[Tip] Customize Text Shadow and Button Transparency Effects on Windows 7 Login Screen

As you all know Windows 7 allows to customize Login screen background without using any 3rd party software. You can simply follow a few easy steps to change the background easily and quickly which are mentioned in following tutorial:

Windows 7 Supports Login Screen Customization Without 3rd Party Software

Although you can change the background, but sometimes you might face problem with the text and buttons shown at login screen. When you use a light wallpaper as background, the text and buttons might not be visible properly, same case happens with a darker background.

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To overcome this problem, Microsoft has provided a small registry trick to change the text and buttons look.

Here are the step-by-step instructions to customize text and button set look in Windows 7 login screen:

1. Type regedit in RUN or Start Menu Searchbox and press Enter. It’ll open Registry Editor.

2. Now go to following key:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Authentication\LogonUI

3. In right-side pane, create a new DWORD value ButtonSet and set its value to any of following according to your requirements:

0 – Lighter text shadows, darker (more opaque) buttons (Windows default)
1 – Darker text shadows, lighter (more translucent) buttons (for lighter backgrounds)
2 – No text shadows, opaque buttons (for darker backgrounds)

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Change_Win_7_Login_Screen_button_se.png

4. That’s it. Now you can see the modified text and button set at login screen.

Customize_Windows_7_Login_Screen_Text_Shadow_Button_Transparency

NOTE: If you want a ready-made registry script to do the task automatically, download following ZIP file, extract it and run the desired REG file:

Download Registry Script

PS: If you want to use a free tool to customize Windows 7 login screen, check following list:

Ultimate Collection of the Best Free Tools to Customize Windows 7 Login Screen

Published in: Windows 7

About the author: Vishal Gupta (also known as VG) has been awarded with Microsoft MVP (Most Valuable Professional) award. He holds Masters degree in Computer Applications (MCA). He has written several tech articles for popular newspapers and magazines and has also appeared in tech shows on various TV channels.

Comments

NOTE: Older comments have been removed to reduce database overhead.

  1. Hi VG! Nice tutorial.. Can u help me how to change the position of the icon, computer’s name and password field? i’d like to move them to the bottom of login page.. What must i do?

    Thankz n Regards

  2. ^^ You’ll need to modify the code present in UIFILE section of authui.dll file. You can edit the code using Resource Hacker.

  3. ^^ You’ll need to edit the DLL file and modify code using Resource Hacker to change resource positions.

  4. Thanks!

    I’m working on a .NET program that is able to changes your login screen and I also wanted to add the option to change the text shadows, so this guide was usefull for me 😀

  5. Am I misunderstanding something? For some reason I thought this article was also about modifying text on the login screen.

  6. Nice to get this option.
    I would also like to know how to get rid of the (to me) annoying icon and or re-position the fields.
    (Now they are disturbingly blocking part of my self made background)

    @UltimateAntic
    Is your script ready and working?
    Did you publish it somewhere?
    or could you simply send me a copy?

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