How to Customize the Logon Message in Windows

Would you like to surprise whoever turns on your computer with a custom messageOr maybe you need to display an important notice every time someone logs into Windows? Change the welcome experience of the system is a simple possibility if you know the right tools, especially the Windows Registry Editor, although there are also equally effective alternative methods to customize the message that appears just before accessing the operating system desktop.

In this article we will delve into the Customizing the Windows login messageWe will explain to you, in detail and in a natural way, how to do it from the classic Regedit, what configurations are available depending on your version of Windows, and how to take advantage of other advanced security tools and options. This way, you can give your PC a unique or professional look, resolve privacy concerns, and, if you want, increase the level of security or alerts for any user.

What is the purpose of setting a custom login message?

Display a message before login can have different purposes. On the one hand, it offers a personal or fun touch to your team, with a friendly welcome for regular users. On the other hand, and very common in corporate or educational environments, it is used to remind rules of use, legal warnings or safety noticesIt can even be useful for leaving maintenance instructions, alerts about proper usage, contact information, or any other relevant notices.

It is important to remember that, beyond a one-off joke, this function has great weight in the protection and management of shared equipment, as it allows to inform about important regulations or warn about the consequences of improper useThe message is displayed on the screen before entering the username and password, making it difficult to miss.

The classic method: Customize the login message using Regedit

El Windows Registry Editor (Regedit) is the fastest, most experienced, and most versatile way to configure a welcome or warning message before logging in. It's a tool that's been standard on all versions of Windows for years, without the need to download or install anything.

Here's a step-by-step guide on how to customize your message using Regedit:

1. Open Registry Editor: Press the key Windows + R, writes regedit and press Enter. If the system asks for confirmation via User Account Control, accept.
2. Access the correct key: Navigate to the side panel to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE \ SOFTWARE \ Microsoft \ Windows NT \ CurrentVersion \ Winlogon.
3. Modify or create the necessary values:
   • Legal Notice Caption: This value defines the window title of the message. Double-click it and type the title you want to display, such as “Important Notice” or “Welcome.” If it doesn't exist, create it as a String Value (right-click, New > String Value).
   • Legal Notice Text: Is message content that will appear just below the title. Write your welcome message, warning, or instructions here. If it doesn't exist, create it the same way as above.
4. Save and close regedit: Save your changes and close the editor. It's recommended that you restart your computer or log out for the changes to take effect immediately.

Any text included in these values ​​will appear exactly like this when Windows starts, before users enter their credentials.

Advantages of the Regedit method and security considerations

This method is valid for most versions of Windows and doesn't require any special permissions beyond running Regedit as administrator. It's easy to revert: just delete the values LegalNoticeCaption y LegalNoticeText of the mentioned key. Caution! When editing the registry, be careful. Incorrectly changing the key can affect system behavior, so make sure you're in the correct path before editing.

Additionally, as a safety measure, it's recommended to back up the registry or create a restore point before making sensitive changes. These values ​​are safe if you only modify the fields mentioned above, as they only add or remove the welcome message, without altering other vital system functions.

Automate message customization: .reg files for quick changes

If you prefer to automate and distribute the configuration across multiple computers, you can create a file .Reg with your custom values. Just open Notepad and type the following:

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00 "LegalNoticeCaption"="Title you want to display" "LegalNoticeText"="Full text of the message you want to display"

Save the file with a .reg extension (for example, startup_message.reg), double-click it, and accept the warning. This way, every time you want to change the message, you just need to edit and run that file.

This technique is very useful in network environments, classrooms, or businesses, for quickly deploying standard messages to all computers.

What if you want to remove the custom message?

If you want the message to stop being displayed when you log in, simply delete the values LegalNoticeCaption y LegalNoticeText using Regedit or from the .reg file (by deleting the corresponding lines). You can also set them to blank.

The change will take effect after the next restart or logout.

Alternative graphical method in Windows 10 and 11: Use security policies

For those who prefer not to modify the registry and are looking for a more visual option, Windows 10 and 11 allow you to configure the welcome message using the Local security policies. This method only works in some editions (usually Pro, Enterprise, and Education; it is often missing in Home, although it is possible to add it with certain Tricks):

1. press Windows + R, writes secpol.msc and press Enter to open the Local Security Policy Editor.
2. Navigate to Local Policies > Security Options.
3. Look for these lines:
   • Interactive Login: Message title for users attempting to log in
   • Interactive login: Message text for users attempting to log in
4. Double-click each one, enter the desired title and message, and save your changes.

If your version doesn't have secpol.msc, you'll need to use Regedit.

Advanced Method: Customizing Startup Using Unattend and Enterprise Resources

In business environments, educational centers or in equipment deployment, it is common automate custom login configuration during installation of the operating system. Microsoft allows this with answer files (Unattend.xml) and component-specific configurations Microsoft-Windows-Embedded-EmbeddedLogon.

These features offer massive control over the startup experience in Windows 10 and 11 (especially in Enterprise versions, IoT and Education), allowing you to modify the interface, delete elements, adjust buttons or the access animation.

Applying changes with Unattend

When creating Windows images, you can add parameters in the “specialize” phase, modifying aspects such as animation, lock screen or visible buttons, with XML sequences, for example:

  
    17 1 1 1 1
  

It is especially useful for companies that want uniformity or to eliminate parts of the interface for greater security and simplicity.

Advanced Customization from the Registry: Control over the Welcome Screen

Other key elements can be modified through the registry, in addition to the message, such as buttons or shortcuts on the welcome screen or in Ctrl + Alt + DeleteThe main key to this is:

HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows Embedded\EmbeddedLogon

Inside, the value Neutral Branding Enables or disables specific elements such as the power button, language, accessibility, or user switching. This can be assigned in decimal or hexadecimal, combining values ​​to hide multiple elements.

For example:

Action	Description	Value (decimal)
Hide all buttons	Hide power, language and accessibility	1
Hide power button only	Prevents shutting down or restarting from the screen	2
Just hide language button	Remove the option to change language	4
Hide accessibility	Eliminates access to facilities	8
Hide 'Switch user'	Restrict to only the current user	16

To apply multiple options, add their values ​​and enter the total sum (for example, to hide power and language: 2 + 4 = 6).

To make these customizations:

1. Make sure to enable “custom login” under optional features.
2. Access the Registry Editor and navigate to the corresponding key.
3. Modify the value Neutral Branding with the sum of the desired options.
4. Reboot to apply changes.

Other customization and control options from the registry

The registry also allows for additional settings, such as:

• Hide the Autologon interface:
  Path: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows Embedded\EmbeddedLogon
  Value: HideAutoLogonUI = 1
• Stop the first animation:
  Path: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows Embedded\EmbeddedLogon
  Value: HideFirstLogonAnimation = 1
• Disable authentication animations:
  Path: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Authentication\LogonUI
  Value: AnimationDisabled = 1
• Remove the lock screen:
  Path: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Personalization
  Value: NoLockScreen = 1

Other methods and external utilities to customize the login

Beyond traditional methods, there are other options such as:

Using Group Policy in Domain Environments

If you manage multiple networked computers, you can use the Group Policy Editor (gpedit.msc) To set messages before login:

1. Open the Group Policy console on the server or computer.
2. Select the domain container or organizational unit.
3. Access to: Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > System.
4. Configure the option for login messages (Verbose or Legal Notice).

This allows for mass deployment of legal or informational messages, useful in environments that must comply with specific regulations.

Detailed status messages with Verbose Status

To display more informative messages during the Boot or close, activate the mode Verbose StatusThis is especially useful in diagnostics and servers:

1. Open Registry Editor and navigate to:
   HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE \ SOFTWARE \ Microsoft \ Windows \ CurrentVersion \ Policies \ System
2. Create a new DWORD value called verbose status.
3. Assign the value 1.
4. Restart the computer.

With this, the system will display detailed messages about running processes instead of generic messages.

Advanced startup automation and management: Autologon

If your intention is not only to display a message but to facilitate access without entering data, you can use auto Logon, an official Sysinternals utility. It allows the configured account to automatically log in when the computer is turned on, storing the encrypted credentials in the registry and speeding up the process.

Its use is simple:

• Download and run Autologon.
• Enter the username and password, and activate “Enable”.
• To deactivate, use the same application.
• During boot, holding down the Shift key disables autostart for that boot only.

You should use it only on personal use equipment, since Anyone with physical access will be able to turn on and log in without restrictionsThe password is encrypted, but can be recovered with advanced permissions.

Account management and home customization

Message customization can be complemented with advanced account management in Windows. You can define the default login user, account types, and adjust basic security settings.

Useful options include:

• netplwiz: Sets whether users are required to enter a password. Unchecking this option allows you to select the default user and eliminate the need for authentication.
• Types of accounts: Defines whether an account is standard, administrator, or guest, ensuring control over who can change the message or modify sensitive settings.
• Delete unwanted accounts: Fix bugs or remove duplicate accounts to simplify the experience.

Security and privacy tips when changing your login

Personalizing your message is safe and suitable for most people, but some recommendations should be followed:

• Do not share credentials in messages.
• In business environments, consult with your IT manager before making any major changes.
• Keep privacy in mind: On shared computers, messages can reveal sensitive information.
• Make registry backups or restore points before making major changes.
• Combine the message with other protection systems such as passwords, PINs, biometric authentication, or disk encryption.

Disable the lock screen and speed up access

For a faster experience, you can remove the Windows 10 and 11 lock screen from the registry. Add or modify this key:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE \ SOFTWARE \ Policies \ Microsoft \ Windows
Value: NoLockScreen = 1

After a reboot, the lock screen disappears, and if you have a custom message, it will first appear on the screen before you log in.

Customizing the lock screen with additional information

Windows allows you to add additional information to the lock screen, such as a calendar, weather, notifications, or reminders. To set this up:

1. Opens Settings (Win + I).
2. Go to Personalization > Lock Screen.
3. Configure the applications and notifications to display.

This feature can be complemented by log messages or policies to keep the user informed before logging in.