Reset and Re-register Windows Spotlight in Windows 10  

Hi @Ginosergio and welcome to Tenforums!

To create your "Custom-made Spotlight", which will be changing LockScreen images from a predefined images folder, run this PowerShell script, from an elevated PowerShell console:

Code:

#Requires -RunAsAdministrator

function Get-RandomNumber {
    $RandomBytes = New-Object -TypeName "System.Byte[]" 4
    $Random = New-Object -TypeName "System.Security.Cryptography.RNGCryptoServiceProvider"
    $Random.GetBytes($RandomBytes)
    [BitConverter]::ToInt32($RandomBytes, 0)
}

$RegistryKey = "Registry::\HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\PersonalizationCSP"

$ImagesFolder = "$env:USERPROFILE\Pictures\Wallpapers"

$LockScreenImageValue = (Get-ChildItem -Path $ImagesFolder | Get-Random -SetSeed (Get-RandomNumber) -Count 1).FullName

if (!(Test-Path $RegistryKey)) {
    New-Item -Path $RegistryKey -Force | Out-Null
}

# Create/Modify Registry entries for Lock Screen
Set-ItemProperty -Path $RegistryKey -Name "LockScreenImageStatus" -Type DWord -Value 1 -Force
Set-ItemProperty -Path $RegistryKey -Name "LockScreenImagePath" -Type String -Value $LockScreenImageValue -Force
Set-ItemProperty -Path $RegistryKey -Name "LockScreenImageUrl" -Type String -Value $LockScreenImageValue -Force

#Ensure the changes to the Lock screen image take place immediately
rundll32.exe user32.dll, UpdatePerUserSystemParameters

Upon execution, the script will create a new Registry key, to take over the LockScreen image changing function of the system.
Every time it runs, it randomly selects one of the images in the specified images folder and sets it as your LockScreen image.
It can be run on demand, but it works better if you schedule it to run, let's say daily and it will change the LockScreen image, the way Windows Spotlight is supposed to (whenever it works!!!)

The file you save the script in, must have an extension .ps1

It can be put in any convenient to you folder, as long as you reference it with its complete path (e.g. D:\Pictures\MyWallpapers\Set-LockScreen.ps1)

In the script change the $ImagesFolder = "$env:USERPROFILE\Pictures\Wallpapers" to the folder your images will be. If you keep your images in "D:\Pictures\MyWallpapers", make it $ImagesFolder = "D:\Pictures\MyWallpapers".
Just FYI, the $env:USERPROFILE prefix I have put in the script, is a PowerShell variable, for the folder C:\Users\<UserName>, but since the <UserName> is different for every user, PowerShell provides this so you can make the script generic i.e. to be used by anyone without knowing the UserName.

For convenience you can download and use the following script, in which I took the liberty (according to your post) to make the images folder D:\Pictures\MyWallpapers.
If that's the case you can use it as is: Set-LockScreen.ps1

Now let’s go to the task, you need to create for our "Custom-made SpotLight":

The task you create needs to open PowerShell and run the script. To do that just follow the screenshots below:

In Task Scheduler select “Create Task”.


In General tab give a name to your task and make sure you check “Run with highest privileges”.


Then in the Triggers tab, click on Edit


and schedule when the task will be running.


In the Actions tab create a new Action to “Start a program” and in the “Program/script” field type (or Copy/Paste from here) the following:
C:\Windows\System32\WindowsPowerShell\v1.0\powershell.exe

In the “Add arguments (optional)” field type (or Copy/Paste from here) the following:
-WindowStyle Hidden -NonInteractive -ExecutionPolicy Bypass -File "D:\Pictures\MyWallpapers\Set-LockScreen.ps1"
provided that you put the script in the D:\Pictures\MyWallpapers folder, otherwise change it to the folder your Set-LockScreen.ps1 file resides.


In the Conditions tab, if you wish you can check “Wake the computer to run this task”.


In the Settings tab, make sure you check “Allow task to be run on demand” (for testing purposes) and the other options either leave them as shown in the picture or change according to your needs.


Click OK and the task is done.

Finally, there is nothing you do in Settings, to set this “Custom-made SpotLight”.

Once you run the script, if you go to Settings > Personalization > Lock screen, you will see that you can’t change anything, since the Registry key the script adds, disables any selection.
That is the last comment I made in my previous post. That if you want to bring back everything to what it was, before the script run, you have to go in the Registry and delete the key HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\PersonalizationCSP
Then everything will be again selectable as it was before, but you will not have your "Custom-made Spotlight"!

I hope to have helped.
Good luck with it and if you find any problem, do not hesitate to post back.

Cheers. Dimitri

Ginosergio said:

Thank you Dimitri, now all is clear
you are a fantastic teacher!

Cheers
Ginosergio

- - - Updated - - -

Here is my little contribution, for all those who want to adopt the "Personal Spotlight".
My 4K Wallpapers collection:

4K Wallpapers.zip - Google Drive

Enjoy it ...

Most welcome mate!

Ginosergio said:

- - - Updated - - -
@ddelo

don't mind.... I've found my task clicking on the second line on the left (Library....)
The script works, and it changes the lock screen, but, last question:

is it normal that after launching it for the test, the task does not end, and remains in execution ?



thank you !

When you run a task manually (i.e you click Run ), in Task Scheduler, the task shows that is still running, until you press "Refresh". Task Scheduler does not refresh automatically. So, once you Run it, after 2-3 seconds press "Refresh" and you'll see that it shows "Completed".

@Ginosergio
Don't apologize. Being a beginner is half the way to expertise, because you're willing to learn!
So, when you're not sure about something, just ask.

Edge is not shown in the list of apps which can be selected to run in the background as indicated in the tutorial.

Steve C said:

Edge is not shown in the list of apps which can be selected to run in the background as indicated in the tutorial.

"(only if listed)"

In older versions of Windows 10 it was listed, but not now.