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Windows 11 Lock Screen Slideshow Not Working [Fix]
Windows needs to be activated for you to use this feature
7 min. read
Updated onNovember 17, 2023
updated onNovember 17, 2023
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Key notes
Due to the large number of processes that must run in the background to make it happen, the lock screen slideshow or Windows Spotlight may stop working for no apparent reason at times.
Windows 11, like Windows 10, allows you to customize the lock screen by displaying a slideshow of personal images. Although Windows Spotlight retrieves images from the Bing search engine, the Slideshow feature retrieves images from your local hard disk.
Many factors could be at play when the Windows 11 lock screen slideshow is not working, and we’ve compiled a list of all the alternative options you might want to consider.
What can I do if Windows 11 lock screen slideshow is not working?
1. Enable the lock screen slideshow manually
Images from thePicturesfolder are automatically gathered when the program starts. In other words, you may want to include some images there in order for them to be displayed in the lock screen slideshow.
2. Check your images
By default, Windows 11 includes some photographs in thePicturesfolder, allowing you to create a slideshow on the lock screen by selectingShow SlideshowonLock Screenfrom theStartmenu.
Although this is the case, if any of those photographs are accidentally destroyed, you may find yourself in this situation occasionally.
As a point of reference, this Pictures folder is the Library folder that appears when you first boot up your computer or create a new user account in Windows.
3. Re-add folders and images
At the end of the process, restart your computer to see if it has resolved your problem.
4. Don’t turn off screen after slideshow
When the slideshow is over, Windows 11 automatically turns off the screen to conserve energy. By following the abovementioned methods, you can avoid the need to conserve energy.
5. Open Power Options
When using a laptop, it is possible to enable or disable the slideshow depending on your power plan in order to conserve battery life. That being said, it can be causing the problem at hand with Windows 11.
6. Check indexing settings
Windows may fail to index a specific path or folder, or kind of file as a result of malware, viruses, and other malicious software.
Alternatively, if the photos you’ve chosen are PNG or JPG and Windows 11 isn’t indexing those file formats, you may experience problems.
7. Check lock screen blocking in Registry Editor
8. Allow lock screen slideshow in GPEDIT
If you have this option selected, you will be unable to change the lock screen slideshow on Windows 11. As a result, it is necessary to double-check the settings to ensure that they are correct.
Confirm the removal, then restart your computer to make the changes take effect. Check to see if the slideshow is now functioning properly.
Why is Windows activation important?
Activation helps verify that your copy of Windows is genuine and hasn’t been used on more devices than the Microsoft Software License Terms allow.The activation process is distinct from the installation one, which requires a product code to proceed. It also differs from post-installation registration in another way.A licensed copy of Windows and a specific computer system are linked together through the process of Windows activation.In principle, creating such a link should prevent the same copy of Windows from being installed on more than one computer, as was previously allowed with older operating system versions.So, what exactly happens if you don’t activate your Windows 11 operating system? It’s true that nothing bad happens. There will be virtually minimal disruption in system functionality. The only thing that will be unavailable in this situation is personalization, such as the slideshow one.
What does the Windows Spotlight feature do?
Using the Microsoft Bing site as an example, Windows Spotlight will display your photographs and allow you to vote on which image should be used as the lock screen background on your computer’s Windows 11 operating system.This enables Windows Spotlight to customize the lock screen’s appearance based on each user’s preferences.
The Windows Spotlight service may also learn from the apps and services you use, and over time, it can provide recommendations about which apps you should try out or which features of the Windows 11 operating system you should take advantage of.The images typically depict identifiable, well-known locations such as famous historical or natural landmarks and rarely show human beings. Location information is occasionally provided, while photo credits are typically not.
If you were paying attention to the Windows slideshow and enjoyed it, you might be interested in learninghow to set a live wallpaper in Windows 11. The live aspect of the desktop has proven to be extremely popular among users.Using the themes and skins that Microsoft Windows 11 provides, you can further tailor your desktop experience. Check out thetop ten greatest Windows 11 themes and skins to download, all of them are available for free download.
Besides, find out what to do when thelock screen background reverts to blueon your Windows 11 PC.Alternatively, if you miss how the previous user interface looked like, you canmake Windows 11 look like Windows 10 again.Let us know in the comments section below which approach worked best for you and which feature of Windows 11 you enjoy the most.
More about the topics:Lock Screen,Windows 11
Loredana Harsana
Windows Software Expert
Loredana is a passionate writer with a keen interest in PC software and technology. She started off writing about mobile phones back when Samsung Galaxy S II was on top of the world and she fell in love with tech of all sorts.
Whenever she’s not at her work desk, you’ll find her enjoying refreshing tea flavors, spilling stories on paper, and listening to the radio.
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Loredana Harsana
Windows Software Expert
Loredana is a tech enthusiast who tackles mobility, privacy, and networking in easy-to follow guides for everyone.
