How to Change the Mac Lock Screen Clock Font and Color (macOS Sonoma)

With the release of macOS Sonoma, Apple completely overhauled the Mac Lock Screen, bringing it visually closer to the iPad and iPhone experience. This update introduced a large, prominent digital clock displaying the current time and date directly in the centre of your screen before you log in.

By default, the operating system attempts to dynamically adjust the colour of this text to match your chosen wallpaper. However, this automatic selection often results in poor contrast, making the time difficult to read against complex backgrounds. Fortunately, macOS Sonoma allows you to manually customise both the font weight and the specific colour of the Lock Screen clock.

How to Customise the Lock Screen Clock

The customization options are hidden within the standard Wallpaper settings, not the Lock Screen menu.

1. Click the Apple Logo in the top-left corner of your screen.
2. Select System Settings from the drop-down menu.
3. Scroll down the left-hand sidebar and click on Wallpaper.
4. In the main window, look for the preview thumbnail of your current Lock Screen background at the top.
5. Beneath the preview image, look for a small setting labelled Show on all Spaces (or similar, depending on your exact version). Next to it, you will find a button that looks like a small digital clock with the time in it (e.g., 9:41).
6. Click this small Clock icon.
7. A pop-up customisation panel will appear.
8. To change the font: Select one of the six different typography styles displayed in the top row. The preview image will update instantly.
9. To change the colour: Use the horizontal slider at the bottom of the panel. By default, the slider is positioned on the far left, which represents the dynamic, automatic colour. Drag the slider to the right to manually select a solid, high-contrast colour like white, black, or blue.
10. Once you are satisfied with the preview, click anywhere outside the pop-up panel to close it.

You can immediately verify the changes by clicking the Apple Logo and selecting Lock Screen. Your new, highly legible custom clock will be proudly displayed.