Windows spotlight image is missing in the lock screen

Question

Windows spotlight image is missing in the lock screen

Paul Chou 1,461

hi,

Is anyone missing the Windows spotlight image in the lock screen after the latest build(s) (Dev channel)?

https://aka.ms/AAz8oi2

0 comments

Answer accepted by question author

CrazyKats 19,245 Volunteer Moderator

Just tested it and it doesn't seem to

be working. Upvoting your FB

Paul Chou 1,461 Reputation points

2026-01-15T01:23:55.6266667+00:00

thank you. So, it is a bug after all.
Paul Chou 1,461 Reputation points

2026-01-16T00:01:00.6933333+00:00

My feedback status has changed. Microsoft is looking into it.
Anonimous 30 Reputation points

2026-01-17T19:28:46.4566667+00:00

It's very interesting that Microsoft is paying attention to the bug in the Dev channel. It's just a shame that it's very difficult to get Microsoft's attention for the Windows Spotlight Lock Screen bug that affects users of the production builds in the scenario where a local account is used in combination with OneDrive. This has been reported here several times (https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/answers/questions/5661008/windows-spotlight-lock-screen and https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/answers/questions/5605161/windows-spotlight?page=2#answers) as well as in the Feedback Hub. Any attention to the problem is more than welcome!

1 additional answer

Your answer

Paul Chou 1,461 Reputation points

2026-01-15T01:23:55.6266667+00:00

thank you. So, it is a bug after all.
Paul Chou 1,461 Reputation points

2026-01-16T00:01:00.6933333+00:00

My feedback status has changed. Microsoft is looking into it.
Anonimous 30 Reputation points

2026-01-17T19:28:46.4566667+00:00

It's very interesting that Microsoft is paying attention to the bug in the Dev channel. It's just a shame that it's very difficult to get Microsoft's attention for the Windows Spotlight Lock Screen bug that affects users of the production builds in the scenario where a local account is used in combination with OneDrive. This has been reported here several times (https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/answers/questions/5661008/windows-spotlight-lock-screen and https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/answers/questions/5605161/windows-spotlight?page=2#answers) as well as in the Feedback Hub. Any attention to the problem is more than welcome!

Answer 1

If you are missing the Windows spotlight image on the lock screen after the latest build, it could be due to several reasons. Here are some steps you can take to troubleshoot the issue:

Check Windows Spotlight Settings: Go to Settings > Personalization > Lock screen and ensure that Windows Spotlight is selected as the background option.
Clear Spotlight Cache: Sometimes, clearing the Spotlight cache can resolve issues. You can do this by navigating to the C:\Users\YourUsername\AppData\Local\Packages\Microsoft.Windows.Spotlight_* folder and deleting the contents.
Disable and Re-enable Windows Spotlight: Turn off Windows Spotlight, restart your device, and then turn it back on to see if that resolves the issue.
Check for Updates: Ensure that your Windows is up to date, as updates can sometimes fix bugs related to features like Windows Spotlight.
Group Policy Settings: If you are on a managed device (like in a corporate environment), check if there are any group policies that might be affecting the Windows Spotlight feature.

If the problem persists, you may want to report it through the Windows Insider feedback hub, as it could be a bug related to the latest build.

References: