Hacks & Customization
The Ultimate Guide to the reMarkable Screensaver (2026)
The reMarkable is famous for its distraction-free minimalism. But for many users, “minimalism” shouldn’t mean “boring.” Out of the box, when you put your tablet to sleep, you are greeted with a static image of a pencil sketch that says, “reMarkable is sleeping.” It’s elegant, sure, but after seeing it for the thousandth time, you might start wishing for something more personal—perhaps your contact info, a favorite quote, or your company logo.
Unlike an iPad, where changing the wallpaper is a simple settings toggle, changing the **remarkable screensaver** (technically called the “Sleep Screen”) requires a bit of work. Because the device runs on Linux, you actually have to replace a system file to change the image. While this sounds intimidating, the community has built tools to make it easier. In this guide, we will walk you through exactly how to customize your device, covering everything from the reMarkable 2 to the new Paper Pro.
What is the “Screensaver”?
First, a technical clarification. E-ink devices do not have “screensavers” in the traditional sense. On a computer, a screensaver moves to prevent phosphor burn-in. On E-ink, the image is static. Once the screen draws the image, it consumes zero power to keep it there.
The **remarkable screensaver** is actually a PNG image file stored deep in the device’s operating system.
File Name: suspended.png
Location: /usr/share/remarkable/
When you press the power button, the software simply tells the screen: “Display the image located at this path.” To change the screensaver, we simply overwrite that image file with a new one of our choosing.
Why You Should Change It
Beyond aesthetics, there is a massive practical reason to customize your **remarkable screensaver**: Loss Prevention.
If you leave your $500 tablet in a coffee shop, and it is locked with a passcode, a Good Samaritan has no way of knowing who it belongs to. By customizing your sleep screen to display your name, email, and “Reward if Found” message, you drastically increase the chances of getting your device back. It acts as a digital luggage tag that never falls off.
The Easy Method (Third-Party Apps)
If you aren’t comfortable typing code into a terminal, use a third-party app. These tools handle the connection for you.
1. Notable Utility (Free)
Available for Mac and Windows. You connect your tablet via USB, launch the app, and simply drag-and-drop your new image. It automatically resizes the image and replaces the system file.
2. RCU (reMarkable Connection Utility)
A paid tool (approx $12) developed by Davis Remmel. It is widely considered the gold standard for reMarkable management. It allows you to change the **remarkable screensaver**, manage templates, and backup your notebooks without using the cloud.
Warning: Whenever reMarkable issues a software update (e.g., Version 3.15), it will wipe your custom image and restore the default one. You will have to re-apply your custom screen after every update.
The Hard Method (SSH & Coding)
For the tech-savvy, you can do this for free using SSH (Secure Shell). Here is the workflow:
- Prepare Your Image: Create a PNG file.
• reMarkable 2: 1404 x 1872 pixels.
• Paper Pro: 1620 x 2160 pixels.
Name itsuspended.png. - Find Credentials: Go to Settings > Help > Copyrights and licenses on your device. Note the IP address and the password at the bottom.
- Open Terminal: On your computer, open Command Prompt (Windows) or Terminal (Mac).
- Connect: Type
ssh root@[Your-IP-Address]and enter the password. - Copy File: Use the `scp` command to copy your image from your computer to the device’s
/usr/share/remarkable/folder.
For a detailed command-line walkthrough, check out reHackable on GitHub.
Paper Pro Specifics (Read-Only Fix)
If you own the new **reMarkable Paper Pro**, the process is slightly harder. The new operating system mounts the file system as “Read Only” to prevent users from breaking things.
If you try the SSH method above, you will get a “Permission Denied” error. To fix this, you must execute a specific command to unlock the system before copying your file:
mount -o remount,rw /
This command tells the Linux OS to remount the drive as “Read/Write” (rw). Once you do this, you can replace the **remarkable screensaver** image. However, be extremely careful. Deleting the wrong file in this mode can brick your device. Proceed at your own risk.
Final Verdict
Customizing your **remarkable screensaver** is one of the most satisfying “hacks” you can do. It turns a piece of mass-produced hardware into something that feels uniquely yours.
Recommendation:
For 95% of users, we recommend using RCU or Notable Utility. The risk of error is low, and they handle the image resizing for you. Only use the manual SSH method if you are comfortable with Linux commands.
Download Custom Screens
Don’t want to design your own? We have a pack of 20 high-resolution Sleep Screens, including calendars, art, and “Reward if Found” templates.