How To Set a Screensaver on a Mac

For those who don’t want a plain black screen to pop up on their Mac’s desktop after a few minutes of inactivity, there is an option to set up a screen saver. By adding a password, the screen saver can act as an extra layer of protection. Moreover, you can customize the screen saver, even adding photos from your computer’s library.

In this article, we’ll go through the process of setting up and customizing a screen saver on your Mac. In addition, you’ll learn how to upload a customized screen saver for your Mac desktop.

Setting a Screensaver on a Mac

A screen saver is an image, usually animated, that appears on your Mac’s screen after a period of inactivity. It usually appears on your screen when you haven’t done anything in a few minutes. To go back to your normal screen, you would usually need to move your mouse or press a key on your keyboard.

Setting up a screen saver on a Mac is an easy, straightforward process that will only take a few minutes. Follow the steps below to see how it’s done:

1. Click on the Apple icon in the upper-left corner of your screen.
   
2. Select System Preferences in the drop-down menu.
   
3. Proceed to the Desktop & Screen Saver option.
   
4. Go to the Screen Saver tab.
   
5. Choose a screen saver from the list of options.
   
6. Continue to the Saver after option to decide when the screen saver will appear.
   

That’s all you have to do to set up a screen saver on your Mac. Keep in mind that the exact process might vary depending on the macOS you have. The method we showed you applies to Catalina, Sierra, Monterey, and Mojave.

If you’re using the Ventura operating system, this is what you need to do:

1. Navigate to the Apple menu in the menu bar.
   
2. Click on System Settings in the drop-down list.
   
3. Find Screen Saver on the left sidebar.
   
4. Choose a screen saver for your Mac.
   
5. Go to the Options button on the right.
   
6. Adjust the screen saver settings to your preferences.

Depending on the length of the specified inactivity period, the screen saver will start on your screen automatically. To make your screen “wake up,” you can move the mouse, touch the touchpad, or press a key on your keyboard.

There are several ways to customize the screen saver, and you can even choose several images to make a slideshow. By checking the “Shuffle slide order,” the image order will be randomized.

If you don’t have a specific screen saver you want to use, click on the Use random screen saver option on the “Desktop & Screen Saver” window. To add a clock to your screen saver, click on the Show with clock option.

If you want to add a password to your screen saver, this is what you have to do:

1. Click on the Apple menu, and go to System Preferences.
   
2. Proceed to Security & Privacy.
   
3. Go to the General option.
   
4. Choose Require password, and the after sleep or screen saver begins option.
   
5. Finish setting up the password.

You can also set up “hot corners” if you want to access features of your Mac quickly. To use the hot corners, simply move the pointer across one corner of the screen, and it will automatically appear.

How to Create a Screensaver on a Mac

When setting a screen saver on your Mac, you have two options. You can choose from Mac’s pre-made screen savers or import a photo from your library. Depending on your operating system, there are different categories to choose from, like landscapes, flowers, colors, and more.

You can even download free custom animated screen savers from various websites. If you want to choose an image for your screen saver, you can edit it and add special effects using any photo-editing program.

To set up a custom screen saver on your Mac, this is what you need to do next:

1. Click on the Apple menu in the top-left corner.
   
2. Choose System Preferences.
   
3. Navigate to Desktop & Screen Saver, and then go to Screen Saver.
   
4. Select the Source button under the preview.
   
5. Go to Choose Folder.
   
6. Find the custom screen saver you made or downloaded.
   
7. Select Choose.
   
8. See the Preview pane to ensure everything looks okay in the full-screen view.
   

Make Your Mac Screen More Fun

When you haven’t used your Mac in a few minutes, the screen will automatically become black. If you want to add some color or make your screen more interesting when it’s idle, you can set up a screen saver. Not only can you choose from various pre-made screen savers, but you can also make a customized screen saver.

Have you ever set up a screen saver on your Mac? Did you choose a pre-made screen saver, or did you make your own? Let us know in the comments section below.