3 ways to enable/disable Windows Spotlight image on lock screen

In any case, enabling or disabling the Spotlight image on the Windows lock screen is pretty straightforward. Here's how you can do this.

1. How to enable/disable Windows Spotlight images using the Settings app

The Settings app in Windows gives you several options for customizing the lock screen, including the ability to turn the Spotlight image on or off. This is also the fastest method to enable or disable images on Windows Spotlight. Here are the steps you can follow.

1. Right-click the Start icon and select Settings from the list.
2. Select Personalization from the left pane.
3. Click Lock screen .
4. Click the drop-down menu next to Personalize your lock screen and select Windows spotlight to enable the feature. If you want to turn off Spotlight images, choose Picture or Slideshow instead.

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2. How to enable/disable Windows Spotlight images through Group Policy Editor

Group Policy Editor is a useful tool for making system-level changes on Windows. If you have a Windows Education, Enterprise, or Professional edition, you can enable or disable the Spotlight image on the lock screen through the Group Policy Editor. However, if you use Windows Home, check out TipsMake's instructions on how to access the Group Policy Editor in Windows Home before proceeding.

To enable or disable the Windows Spotlight image on the lock screen, follow these steps:

1. Press Win + S to open the search menu.
2. Type gpedit.msc in the box and select the first result that appears. This will open the Local Group Policy Editor.
3. Use the left pane to navigate to User Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > Cloud Content .
4. Double-click the Turn off all Windows spotlight features policy in the right pane.
5. Select Enabled to display the Spotlight image on the lock screen. If you want to turn them off, select Not Configured or Disabled.
6. Click Apply > OK.

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3. How to enable/disable Windows Spotlight images using Registry Editor

Registry Editor in Windows provides another way to enable or disable the Spotlight image on the lock screen. However, this method may not be suitable for everyone, especially those unfamiliar with the Registry Editor.

If you decide to use this method, make sure that you have backed up the Windows Registry or created a restore point before proceeding. Once you've done that, follow these steps to enable or disable Spotlight images through the Registry Editor.

1. Press Win + R to open the Run dialog box.
2. Type regedit in the text box and press Enter to open the Registry Editor.
3. Select Yes when the User Account Control (UAC) prompt appears.
4. Use the left pane to navigate to HKEY_CURRENT_USER > Software > Policies > Microsoft > Windows > CloudContent .
5. Right click on the New key > DWORD (32-bit) Value . Rename the DWORD to DisableWindowsSpotlightFeatures.
6. Double-click the newly created DWORD to edit it.
7. Enter 1 in the Value data field to disable the Spotlight image. If you want to enable them, enter 0 instead.
8. Click OK.

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Exit Registry Editor and restart the PC to apply the changes.

As seen, you can enable or disable the Windows Spotlight image on the lock screen through the Settings app, Group Policy Editor, or Registry Editor. Regardless of which method you choose, turning Windows Spotlight images on or off shouldn't take long.

Since Windows stores all Spotlight images locally on your computer, you can even save them and use them as your desktop wallpaper if you want.

Jessica Tanner

Update 21 April 2023