How to create a Custom Screen Saver in Windows 7

If you have a collection of pictures that you would like to have displayed as your screen saver, the Photos screen saver is one of the Screen Saver options in Windows 7 that can be used to create your own screen saver. The Pictures library may contain files you don't wish to use. To work around this, create a new folder for the pictures you wish to use and copy the pictures into this folder.

  1. Click Start button and click on Pictures.
    Windows 7 Start Menu, Pictures
  2. In the Pictures library, right-click in the folder to reveal the context menu. Click New and then Click Folder.
    Windows Explorer, Pictures Folder, New Folder
  3. The new Folder will be highlighted in blue. Type your name for the folder (e.g. Screen Saver Pictures) and click away from the folder to set the name.
    New Folder  Name New Folder
  4. Select the pictures you want to place in the folder. You can select individual files by holding down the Ctrl key and clicking the items. Or, if your pictures are in a group, click the first picture push down Shift key and hold it. Then, click the last one.
    Windows Picture Library Folder
  5. Right-click on any one of the selected pictures (they will be highlighted in blue) and choose Copy from the context menu.
    Windows Action Menu, Copy
  6. Move your pointer to the folder you created, right-click and the folder, and choose Paste from the context menu. The pictures will be pasted into the folder.
    Windows Action Menu, Paste
  7. Use the two steps above to copy and paste pictures into the Screen Saver Pictures folder until you have all the pictures you want copied into the folder. Close the folder.

  8. Once you have your pictures in the folder, open the Screen Saver window. Right-click on the desktop, then left-click on Personalize.
    Windows 7 Desktop, Personalize
  9. Click on Screen Saver in the lower right of the Change the visuals and sounds on your computer window.
    Windows 7 Personalization, Screen Saver Options
  10. Click the screen saver options box and choose Photos.
    Windows 7 Personalization, Screen Saver Options
  11. Click the Settings button to open the Photos Screen Saver Settings window.
    Windows 7 Personalization, Screen Saver Settings
  12. In the Use Pictures From: area click Browse and then navigate to the folder where your pictures are stored. Click OK.
    Windows 7 Personalization, Screen Saver Settings, Browse
  13. In the Slide show speed area click the speed option with the down arrow and choose your desired speed: Slow, Medium, or Fast.
    Windows 7 Personalization, Screen Saver Settings, Select Speed
  14. Put a check on the Shuffle pictures box if you want to display the pictures in a random order. If choose not to, the pictures will be displayed in the order of their file names.
    Windows 7 Personalization, Screen Saver Settings, Shuffle Pictures
  15. Click the Save button at the lower right of the Photo Screen Saver Settings window. This will go back to the Photos Screen Saver Settings window.
    Windows 7 Personalization, Screen Saver Settings, Save
  16. On the Screen Saver Settings windows, choose your time to wait before the screen saver. Type in the number of minutes next to the Wait: option. Or, use the up and down arrows to the right of the time displayed to adjust it higher or lower.
    Windows 7 Personalization, Screen Saver Settings, Timing
  17. Click OK to close the Window. Your screen saver will display after the computer has been idle for the time interval you chose.
    OK to Save Changes

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