Group Policy to Set Lock Screen Image for Windows 10

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Hi

I am unable to apply the update as it just gives me Windows 8 RT update.

I have enabled it using the correct GPO.

The registry key is the following:

HKEY Local Machine -> Software -> Polices -> Microsoft -> Windows -> Personalization -> LockScreenImage

that is a REG_SZ and the path is C:\Users\Public\Pictures\ScreenArtwork5.jpg

I have run the result many times and this is what is in the applied GPO, this sets the default lockscreen image using GPO. I also have the above registry in place and it's still showing my own lock screen image.

Henry Edwards

Edited by Henryed07 Thursday, October 1, 2015 7:54 AM

Thursday, October 1, 2015 7:54 AM

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Jacob_Basran IT Convergys Inc

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If you get this registry key populated on the machine, then the policy got applied on that machine successfully.

As per the screenshot, seems you have configured security filters for this GPO, can you please confirm whether the faulty computhers have the required access to this GPO?

Tuesday, October 6, 2015 9:23 AM

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Jacob_Basran IT Convergys Inc
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Yes it applies the Registry, but does not change it.

yes, those are just applying to me domainname\username and domainname\computername

Henry Edwards

Thursday, October 8, 2015 3:20 PM

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I can confirm that the same method to set up a Win8 lockscreen still works in Win10. By "same method", I mean the way I'm doing it. :-) There's no need fart around with registry keys - instead, simply use these settings:

Computer Configuration \ Policies \ Admin Templates \ Control Panel \ Personalization

-and-

Computer Configuration \ Preferences \ Windows Settings \ Files

And lastly, don't call on a picture from the Public profile. I would suggest your problem stems from some/all users not having sufficient rights to this directory. Why not just use C:\Windows\Web\Screen (the default location)?

Edited by bondg Wednesday, October 14, 2015 9:52 PM added info

Wednesday, October 14, 2015 9:46 PM

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Hi, bondg

I have tried this. I have created a GPO, assigned my laptop to the group.

then I did gpupdate /force but this did not change the lockscreen.

It did not force to use the image specified in the C:\Windows\Wed\Screen

Any more ideas?

Henry Edwards

Thursday, October 22, 2015 7:35 AM

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I had the same issue, it turns out the GPO mentioned above only works with Enterprise, Education and Server editions as stated in the note section of the setting.

Friday, September 23, 2016 2:18 PM

Hellion32

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I had the same issue, it turns out the GPO mentioned above only works with Enterprise, Education and Server editions as stated in the note section of the setting.

We are running Windows 10 Enterprise

running the same GPO as stated above

Reg key is being populated use lockscreen image at C:\Windows\Web\Screen\Lockscreen.jpg

But the lockscreen is still not updating to the jpg file at the above location when doing a gpupdate /force and or reboot

Wednesday, November 16, 2016 1:38 AM

Drekko

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I can confirm that the same method to set up a Win8 lockscreen still works in Win10. By "same method", I mean the way I'm doing it. :-) There's no need fart around with registry keys - instead, simply use these settings:

Computer Configuration \ Policies \ Admin Templates \ Control Panel \ Personalization

-and-

Computer Configuration \ Preferences \ Windows Settings \ Files

And lastly, don't call on a picture from the Public profile. I would suggest your problem stems from some/all users not having sufficient rights to this directory. Why not just use C:\Windows\Web\Screen (the default location)?

Hi Bondg

Can you please specify what GP setting you were using for:

Computer Configuration \ Preferences \ Windows Settings \ Files

We are having the same issue as the OP

Running Windows 10 Enterprise and lockscreen is not updating

Is the above GPO setting just for updating the image file?

We use SCCM for that to copy a new image every month

Edited by Drekko Wednesday, November 16, 2016 2:24 AM

Wednesday, November 16, 2016 1:41 AM

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Hi

Have the same IDENTICAL Problem.

Some PC get the updated Lockscreen, Others ... Not.

I am becaming mad.

All settings are applied and GPRESULT confirm it.

What do you intend with the policy settings of :

Computer Configuration \ Preferences \ Windows Settings \ Files ??

Friday, December 16, 2016 8:54 AM

LeonardoButelli

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I found a workaround to fix the image not updating. Configure a computer group policy to delete the following registry keys - when the lock screen is called, the keys are regenerated and in the process the image will be updated from the location specified in the "Path to lock screen image:" policy

HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\SystemProtectedUserData\S-1-5-18\AnyoneRead\LockScreen\CacheFormat_P

HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\SystemProtectedUserData\S-1-5-18\AnyoneRead\LockScreen\GPImagePath_P

HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\SystemProtectedUserData\S-1-5-18\AnyoneRead\LockScreen\SizeX_P

HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\SystemProtectedUserData\S-1-5-18\AnyoneRead\LockScreen\SizeY_P

It's really disappointing/frustrating how group policy is so broken in Windows 10. I can't tell if Microsoft just doesn't care any more or is deliberately breaking thigns / making life painful for enterprise admins in order to shepherd them toward managing endpoints via AzureAD/Intune.

