Your lock screen message is buried in Settings. I built a home for it.
Porchlight replaces your Mac's default lock screen message with something personal — a time-aware greeting, a favourite quote, or just your name.
Why I built Porchlight
macOS already lets you set a lock screen message — it's right in System Settings → Lock Screen. But once you set it, that text just sits there until you go back and change it yourself.
Buried in System Settings
Located within Lock Screen options.
Static — same message forever
No dynamic updates or rotation available.
No scheduling or personality
Manual updates only. No time-aware logic.
Locked behind menus
When you unlock your Mac, it should say something worth reading.
WITHOUT PORCHLIGHT
- closeA static line of text you set once and forget.
- closeSystem Settings navigation every time you want a change.
- closeThe same "If found, call..." message at 8AM and 8PM.
WITH PORCHLIGHT
- check_circleDynamic, time-aware greetings that follow your day.
- check_circleAn app built for your greeting, not a toggle buried in Lock Screen.
- check_circleCurated daily quotes or random personal notes.
Static
A custom static welcome message set by you
Time-Based
"Good morning" at 7 AM, "Good afternoon" at 5 PM, "Good evening" at 9PM. Automatically transition as set by you.
Quote
Choose whether to include the 100+ bundled quotes and also setup your own. See a new quote at every lock, once an hour or once a day.
Pay once. Yours forever.
Porchlight
$4.99
Download and use forever
- checkUnlimited Greeting Changes
- checkTime-Aware Scheduling
- checkQuote Library Support
- checkPrivacy-First (Local Only)