Windows Spotlight Not Working: Effective Ways To Solve

The spotlight is a feature of Windows 10 which you can use to display various background images on a lock screen. Despite being useful, users face trouble while using it. This article throws light upon the causes of spotlight bugs and the preventive measures to fix these bugs. Therefore, if you are a spotlight user, read this article to resolve why Windows spotlight not working.

Why Windows Spotlight Not Working? Major Reasons

The issues are mentioned below which users face with Windows spotlight.

• You may face that Windows spotlight is stuck in one picture. It is the most common issue with the spotlight feature.  
• Windows not showing the spotlight is another problem which occurs due to incorrect settings and preferences.
• Windows spotlight may not work at all due to network connectivity issues.
• When you set a password to log into your PC, Windows spotlight my stop working.
• Windows spotlight may fail to work after upgrading Windows 10.

How To Fix Windows Spotlight Not Working?

Below we have enlisted all the possible solutions to make spotlight error-free.

Check your internet connection

Windows fetch pictures from the internet, therefore make sure that you have an adequate internet connection. You will come to know this by checking the network status. Then restart your PC to see that whether spotlight is showing you different pictures or not.

Disable spotlight

Right-click on your desktop and select ‘Personalize.’ Open ‘Lock screen’ tab and select Windows Picture or Slideshow and click OK. Now close the Window and log off your system. Again restart your system and navigate to the lock screen and enable Windows spotlight.

Reset spotlight process

Set spotlight to a Slideshow or a Picture and press Windows+R. Use the command that appears on the screen. Windows will show you a list of images which it has already applied to your PC. Run the same command again and restart your PC. Now enable spotlight and check whether it is working accordingly or not.

Run spotlight as an administrator

Set spotlight to Slideshow or Picture as you have done in the previous solution. Type Windows PowerShell in the Windows search box. Right-click on Windows PowerShell and select the ‘Run as administrator’ option. Then restart your computer to restart Windows spotlight automatically so that the problem regarding Windows spotlight not working is resolved.

Check that the necessary background apps are running

Open Settings and go to the Privacy section. Select Background Apps and turn on Microsoft Edge and Settings. After that reboot your PC to ensure that it has fixed the problem.

Reset your default apps

Use this method if the spotlight issue is occurring because of the default apps. Open Settings and go to the Apps section to select Default Apps.  Click Reset under ‘Reset to Microsoft recommended defaults’ option. Restart your Pc to check that it has changed all the default apps to their original settings.  

Turn off PIN sign-in

This method is applicable if you are using a PIN to sign in to your PC. Go to Settings and access the Accounts section. Choose Sign-in options and click Remove under the PIN section. It shows a confirmation message for removing the PIN again. Click OK to let Windows continue with the removal activity.

Create a new user account

The spotlight problem can emerge due to a corrupted account. Therefore, select Settings and go to the Accounts section. Choose ‘Family and other people’ and add another person to your PC. Now add a user account with Microsoft account by entering the desired username and password. After creating the new account restart Windows spotlight to ensure that you are no more facing any issue.

Update your PC and disable proxy settings

Go to Settings and open Updates and Security section. Check for the latest updates available for your Windows. Use automatic update to let Windows install the updates on your PC. Then under the ‘network and internet’ section disable the proxy server which you are using. You can use a VPN instead of a proxy server. Windows spotlight not working issue will be resolved in an instant.

Get Additional Help For Windows Spotlight Not Working

Try the solutions given in the article to fix Windows spotlight not working issue If you find that these solutions are not appropriate for you, then connect with Windows tech support team by dialling at Windows Support Number +1-855-334-7340. Call the experts or drop an email at our official mail address which is [email protected] and resolve your issues at the earliest.