#Messages for mac log in how to#
#Messages for mac log in mac os x#

And now your 2012 will be filled with mirth as your spouse has to accept your crazy agreements before logging on. To undo your changes, just delete the file you put in your Library > Security folder, and things will go back to normal. Of course, you’ll want to log out or restart to see your handiwork.

#Messages for mac log in mac os x#

You’ll have to type in your password before Mac OS X will let you put anything in there, but after you do that, your task is finished. Add whatever content you want, and then save the file as “PolicyBanner” in the Library > Security folder. With Mac OS X 10.7 Lion update, Apple introduced the functionality to Add Custom Message to Login Screen on Mac using System Preferences. First, create a file in one of three formats. Obviously this would be most useful if you were managing a large number of machines, but heck, making your family members laugh is just as important.

Also, if multiple people use your Macespecially in a public or office settingyou could present instructions. For example, having macOS display your contact details after it boots could help someone return your device if it goes missing. A login or lock screen message could serve several purposes.

#Messages for mac log in how to#

The other cool thing you can do in the same vein is to add an agreement that a user would have to accept before logging in. How to Set a Custom Login Screen Message. You, of course, can choose something different-a warning about how Find My Mac works, perhaps, or some other vague threat. It’ll also appear if your Mac requires a password to unlock the screen saver or wake it from sleep.Īs you can see, my message gives information about how to contact me if my machine is found. When you then turn “Show a message when the screen is locked” on and type something in the box below that, your message will show up on the login window. This’ll mean that every time you restart your Mac, you’ll need to enter your password, but that small layer of security is worth it, right?Īfter that, the first neat thing you can do is in System Preferences > Security & Privacy under the “General” tab, where you’ll need to unlock things with the padlock as before if you want to make changes. You can now follow along with this tip, and there’s a bonus-your data is now a bit safer from thieves if your Mac gets stolen. Choose Login Options from there, and if “Automatic login” is on, click on the padlock in the lower-left corner of the window to unlock the pane, then toggle the option off. If you do, you’ll never see your login screen at all, so go to System Preferences > Users & Groups to check. So first, figure out if you have automatic login on. It won’t save us from the blood-crazy Mayans, but it’ll help us make our Macs look cool during the end of the world. While we’ve still got time to live, though, we should probably focus on learning things about Lion and how to make changes to its login window for security and fun. I’m paraphrasing here, but I’m pretty sure that’s what I read was going to happen. The last year before the ancient Mayans rise from their graves and kill us all.