This tutorial will show you how to add or remove the Learn about this picture desktop icon when using Windows Spotlight as your desktop background for your account in Windows 11 and Windows 10.
When you choose to have Windows Spotlight as your desktop background or theme, it will add a Learn about this picture icon on your desktop by default. The Learn about this picture icon can be dragged to any location you want on your desktop.
You can hover over the Learn about this picture desktop icon to see information about the current Windows Spotlight picture.
You can right click on the Learn about this picture desktop icon to select other pictures, minimize or maximize menu/bar, vote to like or dislike current picture, and learn more about the current picture.
If you choose a picture, solid color, or slideshow instead of Windows Spotlight as your desktop background, it will remove the Learn about this picture icon on your desktop.
If you like, you can remove the Learn about this picture desktop icon while still using Windows Spotlight as your desktop background.
Starting with Windows 11 build 22635.3785 (Beta), Microsoft is trying out some new adjustments to the Windows Spotlight experience on the desktop to make it easier for Spotlight users to engage with this feature to change images, like or not like an image etc. There will be several changes that Insiders will notice.
- Treatment #1 – if a user right-clicks on the Windows Spotlight icon it will launch the Spotlight experience in full screen mode, while double-clicking will open the Bing landing page for the image on desktop.
- Treatment #2 – if a user right-clicks on the Windows Spotlight icon it will launch the Spotlight experience, while double-clicking will open Windows Spotlight experience in full screen mode. A single click on the Spotlight icon will open the Bing landing page for the image on desktop.
Starting with Windows 11 build 26120.6690 (Dev 25H2) and build 26120.6690 (Beta 24H2), Microsoft is trying out a change that adds “Learn more about this background” and “Next desktop background” to the context menu when you right click on your desktop if you have Windows Spotlight chosen as your desktop background.
You can manually create a standalone Learn about this picture shortcut by creating a new folder, and naming the new folder:
Learn about this picture.{2cc5ca98-6485-489a-920e-b3e88a6ccce3}
EXAMPLE: Windows Spotlight "Learn about this picture" desktop icon
Here's How:
1 Do step 2 (add) or step 3 (remove) below for what you would like to do.
2 Add "Learn about this picture" Desktop icon
This is the default setting.
The "Learn more about this picture" desktop icon will only show when using Windows Spotlight as your desktop background.
A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the file below, and go to step 4 below.
Add_Learn_about_this_picture_desktop_icon.reg
Download
(Contents of REG file for reference)
Code:
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Desktop\NameSpace\{2cc5ca98-6485-489a-920e-b3e88a6ccce3}]
@="Windows Spotlight"
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\HideDesktopIcons\NewStartPanel]
"{2cc5ca98-6485-489a-920e-b3e88a6ccce3}"=dword:000000003 Remove "Learn about this picture" Desktop icon
A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the file below, and go to step 4 below.
Remove_Learn_about_this_picture_desktop_icon.reg
Download
(Contents of REG file for reference)
Code:
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00
[-HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Desktop\NameSpace\{2cc5ca98-6485-489a-920e-b3e88a6ccce3}]
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\HideDesktopIcons\NewStartPanel]
"{2cc5ca98-6485-489a-920e-b3e88a6ccce3}"=dword:000000014 Save the .reg file to your desktop.
5 If you have Smart App Control turned on, you will need to unblock the downloaded REG file.
6 Double click/tap on the downloaded .reg file to merge it.
7 When prompted, click/tap on Run, Yes (UAC), Yes, and OK to approve the merge.
8 If needed, right click on your desktop, and click/tap on Refresh (F5) to apply.
9 You can now delete the downloaded .reg file if you like.
That's it,
Shawn Brink
Related Tutorials
- Add or Remove "Explore background" Desktop Context Menu in Windows 11
- Add or Remove "Next background" Desktop Context Menu in Windows 11
- Enable or Disable Windows Spotlight on Desktop Background in Windows 11
- Add or Remove Desktop Icons in Windows 11
- Change Desktop Background to Spotlight, Picture, Solid Color, or Slideshow in Windows 11
- Find and Save Windows Spotlight Images in Windows 11
- Switch to Next Windows Spotlight Picture in Windows 11
- Expand or Compress "Learn about this picture" Menu on Desktop in Windows 11
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