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Suddenly my Windows Spotlight stopped working. I see the same image for past 2-3 days. I searched the Internet in attempt to resolve this issue and found this quite valuable article.

However I failed at the very first step (second, after Windows Update) which says:

  1. Open Start Menu.
  2. Type back to see Background apps search result.
  3. Click it to open this Settings’ section or hit Enter to confirm.
  4. Make sure that the setting for Microsoft Edge is turned on.

Because I don't have Microsoft Edge listed among apps that can run in background:

enter image description here

Thus, I can't follow this step.

What can I do to bring it back to this list?

In addition, I have also followed all other rules. Especially the third one about clearing Windows Spotlight cache. And after computer restart I have noticed that this cache is again full of images. Which would suggest (?) that my Windows Spotlight is actually working and Bing / Microsoft Edge is actually downloading new images. Yet, I still see the same image each time I hit lock screen in my Windows 10.

Is there anything else beside:

  • enable Microsoft Edge as a background process (failed),
  • clear Windows Spotlight cache (completed),
  • reinstall Windows Spotlight feature va PowerShell (completed),

in order to get Windows Spotlight again? Or resetting the Windows is the only way here?

Software versions:

  • system: 10.0.19041 Build 19041 (Windows 10 Pro),
  • browser: 85.0.564.44 (64-bit).

Both have auto-update enabled.

trejder
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    What version of Edge are you using? What version of Windows are you running? Please edit your question instead of submitting a comment – Ramhound Sep 02 '20 at 10:43
  • @Ramhound Updated the question. Didn't know that system or browser version has anything to do with the fact that Microsoft Edge is or isn't appearing as a background app. – trejder Sep 03 '20 at 18:39
  • Based on the version of Edge you have installed. I would not expect it to be a background task. The article you linked to does not apply to Chromium Edge. – Ramhound Sep 03 '20 at 18:55

3 Answers3

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It looks like Edge running in the background is being disabled somehow but there isn't an option to enable it from the Settings > Privacy > Background aps - So manually enabling it in the registry seems to have worked for me.

I started by renaming the Roaming and Settings files to .bak located at the following location. (%USERPROFILE%/AppData\Local\Packages\Microsoft.Windows.ContentDeliveryManager_cw5n1h2txyewy\Settings)

This didn't work after a reboot, it didn't create a new file, so I could tell it wasn't working at all.

What I read was check Privacy > Background apps, then make sure the setting for Microsoft Edge is turned on. Problem is Edge wasn't listed as an app to run in the background - See step 6 in the reference link

LINK: https://www.lifewire.com/fix-windows-spotlight-not-working-windows-10-4772370

Found this other link showing how to "Disable" edge in background manually with the registry. I didn't have the (Disabled) key at all so I created one but instead I set it to (0) for "Enabled"

LINK: Edge is no longer in the background apps list

EDGE still isn't showing up in Privacy > Background Apps list, but after rebooting Spotlight started working and it created a new settings.dat file in the previously mentioned folder location.

Battlez
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  • Same as below, I can only upvote your answer and can't accept it as it did not bring solution to my problem. I have followed your guide step by step, but I still see a dully static picture instead of beautiful Windows Spotlight's backgrounds. It must be something else in my case, because I can clearly see that a new file is created in mentioned location each time I rename existing file to .bak. – trejder Jan 06 '21 at 19:26
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Well I have to say that I tried every solution that I found in dozens of different sites. Nothing worked for me. Finally I discovered something that made spotlight working again.

In Settings -> Time & Language -> Region on the right pane under Regional format I selected Recommended [English (United States)] (because my version of windows is English – United States. For you maybe it’s different) which is located at the top of the list. “Country or region” setting is irrelevant and you can choose whatever you like. Without any other action spotlight started to work.

Obviously the selected format didn’t match my preferences which is Greek, so after little research I came up with a new solution which leaves the regional format intact. In Control Panel -> Region select Administrative tab and press Copy settings button. On the new window check

  1. “Welcome screen and system accounts” and
  2. “New user accounts” so the format matches in all three areas marked with arrow.

Press OK button twice and voila: Spotlight is back in life. Just give it some time to download new image. screenshot

help-info.de
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user1257890
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  • The good question here is what do you mean by "give it _some time_". I have repeated your solution step by step, gave my PC 10+ minutes of break and ever restarted it and... still nothing. Dully single image and no Windows Spotlight. So sorry, but I can only upvote your answer. I cannot accept it as it does not solve my problem / answer my question. – trejder Jan 06 '21 at 13:10
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After trying many things, I amended the Settings -> Time & Language -> Region to United States (from United Kingdom). I then selected photo from the personalization section again - this time I loaded up one of my own photos. Then I switched the selection back to Windows Spotlight and it worked!

Destroy666
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Elisha
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