Windows 11 Users Can Set Animated GIFs as Account Pictures, SSPAI Shows
SSPAI reports that Windows 11 supports animated GIF user avatars via registry edits, using PsExec to run regedit as system.
Uploading a GIF through Windows Settings or the Microsoft account page normally results in a static frame containing only one frame of the image, the report notes. However, Windows is actually capable of using GIF files as user avatars.
To make the change, users must edit registry values stored under Computer\HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\AccountPicture\Users\, which control the avatar images used in various Windows interfaces. These values cannot be edited with the standard Regedit tool because system-level permissions are required, so the report recommends using PsExec, a tool referenced in Microsoft's knowledge base, to launch the registry editor with System privileges.
After downloading and extracting PsTools, users can add the PsTools folder to the system PATH and then run the command “psexec -i -s regedit.exe” from an administrator terminal or PowerShell. The -i parameter starts an interactive interface, and -s runs the process as the System account, as explained in Microsoft's documentation.
Once the registry editor opens with elevated privileges, users can navigate to the same AccountPicture path and set the avatar keys to the path of a prepared GIF file. The report advises backing up before proceeding. After the change, the animated avatar appears in system locations such as the Start menu. Transparent background GIFs are also supported, which can make the login screen look more immersive.