Where to Find Screensavers in macOS 13

With the release of macOS 13 Ventura, Apple completely redesigned the traditional System Preferences pane into a modern, iOS-style System Settings application. Because of this interface overhaul, the classic "Desktop & Screen Saver" panel was separated, moving the screensaver options to a new dedicated location. This guide provides a direct walkthrough of where to find, preview, and configure screensavers in macOS 13.

To locate the screensaver selection menu in macOS 13:

  1. Click the Apple menu () located in the top-left corner of your menu bar.
  2. Select System Settings from the drop-down menu.
  3. In the sidebar on the left, scroll down and click on Screen Saver.

Selecting and Customizing a Screensaver

Once you are in the Screen Saver menu, the right-hand panel displays all available screensaver categories, including macOS defaults, abstract animations, and photo-based options.

  • Previewing: Hover over or click on any screensaver thumbnail to see a preview in the window at the top of the pane.
  • Options: Many screensavers offer customizable styles, colors, or photo sources. If available, click Options beneath the selected thumbnail to adjust these parameters.
  • Show with Clock: Toggle the Show with clock switch if you want the current time displayed over your screensaver.

Adjusting Activation Time and Hot Corners

The timer controlling when your screensaver activates is no longer inside the Screen Saver tab. To change how long your Mac waits before starting the screensaver:

  1. In the System Settings sidebar, click on Lock Screen.
  2. Locate the setting labeled Turn display off on battery when inactive or Turn display off on power adapter when inactive and set your preferred duration.
  3. Locate Start Screen Saver when inactive and choose the desired time interval.

If you prefer to start your screensaver manually using mouse gestures, scroll to the bottom of either the Screen Saver or Lock Screen menu and click Hot Corners. From there, you can assign one of your display corners to trigger the screensaver immediately.