Windows 11 lockscreen spotlight feature not working even after trying every possible solution online.

Sahebdeep Singh 25 Reputation points
2026-05-18T15:15:03.1133333+00:00

The spotlight feature of my windows 11 lockscreen is not working, it automatically switches to picture mode when i apply the spotlight preference and exit settings app. When i click spotlight in lockscreen settings, the losckscreen preview becomes grey with spotlight picture trying to load but it never loads and spotlight doesn't get applied.

I tried many fixes/solutions but nothing worked for me. I tried following fixes:-

  1. Resetting spotlight (clearing assets and settings folder in microsoft windows content delivery manager folder)
  2. Re-registering spotlight feature via power shell and restart.
  3. Turning metered connection toggle on and then off.
  4. Running dism clean image command in cmd as admin and then sfc scannow command to repair corrupted files if any.
  5. Choosing picture and then spotlight 2-3 times in hope of getting spotlight loscscreen applied.
  6. Updating my pc and keeping it up to date.

But none of the above method worked for me. Please resolve this bug as soon as possible or remove this feature if you can't provide proper and working one.

Windows for home | Windows 11 | Desktop, Start, and personalization | Other
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  1. C. Denninger 5 Reputation points
    2026-09-04T08:24:27.52+00:00

    Since the July/August 2026 Windows 11 (Dutch) system update Spotlight (in Windows lock-screen) works again.
    Note: I did not test the Windows background and I expect Microsoft not to fix this bug in Windows 10.

    So it wasn't the use of a local account, nor corruption of an account nor several other things and steps in these posts. In short: It wasn't us. It was indeed a bug in Microsoft's programming and they finally fixed it!

    Thanks for non-acknowledging this @Microsoft and all the help and suggestions of everyone else here!

    Now this bug is finally fixed these feedbacks can be finally closed: https://aka.ms/AA8iflt | https://aka.ms/AAt4ceb | https://aka.ms/AAaslmf | https://aka.ms/AAz1ary | https://aka.ms/AAzt31k | https://aka.ms/AAztamk | https://aka.ms/AAzt31p | https://aka.ms/AAzt31t | https://aka.ms/AAztic7 | https://aka.ms/AAztamr | https://aka.ms/AAzticc

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