How to Set Up a Screen Saver in Windows 11

Step 1 — Open Screen Saver Settings

There are two supported ways in. Use whichever is quicker for you.

Method A — search (fastest):

1. Click Start or press the Windows key.
2. Type screen saver.
3. Choose Change screen saver from the results.

Method B — through Settings:

1. Open Settings (Windows + I).
2. Go to Personalization › Lock screen.
3. Scroll to Related settings and select Screen saver.

That is the route Microsoft documents in Configure a screen saver in Windows, which also names the Wait box and the On resume, display logon screen checkbox covered in the steps below.

Both routes open the same window Windows has used for years:

Screen Saver Settings  →  desk.cpl (Screen Saver tab)

If you prefer to jump straight there, press Windows + R to open the Run box and enter:

control desk.cpl,,@screensaver

Step 2 — Choose a screen saver

Use the Screen saver drop-down to pick one. The built-in options on a standard Windows 11 install are typically:

• (None) — no screen saver.
• 3D Text — scrolling or spinning text you supply.
• Blank — a plain black screen.
• Bubbles — translucent spheres drifting over your desktop.
• Mystify — animated coloured line patterns.
• Photos — a slideshow from a folder of your choice.
• Ribbons — flowing coloured ribbons.

Some of these have their own options. Select the saver, then click Settings… to configure it — for example, typing your text and font for 3D Text, or picking the source folder and slideshow speed for Photos. Click Preview to see it full-screen; move the mouse to exit the preview.

Step 3 — Set the wait time

The Wait box controls how many minutes of no keyboard, mouse or touch input must pass before the screen saver starts. Five minutes is a sensible default:

Wait:  5  minutes

Set it too low and the saver will interrupt you while you read; set it too high and it rarely appears. There is one important interaction to watch, covered in the callout below.

Step 4 — Decide whether to lock on resume

The checkbox On resume, display logon screen is the one security-relevant option here. When it is ticked, moving the mouse or pressing a key after the saver has started drops you at the sign-in screen, so you must re-enter your PIN or password. Leave it on if other people can reach your desk; leave it off on a machine only you use and where you value not retyping your PIN.

When you are done, click Apply, then OK. Your screen saver is now set.

The modern reality: most people want a timeout, not a screen saver

Screen savers exist for a problem that has largely gone away. They were invented to stop static images from being permanently “burned in” to old CRT and plasma screens. The LCD panels in today’s laptops and monitors don’t suffer that kind of permanent burn-in, so a modern screen saver is decorative — it doesn’t protect the hardware, and an animation actually keeps the backlight running and uses power.

Microsoft makes the same point in its own screen saver article, which states that sleep mode consumes significantly less power than running a screen saver. That is why Windows 11 quietly de-emphasises the feature and puts the settings that matter under Power instead. For saving energy and locking an idle machine, use these two timers:

1. Open Settings › System › Power & battery › Screen and sleep.
2. Set turn off my screen after to control when the display switches off.
3. Set put my device to sleep after to control when the PC sleeps.

Pair that with Settings › Accounts › Sign-in options › If you’ve been away, when should Windows require you to sign in again to lock automatically. On an OLED laptop this combination — screen off plus auto-lock — is genuinely better for the panel and your battery than any animated saver. Use a real screen saver when you want the look of one, not because you think it protects a modern display.

Frequently asked

Where are screen saver settings in Windows 11?

There is no dedicated Screen saver page in the main Settings list. The quickest route is to click Start (or press the Windows key), type screen saver, and choose Change screen saver. You can also open Settings, go to Personalization > Lock screen, and select Screen saver under Related settings. Both open the same classic Screen Saver Settings dialog that Windows has used for years.

Why won't my Windows 11 screen saver turn on?

The most common reason is a Sleep timer set shorter than the screen saver Wait time — the PC sleeps before the saver can start. Open Settings > System > Power & battery > Screen and sleep and make sure the sleep delay is longer than your Wait value. A connected game controller, an open video or a busy background app can also count as activity and keep resetting the idle timer.

Do screen savers prevent burn-in on modern displays?

On the LCD panels in most laptops and monitors, no — LCDs do not suffer permanent burn-in, so a screen saver is cosmetic rather than protective. On OLED displays burn-in is possible, but the effective protection is turning the screen off, not running an animation. That is why Microsoft now steers people toward the screen and sleep timeouts under Power & battery instead of screen savers.

Can I still use a photo slideshow as a screen saver in Windows 11?

Yes. In the Screen Saver Settings dialog choose Photos from the drop-down, click Settings, and browse to the folder of pictures you want to cycle through. You can adjust the slide-show speed and shuffle order there. Click OK, set a Wait time, and the slideshow runs whenever the PC is idle.