Spotlight Waste My Energy

Question

Spotlight Waste My Energy

Rhonda Harrell 0

So I Already know how to go into settings/personalize/then select anything other than windows spotlight to rid myself of the annoying "learn about this" picture, and I never voluntarily use Bing (because it is a terrible browser).

But even though I have windows update turned off it still updates and the "learn about this picture" returns and completely proves that I am wasting my time!

I HATE A CLUTTERED DESKTOP AND WANT IT TO DISAPPEAR FOREVER!!!!!

I ALSO DO NOT WANT TO H A V E TO GO TO THE REGISTRY.

So how can I rid myself of this Albatross?

I'm not here to Hate on Microsoft, but they have it coming.

They should STOP putting this kinda crap in their programs simply because "they" like it.

Let me, you know a consumer that actually pays for the device decide its value.

Although I am an experienced user and familiar with the registry, the forum indicates the proposed "fix" does not work as indicated.

Like so many other "features" that came with windows 10/11 this is horrible and at the very least should be easy to disable, but its not.

It's 2026, isn't it about time microsoft actually gave the users something they actually want?

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Answer 1

Hi Rhonda Harrell,

I understand why this is frustrating. If Windows Spotlight has already been turned off and the "Learn about this picture" icon continues to return, there is currently no supported setting that permanently blocks the icon from reappearing in all scenarios. In some cases, personalization sync, themes, or related wallpaper features can cause Spotlight-related settings to return after changes are applied.

One thing worth checking is whether Sync your settings is enabled:

Open Settings > Accounts > Windows backup.
Turn off Remember my preferences (or temporarily disable personalization syncing).
Restart the PC and monitor whether the Spotlight icon returns.

If the behavior continues even with Spotlight disabled, it may be a product behavior rather than a configuration issue. In that case, the best option is to submit feedback through Feedback Hub (Win + F) and include details about how the icon reappears after updates or setting changes. This helps the Windows team understand demand for a dedicated "never show again" option.

Please note that this is a user-to-user support forum. Moderators, contributors including external Microsoft employees cannot directly intervene in Microsoft product features or access back-end systems. Our role is limited to providing technical guidance on reported issues, requests, or ideas.

I realize this may not be the permanent solution you were hoping for, but I hope it helps clarify the available supported options. Let me know if you need further assistance, feel free to ask me by clicking "Add Comment" or "Add Answer" if you cannot add comment so your response will be visible. Thanks for your effort.

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