Apple Adds New 'Hello' Screen Saver in macOS Big Sur 11.3

macOS Big Sur 11.3 includes a hidden "Hello" screen saver that appears to be designed for the new iMac models, but which can also be installed on any Mac that's running the 11.3 update.

hello screen saver 1
As outlined by 9to5Mac, the new screen saver is not available by default, but with a simple set of instructions, can be accessed on even non-M1 ‌iMac‌ machines.

hello 2
On a Mac running macOS Big Sur 11.3, follow these instructions:

  1. Open the System folder.
  2. Click on Library.
  3. Click on Screen Savers. screen savers system library
  4. Drag the "Hello.saver" file to the desktop.
  5. Rename the "Hello" file to something else.
  6. Double click the file. hello screen saver
  7. Follow the instructions to install it.

From there, you should see the "Hello" screen saver added as an option in the list of Mac screen savers available in System Preferences > Desktop > Screen Saver > Screen Saver.

hello screen saver installed
The Hello screen saver cycles through various colors, and there are several themes to choose from including "Soft Tones," "Spectrum," and "Minimal." Soft Tones uses the pastel colors introduced with the new iMacs and matching colored text, while Spectrum uses more saturated shades with lighter text. "Minimal" shows the "Hello" wording in black, white, and gray.

hello 3
By default, the screen saver will display "Hello" in multiple languages, but you can force it to use only your native language by toggling off "Show 'hello' in all languages in the Screen Saver Options.

hello 4
A "match system appearance" toggle is also available for use to match light and dark mode preferences.

Related Forum: macOS Big Sur

Popular Stories

iOS 26

15 New Things Your iPhone Can Do in iOS 26.2

Friday December 5, 2025 9:40 am PST by
Apple is about to release iOS 26.2, the second major point update for iPhones since iOS 26 was rolled out in September, and there are at least 15 notable changes and improvements worth checking out. We've rounded them up below. Apple is expected to roll out iOS 26.2 to compatible devices sometime between December 8 and December 16. When the update drops, you can check Apple's servers for the ...
iPhone 14 Pro Dynamic Island

iPhone 18 Pro Leak Adds New Evidence for Under-Display Face ID

Monday December 8, 2025 4:54 am PST by
Apple is actively testing under-screen Face ID for next year's iPhone 18 Pro models using a special "spliced micro-transparent glass" window built into the display, claims a Chinese leaker. According to "Smart Pikachu," a Weibo account that has previously shared accurate supply-chain details on Chinese Android hardware, Apple is testing the special glass as a way to let the TrueDepth...
iOS 26

Apple Seeds Second iOS 26.2 Release Candidate to Developers and Public Beta Testers

Monday December 8, 2025 10:18 am PST by
Apple today seeded the second release candidate version of iOS 26.2 to developers and public beta testers, with the software coming one week after Apple seeded the first RC. The release candidate represents the final version iOS 26.2 that will be provided to the public if no further bugs are found. Registered developers and public beta testers can download the betas from the Settings app on...
Foldable iPhone 2023 Feature 1

Apple to Make More Foldable iPhones Than Expected

Tuesday December 9, 2025 9:59 am PST by
Apple has ordered 22 million OLED panels from Samsung Display for the first foldable iPhone, signaling a significantly larger production target than the display industry had previously anticipated, ET News reports. In the now-seemingly deleted report, ET News claimed that Samsung plans to mass-produce 11 million inward-folding OLED displays for Apple next year, as well as 11 million...
iPhone 17 Pro Cosmic Orange

10 Reasons to Wait for Next Year's iPhone 18 Pro

Monday December 1, 2025 2:40 am PST by
Apple's iPhone development roadmap runs several years into the future and the company is continually working with suppliers on several successive iPhone models at the same time, which is why we often get rumored features months ahead of launch. The iPhone 18 series is no different, and we already have a good idea of what to expect for the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max. One thing worth...
Johny Srouji

Apple's Chipmaking Chief Johny Srouji Responds to Report About Him Potentially Leaving

