Click here to visit the LogonStudio web page. Click the blue Download button followed by the link for either the Windows XP or Windows Vista version of the program. Click Download Now and opt to save the file to your desktop. Once downloaded, double-click it and follow the instructions to install LogonStudio. Once the installation completes, click Finish. Vista users can launch the program from its desktop shortcut; XP users should click Start, choose All Programs, open WinCustomize and select LogonStudio.

Windows Vista users should click Continue when prompted. Four alternative skins are included with the program – to switch, select one and click the Apply button. After a short delay, LogonStudio will switch users for you to see what your new screen will look like. Select your user and enter your password to log back in. If you don’t like what you see, select the Windows Vista Default option and click Apply again to return things to the default settings.

Windows XP users should click Yes to make LogonStudio the Logon screen editor when prompted. The main screen will appear as shown above – you have a choice of three screens to choose from. Select one and click OK. To see what your new logon screen looks like, click Start and select Log Off. Pick Switch User. Log back in – again, if you’re unhappy with your choice, launch LogonStudio again. Either try a different screen or click Restore default XP logon followed by OK to restore the original Windows XP look.

If none of the logon screens supplied tempt you, you’ll find many more on the Internet. Click the Download button in Windows Vista, or the WinCustomize link in Windows XP. Browse through the list, downloading any you like to your hard drive. Note that you can only download around 50MB of files before you need to register – this should be enough for 25-50 skins. Once downloaded, click the Load button in LogonStudio to locate and open the files you’ve downloaded – they’ll appear as new options for you to select as before.

You can even create your own logon screens from your own pictures. Windows Vista users should click Create. Give your logon screen a name, enter your own name and click Browse to select the picture. Once done, click Save. If you own the copyright on your image and would like to share your creation with others, click the Upload button. Click Yes to save your screen as a LogonVista package. Your browser will open – follow the instructions to register for free if necessary and then upload your logon screen to share with others.

Windows XP users will find the creation process more complicated. Click New, enter some basic details and click Create to launch the LogonStudio Editor. The logon screen is split into sections, each of which is customised separately using the tools on the right-hand side of the LogonStudio Editor window. If you want to change the background image, save it as a BMP file if necessary first in your image editing program. It’s safe to experiment, but click Save regularly. To edit the screen at a later date, select your screen from the main program and click Edit.