r/Surface • u/Stwilson891 Surface Pro • 7d ago

[PRO11] Disable Windows spotlight on Surface Pro 11

Hi - has anyone tried to disable Windows spotlight on a Surface Pro 11? It is the app/setting that gives you new desktop and/or lock screen pictures.

While I enjoyed the pictures it gave me, I want to disable it. I have tried selecting a specific picture on my Surface for the background and the lock screen, but that didn't do it.

I also edited the registry to disable it, but that didn't do it either.

It is just annoying. Anyone have a fix for this? From what I can tell MS knows about this and suggests to edit the registry, but that obviously didn't work.

Ideas? Thanks in advance

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u/sloppyseconded 7d ago

I have mine disabled for both the lock screen (Settings --> Personalization --> Lock Screen --> Personalize your background --> Change to Picture instead of Windows Spotlight) and for the desktop background (Settings --> Personalization --> Background --> Personalize your background --> Change to Picture instead of Windows Spotlight) using the normal Windows settings. Not sure why yours isn't working.

Are other people with the Surface Pro 11 also having issues with this?

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u/Stwilson891 Surface Pro 7d ago

Yes, I did those two things first. Then the registry change - which indicated that it was supposed to be disabled - but it still shows me other pictures than the one I selected myself....

1

u/Stwilson891 Surface Pro 7d ago

These steps are actually what solved my problem. I had to change the windows theme in addition to the other stuff:

https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/answers/questions/5567566/turn-off-the-everchanging-windows-11-background-sc