Open System Settings and find the screensaver controls

To change your Mac's screensaver, start by opening System Settings. Click the Apple menu in the top-left corner of your screen, then select "System Settings" from the dropdown. On older Macs running Big Sur or earlier, this was called "System Preferences" — the location is the same.

Once System Settings opens, look for "Lock Screen" in the sidebar on the left. Click it. You'll see a preview of your current screensaver at the top of the window, and below that a dropdown menu that says "Start after" with a time listed next to it. This is where you control both which screensaver plays and when it starts.

Key Takeaways

  • Your screensaver settings live in System Settings under "Lock Screen," not in a separate screensaver folder.
  • You can choose from built-in screensavers like Floating Message, Drift, and Kaleidoscope, or use a photo album as your screensaver.
  • The "Start after" setting controls how many minutes of inactivity must pass before the screensaver turns on — you can set it anywhere from 1 minute to Never.
  • If you want no screensaver at all, set "Start after" to "Never" instead of deleting anything.

Select a screensaver from the list

In the Lock Screen window, you'll see a section labeled "Screensaver" with a dropdown menu below it. Click that dropdown to see all available screensavers. Mac comes with several built-in options: Floating Message (displays text that bounces around), Drift (animated shapes), Kaleidoscope (geometric patterns), Message (shows a single line of text), and others depending on your Mac model and macOS version.

You can also use a photo album as your screensaver. If you select "Photos" from the dropdown, your Mac will cycle through pictures from your Photos library. Click the dropdown next to "Photos" to choose which album to display — you might pick a vacation folder, a favorites collection, or any other album you've created.

Adjust when the screensaver starts

Below the screensaver selection, you'll see "Start after" with a time value next to it. Click that time to change how long your Mac waits before turning on the screensaver. The default is usually 10 or 15 minutes, but you can set it to 1 minute, 5 minutes, 10 minutes, 20 minutes, or Never.

Choose "Never" if you don't want a screensaver to appear at all. This is useful if you prefer your Mac to go straight to the lock screen after inactivity, or if you use a third-party screensaver app. If you select a time, your Mac will show the screensaver after that many minutes of no keyboard or mouse activity.

Preview your choice before confirming

Before you close System Settings, look at the preview window at the top of the Lock Screen panel. It shows you what your selected screensaver will look like. If you chose a photo album, you'll see a sample image. If you chose an animated screensaver like Drift or Kaleidoscope, you'll see it moving in the preview.

If the preview doesn't look right, go back to the dropdown and try a different screensaver. There's no "Save" button — your choice takes effect immediately once you select it. You can change it back anytime by returning to System Settings and picking something else.

Test your screensaver manually

If you want to see your screensaver right now instead of waiting for the timer, you can start it manually. Move your mouse to one of the corners of your screen — whichever corner you've set as your "Hot Corner" for screensaver activation. By default, this is usually the top-right or bottom-right corner, but you can change it in System Settings under "Lock Screen" as well.

Alternatively, you can press Control + Shift + Eject (or Control + Shift + Power on newer Macs without an Eject key) to lock your screen immediately and trigger the screensaver. This is faster than waiting for the timer and lets you confirm that your new screensaver looks the way you want it to.

Troubleshooting: screensaver won't turn on

If you've set a screensaver but it never appears, check two things. First, make sure "Start after" is not set to "Never" — if it is, your Mac won't show a screensaver at all. Second, check whether you have "Require password after sleep" turned on in the same Lock Screen settings. Some users turn off the screensaver entirely and rely on the lock screen instead, which is also a valid approach.

If you're using a third-party screensaver app from the App Store, it may have its own settings separate from System Settings. Open the app itself and look for preferences or settings within the app, not in System Settings. Third-party screensavers sometimes override the built-in controls.

Using a custom photo album as your screensaver

If you want your screensaver to show photos instead of patterns or animations, the Photos option gives you the most control. First, create or select an album in the Photos app that contains the images you want to display. Then return to System Settings, select "Photos" from the screensaver dropdown, and click the dropdown next to it to choose which album to use.

Your Mac will cycle through the photos in that album, showing each one for a few seconds before moving to the next. The order and timing are controlled by macOS, not by you — if you need more control over how photos display, you might want to explore third-party screensaver apps instead. But for a simple slideshow of your favorite pictures, the built-in Photos screensaver works well.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use my own video as a screensaver?

The built-in screensaver options don't support video files directly. You can use a photo album, which cycles through still images, but not video. If you need video screensavers, you'll need to download a third-party app from the App Store and follow that app's instructions for adding your video file.

Why does my screensaver keep stopping after a few seconds?

Your Mac stops the screensaver when it detects any keyboard or mouse movement, even accidental touches on your trackpad. If you're working at your desk, a stray touch can interrupt it. Make sure you're not accidentally moving your mouse or trackpad, and check that no other apps are running in the background that might be sending activity signals to your Mac.

Can I set different screensavers for different times of day?

macOS doesn't have a built-in scheduling feature for screensavers. You can only set one screensaver at a time. If you want different screensavers at different times, you'd need to manually change it in System Settings, or download a third-party app that offers scheduling features.

What's the difference between a screensaver and a lock screen?

A screensaver is what appears after your Mac sits idle for a set time — it's usually animated or shows photos. The lock screen appears when your Mac wakes up from sleep or when you manually lock it. You can have both: a screensaver that plays during inactivity, and then a lock screen that requires your password when you move the mouse or press a key.

Will my screensaver drain my battery on a laptop?

Animated screensavers use more power than letting your Mac go to sleep. If you're on battery, consider setting "Start after" to a shorter time so your Mac sleeps sooner, or choose "Never" and let your Mac sleep instead. Sleep uses far less battery than running a screensaver.