

[Fuzzymky]

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

 

[Brink]

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

 

[Fuzzymky]

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

 

[Brink]

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.

 

[Fuzzymky]

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

 

[Brink]

Re: User Account Default Logon Display Picture

That will work. I'll send you a PM.

 

[Brink]

Re: User Account Default Logon Display Picture

Dave,

Using the setting to have to enter a user name and password at log on would be why it is blank then. There is no option that I am aware of to change the display picture for this since it is not actually a user icon.

The only way that I know of to achieve having the company image used instead, is to have it where you select a user icon at log on instead while using the method in this tutorial.

Sorry.

 

[ilikefree]

Re: User Account Default Logon Display Picture

Thank you Brink I have been fighting with this stupid flower picture for ages.
The picture on my start up page was one thing and the start menu was still the default. Once you had told me where they were stored I was able to delete the unwanted pictures and replace them with my own. I had to play about a bit with the resize but got it sorted. Thank you. It's funny how little things like that can make a big difference to enjoyment you can have with Vista.I would also like to point out that a lot of people are asking how to do this on the forums I have been on with not much success

 

[Brink]

Re: User Account Default Logon Display Picture

You're welcome Roger. I know how you feel. Little things like that bug me the most as well.