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Windows sportlight

Casper Schmidt 0 Reputation points
2025-12-13T07:39:17.6633333+00:00

I'm getting pretty tired of two things, Windows/Microsoft updates, and the support you need afterwards.

It has gradually become necessary to have to "dig" into the PC to order and fix things. and Windows Spotlight is yet another one of those problems, have now spent countless hours, read countless messages from support, as well as. on various external forums, without any luck, have only been able to find several with the same frustrations.

After windows spotlight has become a permanent part of my PC, I have not been able to choose my own background, I have not been able to remove "WS" from my computer, as this is obviously now a permanent thing, despite the fact that I cannot see how such a poor function is not just an extra function, but a permanently implemented part of windows, as if it were an operationally important component. I do not want to use windows spotlight, I do not want to have windows spotlight on my personal pc, I also do not want to use bing? which microsoft has so nicely made impossible to change from the function. The function creates a "huge" area on my background, which I then constantly press to "know more about the picture" I am getting tired of having to deal with the, increasingly ridiculous updates. So, how do I remove it? - if the answer is "go into personal settings and change it from spotlight to pictures, IT DONT WORK."

Windows for home | Windows 11 | Windows update
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  1. Q&A Assist
    2025-12-13T07:39:29.8666667+00:00
    AI generated content. This question contains an answer created with AI from Q&A Assist. Learn more

    To disable Windows Spotlight and revert to using your own background, you can follow these steps:

    1. Open Settings: Click on the Start menu and select Settings (the gear icon).
    2. Personalization: In the Settings window, click on Personalization.
    3. Background: Select Background from the left sidebar.
    4. Background Type: In the Background settings, change the background type from Windows Spotlight to Picture or Slideshow.
    5. Choose Your Image: If you select Picture, you can then browse and select an image from your files.

    If these steps do not work, it may be due to group policy settings or restrictions if you are using a managed device (like in a workplace). In that case, you might need to check with your IT administrator or adjust the group policy settings if you have administrative access.

    Additionally, if you want to prevent Windows Spotlight from being set as the default wallpaper again after updates, you can configure the AllowSpotlightCollection policy setting or set a custom lock screen and background image as mentioned in the documentation.

    References:

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  2. Paulo GM 56,875 Reputation points Independent Advisor
    2025-12-13T09:04:29.3433333+00:00

    Hi,

    I'm sorry to hear you're having this problem with Windows Spotlight. But what do you mean by you can't change it to Pictures? Have you tried disabling it through a policy? See if the method here works.

    Disclaimer: ElevenForum is a non-Microsoft site created by a Windows MVP. The information is reliable, but be careful with ads. Research any product before downloading.

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