Windows Spotlight Not Working in Windows? 4 Ways to Fix

Windows Spotlight is that cool feature that shows off stunning images on your lock screen and switches them up regularly. But sometimes, it just stops working — the images don’t change, or the feature disappears altogether.

If Windows Spotlight has gone dark on your PC, here are four reliable ways to get it working again.

1. Restart Windows Spotlight

Sometimes the feature just needs a reset.

Steps:

1. Open Settings > Personalization > Lock screen.
2. Under Background, change it from Windows Spotlight to Picture or Slideshow.
3. Restart your PC.
4. Go back to Settings > Personalization > Lock screen and switch it back to Windows Spotlight.

That often kicks it back into action.

2. Clear the Spotlight Cache

Corrupt cache files can break Spotlight. Here’s how to wipe them clean:

Steps:

1. Press Win + R, type explorer shell:local appdata\Packages, and hit Enter.
2. Go to:
   Microsoft.Windows.ContentDeliveryManager_cw5n1h2txyewy\LocalState\Assets
3. Delete all files in this folder.
4. Then go to:
   Settings > Personalization > Lock screen and re-select Windows Spotlight.

After a reboot, Spotlight should fetch new content.

3. Re-register Spotlight with PowerShell

If resetting and clearing the cache didn’t help, this PowerShell command can re-register the feature:

Steps:

1. Open PowerShell as Administrator (right-click Start > Windows PowerShell (Admin)).
2. Run this command: Get-AppxPackage -allusers *ContentDeliveryManager* | Foreach {Add-AppxPackage -DisableDevelopmentMode -Register "$($_.InstallLocation)\AppXManifest.xml"}
3. Restart your PC.

This reinstalls the content delivery manager that handles Spotlight.

4. Check Group Policy or Registry Settings

If you (or a system tweak tool) disabled Spotlight via policy or registry, it won’t work.

Check via Group Policy (Windows Pro/Enterprise):

1. Press Win + R, type gpedit.msc, and hit Enter.
2. Go to:
   Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > Cloud Content
3. Make sure Do not use diagnostic data for tailored experiences is Not Configured or Disabled.
4. Also check:
   User Configuration > Administrative Templates > Start Menu and Taskbar
5. Ensure Turn off all Windows Spotlight features is Not Configured or Disabled.

Check via Registry (Home Edition):

1. Press Win + R, type regedit, and press Enter.
2. Navigate to:
   HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\CloudContent
3. If you see a value named DisableWindowsSpotlightFeatures, set it to 0 or delete it.

Restart your PC after changes.

Final Thoughts

Windows Spotlight is a great feature when it works — these fixes should help get your lock screen looking fresh again. If none of the above worked, make sure your system is updated via Settings > Windows Update. Bugs in older builds can sometimes interfere with Spotlight too.

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