Fixing Windows Spotlight – The picture on the lockscreen does not change

Introduction

Windows Spotlight is a feature in Windows 10 that allows users to have a dynamic lock screen that changes periodically. It is a great way to add some variety to the lock screen and keep things fresh. However, some users have reported that Windows Spotlight is not working as it should. In this blog post, we will explore some of the reasons why Windows Spotlight may not be working and what you can do to fix it.

Reasons why Windows Spotlight may not be working

There are several reasons why Windows Spotlight may not be working. Here are some of the most common ones:

1. Network connectivity issues: Windows Spotlight requires an active internet connection to download new images. If your network connection is unstable or slow, Windows Spotlight may not be able to download new images.

2. Corrupted files: If the files associated with Windows Spotlight are corrupted, it may not work as intended. This can happen due to a variety of reasons, including malware infections, system crashes, or improper shutdowns.

3. Outdated Windows version: If you are running an outdated version of Windows 10, Windows Spotlight may not work correctly. Microsoft regularly releases updates to Windows 10 that include bug fixes and new features. If you have not updated your Windows version, it may be causing issues with Windows Spotlight.

4. User account issues: If you are not logged in with an administrator account, you may not be able to use Windows Spotlight. Additionally, if your user account settings are not configured correctly, Windows Spotlight may not work as intended.

5. Third-party software conflicts: If you have installed third-party software that modifies the lock screen or desktop background, it may be interfering with Windows Spotlight.

Fixing Windows Spotlight

Now that we have explored some of the reasons why Windows Spotlight may not be working let’s look at some solutions to fix it.

1. Check your network connection: The first thing you should do is check your network connection. Make sure that your device is connected to the internet and that your connection is stable. If you are using Wi-Fi, try connecting to a different network or restarting your router.

2. Reset and re-register Windows Spotlight: Resetting and re-registering Windows Spotlight can help fix any corrupted files that may be causing issues. To do this, follow these steps:

1. Open the Settings app and go to Personalization > Lock screen.
2. Under Background, select Picture or Slideshow, then select Windows Spotlight.
3. Scroll down and click on “Advanced slideshow settings” and click on “Reset” button.
4. Open the Run dialog box by pressing the Windows key + R.
5. Type “PowerShell” and press Enter.
6. Copy and paste the following command into the PowerShell window and press Enter: Get-AppxPackage -allusers *ContentDeliveryManager* | foreach {Add-AppxPackage "$($_.InstallLocation)appxmanifest.xml" -DisableDevelopmentMode -register}
7. Restart your device and check if Windows Spotlight is working.

3. Delete the Assets folder: Deleting the Assets folder can also help fix issues with Windows Spotlight. To do this, follow these steps:

1. Press Windows key + R to open the Run dialog box.
2. Type “%USERPROFILE%/AppDataLocalPackagesMicrosoft.Windows.ContentDeliveryManager_cw5n1h2txyewyLocalStateAssets” and press Enter.
3. Delete all the files in the folder.
4. Restart your device and check if Windows Spotlight is working.

4. Run the System File Checker: Running the System File Checker can help fix any corrupted files that may be causing issues with Windows Spotlight. To do this, follow these steps:

1. Open the Command Prompt as an administrator.
2. Type “sfc /scannow” and press Enter.
3. Wait for the scan to complete.
4. Restart your device and check if Windows Spotlight is working.

5. Update Windows: Updating Windows to the latest version can help fix any bugs or issues that may be causing problems with Windows Spotlight. To update Windows, follow these steps:

1. Open the Settings app and go to Update & Security.
2. Click on “Check for updates”.
3. If updates are available, click on “Download and install”.
4. Restart your device and check if Windows Spotlight is working.

6. Disable third-party software: If you have installed third-party software that modifies the lock screen or desktop background, it may be interfering with Windows Spotlight. Try disabling any such software and check if Windows Spotlight is working.

Conclusion

Windows Spotlight is a great feature in Windows 10 that allows users to have a dynamic lock screen that changes periodically. However, if it is not working as intended, it can be frustrating. In this blog post, we explored some of the reasons why Windows Spotlight may not be working and what you can do to fix it. By following the steps outlined in this post, you should be able to get Windows Spotlight working again.

The typical solution to resolve a frozen Windows Spotlight image is:

• Disable Spotlight in Settings > Personalization > Lock screen,
  by setting “Background” to Picture or Slideshow
• To delete the stuck image use Explorer to navigate to the folder

  %USERPROFILE%\AppData\Local\Packages\Microsoft.Windows.ContentDeliveryManager_cw5n1h2txyewy\LocalState\Assets
  

• Select all the files (Ctrl+A)
• Press Del to clear the old images
• Navigate now to the folder

  %USERPROFILE%\AppData\Local\Packages\Microsoft.Windows.ContentDeliveryManager_cw5n1h2txyewy\Settings
  

• Rename the files settings.dat and roaming.lock by appending .bak to the names (just in case)
• Reboot
• Enable Spotlight in Settings > Personalization > Lock screen,
  setting “Background” to Windows Spotlight
• If everything is working correctly, delete the .bak files.