MAC
How to show a message on the Mac lock screen
Real screenshot · MacBook Pro, macOS 26In short
Open System Settings, click Lock Screen, switch on Show message when locked and click Set to type the message. The message appears in the login window when the Mac is locked. Apple suggests it can provide contact information for a lost Mac.
A short message in the login window can provide contact information for a lost Mac. The message is shown to anyone who tries to log in.
The screenshots show System Settings on macOS Tahoe 26.
4 of 4 steps show a real screenshot from our MacBook Pro.
Steps
- 1
Open System Settings
Click the Apple menu in the top left corner of the screen and choose System Settings.
- 2
Click Lock Screen in the sidebar
Lock Screen is in the group with Privacy & Security. Scroll down in the sidebar to find it.
- 3
Switch on Show message when locked
It is in the second group of the page. In the picture it is off, and the Set… button next to it is grey.
- 4
Click Set and type the message
In the picture the switch is still off, so Set… at the right is grey. After you switch it on, click Set…, type a short message and click OK.
If you do not see this option
- Your Mac has System Preferences, not System Settings. Apple says that on macOS Monterey you choose System Preferences, Security & Privacy, then General, and select Show a message when the screen is locked. If the lock at the bottom left is closed, click it first. Source: Change Security & Privacy General preferences on Mac
- You cannot find Lock Screen in the sidebar. Apple says you can type a word, such as message, in the search field in System Settings and click the matching option. Source: Find options in System Settings on Mac
If this does not work
- You want to check the message. Apple says you can lock the screen straight away: choose Apple menu, then Lock Screen. Apple says the message appears in the login window.
- You see the screen saver, not the message. Apple says the Lock Screen shows your screen saver after a period of inactivity. The message is shown in the login window when your Mac is locked.
- The Mac does not lock when you leave it? On the same Lock Screen page, Apple lists Require password after screen saver begins or display is turned off. You can choose how long after the screen saver or sleep begins a password is required.
Good to know
Show password hints, the row above, is a separate setting. On our Mac it is off.
To locate a lost Mac, Apple says to turn on Find My Mac: open System Settings, click your name, then iCloud, See All, and Find My Mac. To lock the screen quickly when you step away, see how to lock the screen on a Mac.
About this guide
- Device
- Mac
- Shown on
- macOS Tahoe 26 (MacBook Pro)
- App
- System Settings
- Path
- System Settings › Lock Screen › Show message when locked › Set
- Real screenshots
- 4 of 4 steps
- Checked
- October 2026
- Sources
- 5 official, linked below
Sources
Links checked October 2026. Menus and features can change with updates.Did this guide work for you?
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