If you have used Windows 10 then you would know that Windows Spotlight feature was first introduced in Windows 10 and Spotlight feature displays various beautiful pictures on Windows login and lock screen. Windows 11 users have complained about Spotlight not working properly or getting stuck after Windows 11 update. And in this article we will tell you how to fix Windows Spotlight not working in Windows 11. You have to stay with us till the end to read this.
Windows Spotlight Not Working Windows 11 (2021)
If you are using Windows 10 then you would know that Windows Spotlight is the default feature of Windows 10 that automatically downloads and displays images and ads from Bing when the lock screen is displayed on the computer running Windows 10. Users are sometimes asked if they want to see more or less images of the same. types, and images are sometimes overlaid with links to advertisements. For information, let us tell you that in 2017 Microsoft started adding location information to many photos.
Why Is Windows 11 Spotlight Not Working?
The truth is also that looking at the same image every time the screen is locked becomes tedious after some time. Depending on the severity of the Windows 11 Spotlight problem, you may be unable to view any of the images on the lock screen. Poor Internet connection, corrupted image or system files, driver issues, or outdated Windows Update are all common causes of Spotlight problems (in addition).
For information, let us tell you that the pictures that appear on the Windows 11 lock or login screen when using the Spotlight function are usually obtained from Bing Daily. One of the reasons why your screen may be frozen to that exact image is because you don't have an active internet connection. Spotlight must be enabled in the background of your Windows 11 computer for it to work correctly. This includes the Microsoft Store, Microsoft Edge, and the Settings apps. If important programs are not running, it is possible that features such as Spotlight may not work properly.
It's also worth noting that Microsoft's servers must be able to access your location information from your regional language settings in order to provide you with customized background images. If your Windows 11 computer's regional language settings are incorrect, Spotlight will not be able to download the correct background photograph for your lock screen.
How To Fix Windows Spotlight Not Working?
Solution 1: Examine the Network Connection
Solution 2: Ensure that all necessary apps are running in the background.
Solution 3: Ensure that the metered connection is turned off.
Solution 4: Reactivate Windows Spotlight.
Solution 5: Launch the System Maintenance Troubleshooter.
Solution 6: Switch to a different regional language
Solution 7: Disinfect Spotlight Assets
Solution 8: Execute the SFC Scannow command.
Solution 9: Reset Spotlight Preferences
Solution 10: Using Powershell, re-register Spotlight
Solution 11: Revert to a previous version of Windows 11.
How Do I Resolve Windows Spotlight Not Working?
Corrupt image or system files, outdated Windows updates, or problematic device drivers are some of the most common causes of Spotlight, not working issues. The solutions to this problem are listed below.
Method 1: Examine the Network Connection
The most important thing here is to have active internet. Images displayed by Spotlight on the Windows 11 lock screen or login screen are usually downloaded from Bing daily. If you don't have an active internet connection, your screen will be frozen on that image.
For this, you need to check whether your internet connection is fast or stable, after making sure that Spotlight starts changing the images displayed on the lock screen. If the problem persists, then you should try another solution.
Method 2: Ensure that all necessary apps are running in the background.
If you want to use the Spotlight feature on Windows 11, you must have the Microsoft Store, Microsoft Edge, Spotlight (if it exists), and the Settings app open in the background. If these essential apps are disabled, there may be problems like Spotlight feature not working. To enable these apps, follow these steps:
- Click or press the Windows button on your keyboard or the Windows button on the taskbar. Select Settings > Privacy > Background apps from the drop-down menu.
- Turn on Allow apps to run in the background and make sure Settings, Microsoft Store, and Microsoft Edge are all enabled and permitted to run in the background.
- Press the Windows key + L to see if Spotlight changes the photos displayed on the lock screen; press the Windows key + L.
Method 3: Ensure that the metered connection is turned off.
Sometimes it happens that if your network connection is metered, the Spotlight feature on Windows 11 will be stuck on the same image on your lock screen. This is because it is unable to download new images. If this is what is causing the Spotlight not working issue, turn off the metered connection to resolve the issue. To turn off the metered connection, do the following:
- Navigate to Settings > Network & Internet. Make sure you're in the Status window.
- A button called Properties can be found under the connected network. Click on it.
- Select the switch labelled. Set it as a metered connection and turn it off.
- Restart your computer to see if the image on your lock screen has changed.
Method 4: Reactivate Windows Spotlight.
Another solution is to disable and re-enable the Spotlight feature. It could be the solution to the problem. To accomplish this, first:
- To access the Settings app, click the Windows button in the taskbar or press the Windows button + I. Select Personalization.
- From the left-hand side of the window, navigate to the Lock screen. Select Slideshow or Picture from the drop-down menu. After that, restart your computer.
- Go back to Settings > Personalization> Lock screen. The Background option, previously set to Slideshow or Picture, should be reset to Windows Spotlight.
- If the problem persists, lock your laptop's screen by pressing the Windows key + L.
Method 5: Launch the System Maintenance Troubleshooter.