Monday December 8, 2025 9:23 am PST by
Apple's chipmaking chief Johny Srouji has reportedly indicated that he plans to continue working for the company for the foreseeable future. "I love my team, and I love my job at Apple, and I don't plan on leaving anytime soon," said Srouji, in a memo obtained by Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Here is Srouji's full memo, as shared by Bloomberg:I know you've been reading all kind of rumors and...
Johny Srouji

Apple Chip Chief Johny Srouji Could Be Next to Go as Exodus Continues

Sunday December 7, 2025 10:41 am PST by
Apple's senior vice president of hardware technologies Johny Srouji could be the next leading executive to leave the company amid an alarming exodus of leading employees, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reports. Srouji apparently recently told CEO Tim Cook that he is "seriously considering leaving" in the near future. He intends to join another company if he departs. Srouji leads Apple's chip design ...
google pixel 10

Switching Between iPhone and Android Will Get Easier With New Apple and Google Collaboration

Monday December 8, 2025 11:10 am PST by
Apple and Google are teaming up to make it easier for users to switch between iPhone and Android smartphones, according to 9to5Google. There is a new Android Canary build available today that simplifies data transfer between two smartphones, and Apple is going to implement the functionality in an upcoming iOS 26 beta. Apple already has a Move to iOS app for transferring data from an Android...
Intel Inside iPhone Feature

Apple's Return to Intel Rumored to Extend to iPhone

Friday December 5, 2025 10:08 am PST by
Intel is expected to begin supplying some Mac and iPad chips in a few years, and the latest rumor claims the partnership might extend to the iPhone. In a research note with investment firm GF Securities this week, obtained by MacRumors, analyst Jeff Pu said he and his colleagues "now expect" Intel to reach a supply deal with Apple for at least some non-pro iPhone chips starting in 2028....
Apple Fitness Plus expansion hero

Apple Fitness+ Coming to 28 New Regions With Digital Voice Dubbing

Monday December 8, 2025 6:19 am PST by
Apple today announced that Fitness+ is expanding to 28 new markets on December 15 in the service's largest international rollout since launch, accompanied by new language dubbing and a K-Pop music genre. Apple Fitness+ will become available in Chile, Hong Kong, India, the Netherlands, Singapore, Taiwan, and additional regions on December 15, with Japan scheduled to follow early next year....

Top Rated Comments

beanbaguk Avatar
61 months ago
The comments on here are hilarious! What a bunch of miserable people you are sometimes!!!

* Uses too much energy
* Not needed with modern VESA standards
* Too hard to find
* Too much disk space (1.1MB ROFL)
* Screensavers should be removed

Honestly people....lighten up. I thought it was pretty cool and what's more, I enjoy my aerial screen saver that probably uses up several GB's in videos but it brightens my day.

Also, in the hope that it makes you quiver, I have it running across 3 displays on my M1 MBP and it's glorious!

Eventually, however, after about 30 minutes, my system will go to sleep but I'm a big screensaver fan.

Have a lovely day!
Score: 20 Votes (Like | Disagree)
ErikGrim Avatar
61 months ago
Cheers. We haven't had a new screen saver in a while so this is a nice addition.
Score: 15 Votes (Like | Disagree)
adib Avatar
61 months ago
Nice. Too bad people will have to go through unnecessary complexities to activate this screen saver (which is already taking disk space anyway).

In any case, "screen savers" are really "screen killers" now ever since the CPU has the ability to turn off the monitor (VESA Energy Star standard). Ever since then, the best screen saver is "Put Display to Sleep".
Score: 13 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Biro Avatar
61 months ago
Now THIS is the kind of innovation we want from Apple! ;)
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
diego.caraballo Avatar
61 months ago

In any case, "screen savers" are really "screen killers" now ever since the CPU has the ability to turn off the monitor (VESA Energy Star standard). Ever since then, the best screen saver is "Put Display to Sleep".

This! And let’s not talk about the huge waste of energy...
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
sw1tcher Avatar
61 months ago
Apple should buy the rights to the After Dark screen savers from Infinisys. ?
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)