A screen saver is a computer program that activates when your computer is inactive for a set amount of time, displaying images or patterns to prevent image burn-in on your monitor. They also enhance security by locking the screen and requiring a password to access it again. Moreover, screen savers entertain by showing animations, personal photos, or other fun images. However, they have disadvantages such as increased energy consumption, as they can prevent the computer from entering power-saving modes.
What is Screen Saver?
A screen saver is software that activates to hide or animate the display when a computer isn’t used for a while. A screen saver is a program that activates after the computer has been inactive for a set of times. Screensavers were created to keep images or text from being burnt into older monitors. Now, as modern LCD and OLED monitors are less prone to burn-in, screen savers mainly add aesthetic value or entertainment. They can show different animations, pictures, or videos, and often let users customize how long the computer should be idle before the screen saver starts, what should be displayed, and can include interactive features or display useful information like the time or new.
How to Enable Screen Saver on Computer?
Screen savers are a fun way to personalize your computer screen and also protect it from damage. Enabling a screen saver is easy, and here’s how you can do it on Windows, Mac, and Linux:
1. Screen Saver for Windows 10 and 11
Step 1: Right-click on the desktop and choose “Personalize.”
Step 2: In Windows 10, select “Lock screen” from the menu on the left, scroll down, and click “Screen saver settings.” In Windows 11, find “Screen saver” in the start menu search to go directly to these settings.
Step 3: In the “Screen Saver Settings” window, pick a screen saver from the list.
Step 4: Set the inactivity period before the screen saver starts and decide if you want the login screen to appear when resuming.
Step 5: Click “Apply,” then “OK.”
2. Screen Saver for macOS
Step 1: Click the Apple logo at the top left, then “System Preferences.“
Step 2: Choose “Desktop & Screen Saver.”
Step 3: Click the “Screen Saver” tab.
Step 4: Select a screen saver and configure its settings, like when it should start.
Step 5: Close the window to save your preferences.
3. Screen Saver for Linux (GNOME desktop)
Step 1: Open “Settings.”
Step 2: Go to “Privacy” then “Screen Lock.”
Step 3: Turn on “Automatic Screen Lock” and click on “Screen Saver” to choose your screen saver and settings.
Step 4: Adjust the settings like timeout duration.
Step 5: Adjust these steps as needed for different versions or desktop environments. Generally, screen-saver options are in the system’s display or personalization settings.
Also Check: How to Change Your Windows Computer Screen Saver?
Examples of Screen Saver Programs?
| Screen Saver | Description |
|---|---|
| 3D Text | Enter any text to be transformed into 3D text and rotated and pushed around the screen. |
| Blank | Turns the screen black. |
| Bubbles | Bubbles appear over all open windows and move around the screen. |
| Mystify | A dark screen with multicolored lines moving around it. |
| Photo Gallery | Displays photos and videos. Included with Windows 7 and remains on any PC that has been upgraded from Windows 7. |
| Photos | Displays a slideshow of images from any directory on the computer. |
| Ribbons | Ribbons are single painted lines that appear randomly on a black screen. |
What are the benefits of using a screen saver?
Here are the main benefits with using screen savers:
- Protecting the screen: Even though new monitors are less likely to experience burn-in, screen savers can still help avoid image retention from static pictures displayed for too long.
- Enhancing privacy: They can hide your active screen content after you’ve been inactive, which is particularly helpful in places where others might see your screen.
- Improving security: By combining a screen saver with a password lock, it helps secure your computer by locking the screen after a set time of inactivity, requiring a password to access again.
- Visual appeal: They beautify your screen when it’s not in use with different styles and themes that can reflect your personality or brand.
- Displaying information: Some screen savers can show the time, weather, or news, offering a convenient way to see important info at a glance.
- Reducing stress: Looking at certain screen savers, like nature scenes or soothing patterns, can help lower stress and improve your mood.
What are the Disadvantages of using a screen saver?
Here are the main issues with using screen savers:
- Uses More Battery: Screen savers can drain a laptop’s battery quickly because they need extra energy to show complex graphics or animations.
- Slows Down Your Computer: They can take up a lot of your computer’s power, which might make it run slower. This is especially true for older or less powerful computers.
- Not Always Secure: If a screen saver doesn’t have a lock feature, it might look like your computer is secure when it’s actually easy for anyone to use if you leave it unattended.
- Can Wear Out Parts: Using a screen saver all the time could cause your computer’s parts, including the screen, to wear out faster.
- Can Be Distracting: In places like offices or public areas, screen savers that move or flash can distract people around you.
- Risk of Burn-in: On some types of screens, like OLEDs, leaving a screen saver on for too long might cause the images to get stuck on the screen permanently.
Conclusion
In conclusion, a screen saver is software designed to protect your screen and enhance its appearance when not in active use. While initially crucial for preventing burn-in on CRT and plasma screens, today’s screen savers are more about adding a personal touch to your device, offering aesthetic appeal with dynamic visuals or displaying useful information. They are a blend of functionality and decoration, fitting into modern digital lifestyles by providing security features, such as password protection, and contributing to energy management on devices like laptops and PCs. Despite their reduced necessity for screen protection, screen savers remain a popular and visually engaging feature in the ever-evolving tech landscape.
What is Screen Saver? – FAQs
How long will it take for the screensaver to turn on?
The screensaver will activate after three hours (180 minutes) of inactivity.
What is wallpaper and screensaver?
Wallpaper is static while screensaver is animated. Wallpaper is background picture when you have not opened any file, while screensaver is the graphic that becomes visible when the computer has been left untouched for some time. Wallpaper is a single image while screensaver contains lots of images.
Can I customize my own screen saver?
Yes, you can customized your screensaver.
How to use a screen saver?
Select the Start button, then go to Settings > Personalization > Lock screen, and select Screen saver settings. In the Screen Saver Settings window, choose a screen saver from the drop-down list.
Where is screen saver?
Click on Personalization. Click on Lock screen. Click the Screen saver settings link. Under “Screen saver,” use the drop-down menu, and select the screen saver you want to use.
What is screen saver in short answer?
A screensaver is a computer program that can be set to turn on after a period of user inactivity (when you leave your computer). It was first used to prevent damage to older monitors but is now used as a way to prevent viewing of desktop contents while the user is away.
what is screen saver in laptop?
A screen saver is a computer program that displays a moving image or pattern on the screen after a period of inactivity.