If Spotlight not working in Windows 11 still persists, then you should use the System Maintenance Troubleshooter to resolve it. It should be noted that the troubleshooter cannot be accessed through the Settings app. As a result, you have to launch it from Control Panel. To accomplish this, first:
- Please search for the Control Panel in the taskbar's search box, then click on it. In the search box, type troubleshooting and press Enter.
- Click View all to the left of the new window.
- Click System Maintenance from the list of troubleshooters displayed on the screen.
- To begin troubleshooting, click Next. After troubleshooting, this problem should be resolved.
- While in the System Maintenance window, go to Advanced > Apply repairs automatically and check the box. By clicking on it, you can check the box.
Method 6: Switch to a different regional language
Microsoft's servers must access your location from your regional language settings to provide you with personalized background images. If your Windows 11's regional language settings are incorrect, Spotlight will not download the appropriate lock screen background images. To change your regional settings, go through the following steps:
- On your PC, go to Settings and select Time & Language.
- Click Region settings on the left side of the Time & Language window. Select the proper Region and Regional Format.
- To resolve this issue, restart your computer after changing the Regional settings.
Method 7: Disinfect Spotlight Assets
If the Spotlight feature on your Windows 11 computer is not working, you can resolve the problem by deleting all of Spotlight's assets. To accomplish this, you must disable the Spotlight feature. We've already discussed disabling this feature, and you can find instructions for doing so in Method 4, steps 1–3.
Following completion of these tasks:
- To open the Run box dialogue, press the Windows key + R. Then enter the following Command. Then press the OK button.
%USERPROFILE%/AppDataLocalPackagesMicrosoft.Windows.ContentDeliveryManager_cw5n1h2txyewyLocalStateAssets
- When the Assets folder is open, please select all of the files in it and delete them.
- Start your computer again.
- Change the background option in the Lock screen option of Personalized settings to Windows Spotlight after restarting your computer.
- To lock your screen, press Windows key + L. Check to see if the problem has been resolved.
Method 8: Execute the SFC Scannow command.
If Spotlight isn't working because of corrupt system files, use System File Checker, a built-in Windows utility (SFC). This utility file checker can be used to scan your Windows 11 for corrupt system files.
To accomplish this, first:
- Open Command Prompt as administrator, type SFC /scannow, and hit Enter.
- Keep the Command Prompt open while running the SFC command, as it may take some time.
- When the Command has been successfully executed, check if your computer's Spotlight feature is now operational.
Method 9: Reset Spotlight Preferences
If you've tried all of the above methods and Spotlight is still not working, you may need to reset your Windows 11 Spotlight settings:
- Select Settings by clicking on the Windows button in the taskbar. Open Personalization from the Settings app.
- On the left side of the Personalization window, select the Lock screen. Turn off the Show Lock Screen background picture, switch on the sign-in screen and change the Background drop-down menu to Picture.
- By pressing Windows Key+ R, you can open the Run window, paste the link below into the directory box, and press Enter.
%LocalAppData%PackagesMicrosoft.Windows.ContentDeliveryManager_cw5n1h2txyewySettings
- You'll need to rename two files in the settings folder. Change the names of roaming. lock and settings.dat to roaming.lock.bak and settings.dat.bak, respectively.
- Start your computer again. After your computer has restarted, go back to Settings and select Personalization.
- Change the Background drop-down menu to Windows Spotlight on the Lock screen, and then turn on the Show Lock Screen background picture on the sign-in screen switch.
- Check to see if the problem has been resolved by pressing Windows Key + L.
Method 10: Using Powershell, re-register Spotlight
You can resolve this issue by re-registering the Spotlight feature via the PowerShell terminal. However, before you begin, you must disable the Spotlight feature on your Windows 11. Refer to Method 4 of this article to disable it.
- After disabling Spotlight, press Windows key + X and select Windows PowerShell as administrator.
- When the PowerShell window is open, enter the following Command and press Enter to re-register Spotlight.
Get-AppxPackage -allusers *ContentDeliveryManager* | foreach {Add-AppxPackage "$($_.InstallLocation)appxmanifest.xml" -DisableDevelopmentMode -register}
- Close the PowerShell terminal and restart your computer once the command has been successfully executed.
- You can then return to the Settings app and change the Background option to Windows Spotlight in the Lock screen option of Personalized settings. Check to see if it has fixed the issue with Spotlight not working.
Method 11: Revert to a previous version of Windows 11.
If you are still troubled by this problem after trying all the solutions mentioned above, you may need to downgrade your Windows 11 to a previous version. Use the System Restore function to downgrade Windows. It will not delete any of your files or data; Instead, it will restore your Windows to the state it was in when the restore point was created and remove any applications that have been installed since then. This should restore your Windows Spotlight functionality.
But usually many people are afraid to try this method as system crashes and data loss are common problems during downgrade. Now you need not worry as there is a powerful data recovery tool available that can recover data from any scenario, including a crashed computer! It now offers a free trial version. just take a look!
Conclusion
The Spotlight feature makes Windows look more beautiful, providing a unique user experience every time it displays a new picture. However, if you encounter this problem, you may be disappointed. Try all the solutions listed above to resolve the Spotlight not working Windows 11 issue.