Restrict User From Changing Lock Screen Image In Windows 8

Restrict User From Changing Lock Screen Image In Windows 8

In this article I am describing how to restrict a user from changing the lock screen image. If you are using the Windows 8 beta version the two basic element lock screen image with dynamic icons for battery & network, and the login screen where you enter the password to log in to windows. And you may also know it allows users (administrators and standard users) to change the lock screen background image. You can also prevent changing of the background image from other PC users by using the Local Group Policy Editor. It will disable the Personalize>Lock Screen window (which is accessed from the PC settings).

First of all you have to open the windows as an Administrator because an Administrator has the right to change the Local Group Policy setting.

Then go to the Search box present in the right sidebar and type gpedit.msc, and click on the search button.

The gpedit.msc is the Local Group Policy Editor. Now go to the following location in the Local Group Policy Editor:

Computer Configuration / Administrative Templates / Control Panel / Personalization

The Personalization related Policy setting option appear in Main window right-click on the policy setting named Prevent Changing Lock Screen Images and select Edit.

After selecting the Edit option in the Local Group Policy Editor window Prevent changing lock screen image window appears with the three options Not Configured, Enabled and Disabled. To enable prevention of changing the Lock Screen Image just select the Enabled option and click on the OK button.

After setting the Enable option you need to enforce changes made to the group policy settings. For this close the Local Group Policy Editor and open the Run dialog box.

In the Run dialog box type command gpudate /force and click OK.

Once this command executes successfully the PC user cannot change the Lock Screen Image Background. It will issue a message when you navigate to PC Settings -> Personalize option. The message will be "For Some settings on this page has been disable by group policy".