Windows Spotlight Lock screen photo not coming up on Sign-in screen

dark77 · 20 Sep 2017

Hello, Windows 10 Pro, fully fully updated. The following happens on two completely different machines (desktop and laptop of different manufacturers).

Up until some time ago (I believe, before Creator's Update, but not 100% certain about that), I used to have Windows Spotlight activated, so that almost every day or every other day, on lock screen, I get one of those lovely photos from Microsoft world archive. However, I not only used to get them on the Lock Screen, they were appearing on the Sign-In screen as well on the first boot-up and Sign-in, as I thought they should, as Windows Spotlight works that way (right?). And I really liked it.

But as of one update, that stopped happenning. Windows Spotlight still works fine on Lock Screen, new photos just fine, but on the sign-in screen, I keep getting the Windows 10 default backgroud photo, the beach/cave one.

Needless to say, I changed nothing in the Sign-In or Lock screen settings at all.

Any ideas on how to fix this? I've already tried the "Brinx fix". Also, needless to say, I've tried resetting the Windows Spotlight back to Photo, and reboot and back countless times.

Cheers

Bastet · 20 Sep 2017

Same here & has been happening since a CU in June, I've put it down to MS possibly breaking Spotlight with that CU or they've removed the feature.

Bree · 20 Sep 2017

I can't say when exactly it changed, but I can say what the behaviour now seems to be for me (Creators Update, 1703, 15063.608).

If you choose Spotlight for the lock screen and the option to show the lock screen background on the sign in screen it will still work as described - but ONLY when you lock the screen, say with WinKey+L.

However, it doesn't set the sign in screen seen at first boot. that remains as whatever was last set for 'Picture' as the lock screen background. If you've never set a Picture, this will be the default 'man cave'. My workaround is to save one of my favourite spotlight pictures and set that as the one used in the lock screen's Picture setting, then set the lock screen back to using Spotlight (at least I now get to see a picture I like on first boot).

dalchina · 20 Sep 2017

Windows Spotlight Lock screen photo not coming up on Sign-in screen-1.jpg

I not only used to get them on the Lock Screen, they were appearing on the Sign-In screen as well on the first boot-up and Sign-in, as I thought they should, as Windows Spotlight works that way (right?).

Hi, note the setting (marked green) - it's an option.

I found I was getting one of my own pictures on log off, on; I toggled the settings marked in red to have the Spotlight pictures back again.

Note that the screen image you see from a restart may differ from your Spotlight image- it is constructed in a different way.

dark77 · 20 Sep 2017

Thanks, but I tried that god knows how many times already and went insane it didn't work. For such a silly thing as well. In the meantime, I was a bit jammy on MS discussion forum.

Found the answer https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/...0-e66d13db0c7c

I have found a definitive solution for this. And it is the boot/login screen.
Open regedit and go to
HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Authentication\LogonUI\Creative\S-1-5-21-826134325-3229497062-2753576501-1001
this will be your first user, if you got more change on all of them:
"LockScreenOptions"=dword:00000004
You propably got there 0 change to 4. Logout.
BAM Spoltight on boot screen.

Found and suggested by SebastianByczkowski.

Bastet · 20 Sep 2017

dark77 said:

Thanks, but I tried that god knows how many times already and went insane it didn't work. For such a silly thing as well. In the meantime, I was a bit jammy on MS discussion forum.

Found the answer https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/...0-e66d13db0c7c

Found and suggested by SebastianByczkowski.

It's only a temporary solution from what I've read.
Here's more from another thread:
It appears that when a user first opens an account and activates Windows Spotlight, this value gets set to 4, and Spotlight works on first boot and when signed out. But as soon as the initial image is changed to the next one, whether by selecting "Not a Fan" or just by time, the value gets changed to 0, and Spotlight no longer works on first boot or when signed out.
There's more. Not only did SebastianByczkowski identify the problem, he also found out that the Content Delivery Manager is the program that is changing the value.
https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/...c-0fbbfcafb2c0

dark77 · 21 Sep 2017

Alas, you are correct. On the first reboot this morning, the image reverted to background stock photo. Grrrr.

Man, I've seen some silly programming in my time, but this is...

Bree · 21 Sep 2017

dark77 said:

On the first reboot this morning, the image reverted to background stock photo. Grrrr...

As I said earlier, you can change that stock background to one of your own choosing. It doesn't fix the problem, but at least you get to see a photo you actually like.