Windows Spotlight Stuck on the Same Picture: How to Fix?

As a Windows 10 user, you have enjoyed the stunning lock screen images delivered by Spotlight.

We quite agree, the new images on the lock screen each day (the image-of-the-day), and the fun facts, advertisements, and tips are refreshing indeed. However, you may find that Windows Spotlight is not working.

It looks like Windows Spotlight is stuck on the same picture and you wish to fix this problem. We have put together some easy methods to resolve and fix the issue.

What is Windows Spotlight Feature?

At the outset, let’s try and understand Windows Spotlight. Microsoft Windows 10 extends an elegant feature aka Windows Spotlight, which allows fetching of images and advertisements from Bing.

As a user, you can choose to mark the images that you wish to see more or less often.

So, every time you access your computer, you can enjoy a fresh look. Windows Spotlight includes background images, images that can be downloaded and occasional suggestions of Windows 10 features.

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Microsoft Windows 10 Lock Screen Spotlight Not Working?

Assuming, you have enabled the Spotlight for lock screen, you may still find Windows Spotlight images not changing. There are myriad reasons why your Windows 10 laptop is probably not fetching images.

You can start with some Basic Checks :

• Internet connectivity: The feature is dependent on the Internet, so you may start by checking if your internet connection is working or not.
• Changes prior to the issue: Run through a quick check on whether you have performed any changes prior to the issue.
• Check if Windows Spotlight is enabled: Go to the settings and verify if the lock screen is still set to Windows Spotlight.

Also, you may want to think about any of the troubleshooting steps that you have performed so far before reading this tutorial. After, these basic checks, if Windows spotlight doesn’t change, then try the following methods to fix the issue.

1. Reset the Windows Spotlight

One of the first things, you may want to try is to reset Windows Spotlight preferences and settings. Here are the steps, which can help you to reset the Windows Spotlight settings.

Note: Remember to create a system restore point. Also, make sure that all your work is saved and close all applications.

Now, let’s start with:

1. Open Settings panel by pressing Win+I .
2. Go To Personalization > Lock Screen .
3. Look for the Background option, choose Picture from the pull-down (set a picture as the default lock screen background) .
4. Navigate to the folder:

C:\Users\<username>\AppData\Local\Packages\Microsoft.Windows.ContentDeliveryManager_<characters>\Settings

5. Unhide all hidden folders in Windows.
6. Look for files called roaming.lock and settigns.dat .
7. Delete the files called roaming.lock and settigns.dat .

Now, that you have reset the Windows Spotlight preferences and settings. You may open the Lock Screen then go to the Personalization settings, and enable the Windows Spotlight as the default lock screen background.

2. Re-register Windows Spotlight

If you find Windows Spotlight not changing, you may also try the following steps.

1. Open administrator Powershell windows.
2. Key in the following:

Get-AppxPackage Microsoft.Windows.ContentDeliveryManager -allusers | foreach {Add-AppxPackage -register “$($_.InstallLocation)\appxmanifest.xml” -DisableDevelopmentMode}

3. Hit Ente r.

Now, check if the Spotlight feature is working or not.

3. Clean Spotlight’s Download folder

Next, you may also try to clean the contents residing in Spotlight’s download folder, where the Spotlight photos are stored.

You can try the following steps:

1. Open Settings panel by pressing Win+I .
2. Go To Personalization> Lock Screen .
3. Look for the Background option, and choose either Picture or Slideshow from the pull-down.
4. Navigate to the folder:

C:\Users\Username\AppData\Local\Packages\Microsoft.Windows.ContentDeliveryManager_cw5n1h2txyewy\LocalState\Assets

5. Enable Hidden folders to access the files.
6. Go to Assets folder, press Ctrl + A to select all files.
7. Delete the files.
8. Return to Personalize > Lock Screen > Background .
9. Enable the Spotlight again.

Now, try checking if the Windows Spotlight has started functioning.

4. Disable Proxy Settings

You may alternately try disabling proxy settings (in case you are using the settings), as it could be a probable cause to why Windows Spotlight is not working.

Proxy settings do not allow full internet access. So, you may try to disable proxy servers, here’s how:

1. Press Windows + S .
2. Key in proxy in the search bar.
3. Press option of LAN settings at the end of the window.
4. Uncheck option Use a proxy server for your LAN .
5. Press Ok .

You may want to check if the issue is finally fixed.

5. Disable Calendar and Mail from the Lock screen

Another way to fix the Windows Spotlight image stuck issue is to try disabling a few options from your Windows Lock screen.

The disabling of mail and calendar from the settings may help to resolve the Windows Spotlight not changing error.

Usually, the Windows synchronization process fetches information about your calendar and email, which are present on your lock screen. However, the syncs for your utilities don’t get updated along with Windows Spotlight and could be a root cause to the issue.

The updating error usually occurs as the Spotlight fails to load images. So, disabling could fix the error. Try the following steps:

1. Press Windows + S .
2. Key in Weather in the dialogue box.
3. Click on the settings icon .
4. Go to the General tab .
5. Look for a setting named Launch Location .
6. Save as Default Location and exit the application.
7. Repeat the opening of the lock screen settings, click Mail icon .
8. Choose apps to show quick status, and reach the top of the option and select None .

Repeat the same for Calendar

9. Uncheck the option Show lock screen background on the sign-in screen .
10. Press Windows + L , and check if Spotlight has started working.

Next time, you come across the Windows Spotlight Not Working error or you find that the Windows Spotlight image is not changing. Run through the basic checks, and alternately try the described steps and fix the error in a jiffy.

And, get ready to enjoy the refreshing images on the lock screen.