Tuesday, February 7, 2017 6:19 AM

O Sysadmin, My Sysadmin

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Your recommendation seems promising, however, I find that none of the 4 values re-generate when the lock screen is called. It does seem directly related to the issue, however. Removing those 4 values will break whatever lock screen you have.

Tuesday, March 7, 2017 3:48 PM

wkucardinal

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Just FYI, i have this problem on selected computers. taking ownership of the key
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\SystemProtectedUserData\S-1-5-18\AnyoneRead\LockScreen

deleting it, and then rebooting does work for fixing the lock screen to the new image. The key is regenerated, and even if it existed before and was correct, this allows the lockscreen to actually work.

So thanks for the tip o sysadmin. I am not deleting the key enmasse using policy at this time incase it breaks currently working lockscreens. However as its only a handful of computers with this problem, i can delete and regenerate the key on an as needed basis. This method does appear to work and not break the lockscreen for me anyway.

Wednesday, November 1, 2017 3:43 PM

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sharepointisneedlesslycomplex
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Hi!

I'm can not delete CacheFormat_P , GPImagePath_P , SizeX_P , SizeY_P

Help me please!

Edited by Pogreb Monday, November 27, 2017 12:25 PM

Monday, November 27, 2017 12:24 PM

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https://www.howtogeek.com/77878/take-ownership-of-or-assign-full-permission-for-a-registry-key-in-windows-7/

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just look up taking ownership of a registry key:

you need to take ownership of the key to delete it

if you download the program SetAcl.exe , then you can script it even. thats what i have been doing. I guess i never posted the script here, so here it is:

"\\NETWORKSERVER.LOCAL\setacl\SetACL.exe" -on "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\SystemProtectedUserData\S-1-5-18\AnyoneRead\LockScreen" -ot reg -actn setowner -ownr "n:Administrators"

"\\NETWORKSERVER.LOCAL\setacl\SetACL.exe" -on "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\SystemProtectedUserData\S-1-5-18\AnyoneRead\LockScreen" -ot reg -actn ace -ace "n:Administrators;p:full"

reg delete "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\SystemProtectedUserData\S-1-5-18\AnyoneRead\LockScreen" /f

after doing that, and rebooting, the updated lockscreen is refreshed from policy, copied to the machine and implemented.

Monday, November 27, 2017 3:58 PM

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sharepointisneedlesslycomplex
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I did not have a section S-1-5-18
I created it
Added all sections (screen)
It did not work.
Then in other sections I deleted CacheFormat_P, GPImagePath_P, SizeX_P, S izeY_P

Restarted PC
The picture has not changed

Edited by Pogreb Tuesday, November 28, 2017 2:30 PM

Tuesday, November 28, 2017 2:19 PM

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hmm well it looks russian to me. maybe its a different key? do you have a small set of numbers under your systemProtectedUserData key as shown below? Could be a different set of numbers by localization.

Are you using win10 ENTERPRISE? it wont work in any other windows 10 version from what i understand.

oh and i make sure to copy the file using GPO from a network location to the local machine at "c:\windows\system32\oobe\info\backgrounds\backgrounddefault.jpg" and with that particular file name, overwriting the default one.

Im not sure if network locations for the image are supported.

Tuesday, November 28, 2017 4:22 PM

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sharepointisneedlesslycomplex
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I'm use Windows 10 Pro - Russian language. Licensed

"c:\windows\system32\oobe\info\backgrounds\backgrounddefault.jpg" - I do not have this catalog

hidden directories included

Wednesday, November 29, 2017 6:01 AM

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Pogreb
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right, as i said, microsoft has made this NOT work in PRO versions. Only enterprise. so theres your problem right there. it will never work in PRO since some update they did.

And yes F m$ because i have a bunch of pro workstations around here that i now have to convert to enterprise because of the stupid lock screen restriction.

If you dont believe me you can search for info on that. will not work in PRO, as per microsoft. only win10 ENT

Proposed as answer by Yavar Fall Sunday, January 7, 2018 4:04 PM

Wednesday, November 29, 2017 3:58 PM

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Big thanks!!!

You're fight

Edited by Pogreb Thursday, November 30, 2017 8:19 AM

Thursday, November 30, 2017 8:09 AM