Want to set a custom image as screensaver

[grautela6]

Hi All,

Greetings

I am looking to set custom screensaver (Only 1 static image) in around 20 Macbooks enrolled in JAMF, I tried all the steps but nothing works so far.

We have machines with Sonoma, Monterey, Catalina, and BigSur.

[AJPinto]

What steps are included in the "all the steps" that you have tried? Knowing what you did and why did not work may help us help you.

I would suggest pushing the image to the devices with a package, and using a configuration profile to force that image as the screensaver. However, not all images will work as there are limitations. 

Side note: Get rid of anything running Catalina and Big Sur. Catalina was retired last August, and Big Sur will be retired this coming August. Never run an unsupported/patched operating system.

[howie_isaacks]

This has been a challenge for all of us setting screen savers in Sonoma. This thread is long but it will provide a lot of information for Sonoma. https://community.jamf.com/t5/jamf-pro/custom-screensavers-in-sonoma/m-p/310023#M269660

My final solution was to use a script that we were using for Ventura modified to use a different file path for the screen saver component that drives the slideshow and also a script from this Github repository. https://github.com/itjimbo/macOS-Screen-Saver-and-Wallpaper

When I finished this project I was even more against setting screen savers on our Macs. No one sits and stares at their screen when they're not using their Mac, and the best way to "save" a screen is to allow it to turn off when not in use.

[foreverkan]

Is there any update for this issue? I want to deploy a picture as a screensaver.

[howie_isaacks]

The solution that I posted in the Jamf thread I included in my last response here still works. What I used was my own script modified to use the file path to the new component in macOS Sonoma that now drives image based screen savers and I used a solution provided by someone in Github. I still think this was a huge waste of my time but I was happy to post my solution so others who are being told to deploy useless screen savers can make them work.

[liltoaster]

Hi Howie, I've been following your guide and it works like a charm for wallpaper! But for Screen Saver, no matter what picture I used the output for screensaverBase64 is always the same: 

(YnBsaXN0MDDRAQJWbW9kdWxl0QMEWHJlbGF0aXZlXxBEZmlsZTovLy9TeXN0ZW0vTGlicmFyeS9FeHRlbnNpb25LaXQvRXh0ZW5zaW9ucy9pTGlmZVNsaWRlc2hvd3MuYXBwZXgICxIVHgAAAAAAAAEBAAAAAAAAAAUAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAABl)

And when I apply the screensaverBase64, it didn't apply my desired Screen Saver but it will prompt back to the last screen saver that is set (In System Settings > Screen Saver > Other > Photo).

Is this expected behavior or am I missing any steps here? 

Thank you in advance!