Mac 101: Add a useful message to your OS X login screen

By Kelly Hodgkins
OS X Mavericks

Did you know that recent versions of OS X (OS X 10.7 Lion or newer) allow you to add a short message to the login window that is displayed when your Mac is locked? The message can be anything — a note appropriate to users who access the computer, a cheerful line of inspiration for yourself or contact information in case your computer is lost.

Follow these steps to add a message to your login screen:

  • Open System Preferences and then select the "Security & Privacy" pane.
    Security & Privacy Login Message
  • Click the lock icon in the bottom left to unlock it and make changes. You will need to enter an administrator name and password.
  • Select the "Show a message when the screen is locked" option, then click "Set Lock Message." You can type in a multi-line message with special characters and emoticons.
    Security & Privacy Login Message
  • Type the message you want to display in the login window.

Log out of your account or restart your computer to access the login screen and view your changes.

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