Lock screen spotlight behavior changed

brucehvn · May 5, 2024

I have a client with Windows 11 pro. I installed their computer in Nov 2023. For several months, it had the same lock screen behavior as my laptop which is that when booting up the machine, it would first show the spotlight picture, then after a few seconds you would see the text overlay about "do you like this picture", tips, etc. You would then need to click on the picture to get to the PIN entry.

Probably within the last month or so, the behavior on their computer has changed. It now comes up directly to the PIN entry screen (still with a rotating image blurred in the background). If you don't do anything, after about 10 seconds the spotlight image will come up with just the clock, but no tips and the other stuff.

While I would probably appreciate the new behavior, my client actually liked the old behavior better and I've been trying my best to get it back but I can't seem to do it. I've read several articles and I've done the whole SFC and DISM stuff as well as resetting the spotlight completely, deleting the cached files and settings and restarting the machine, but it just won't go back to the old behavior.

I would think that some Windows update might have changed it, but my laptop is always up-to-date and I've seen no change in the lock screen.

Any ideas on what it might be?

antspants · May 5, 2024

Hi, brucehvn, welcome to the ElevenForums

I assure you you’re not being ignored. It’s just that nobody to date has an answer for you.
You’ve certainly tried everything I would.

hsehestedt · May 5, 2024

brucehvn said:
I have a client with Windows 11 pro. I installed their computer in Nov 2023. For several months, it had the same lock screen behavior as my laptop which is that when booting up the machine, it would first show the spotlight picture, then after a few seconds you would see the text overlay about "do you like this picture", tips, etc. You would then need to click on the picture to get to the PIN entry.

Probably within the last month or so, the behavior on their computer has changed. It now comes up directly to the PIN entry screen (still with a rotating image blurred in the background). If you don't do anything, after about 10 seconds the spotlight image will come up with just the clock, but no tips and the other stuff.

While I would probably appreciate the new behavior, my client actually liked the old behavior better and I've been trying my best to get it back but I can't seem to do it. I've read several articles and I've done the whole SFC and DISM stuff as well as resetting the spotlight completely, deleting the cached files and settings and restarting the machine, but it just won't go back to the old behavior.

I would think that some Windows update might have changed it, but my laptop is always up-to-date and I've seen no change in the lock screen.

Any ideas on what it might be?

I need to double-check later when I get back in front of a real PC, but I have a suspicion that I know what is happening.

Take a look at this setting:

Settings > Accounts > Accounts > Sign-in options > Use my sign-in info to automatically finish setting up after an update.

When this option is turned off, you will see your normal login screen. When this option is enabled, what the system is effectively doing is logging you in at the logon screen and then immediately locking the screen.

I will have to get back in front of another machine to verify that this behavior is exactly what you are seeing, but in the meantime, give this a try and see if this is it. If you make sure that the above option is turned off, I'm hopeful that this will give your client what they are looking for.

BTW, I find this to be an invaluable aid. I have a couple computers where I have an app that I want to start automatically and previously the only way to do it was to autologin. But I like this option more because it instantly locks the machine after logging you in but that allows apps that start with login to start running automatically.

brucehvn · May 6, 2024

hsehestedt said:
Take a look at this setting:

Settings > Accounts > Accounts > Sign-in options > Use my sign-in info to automatically finish setting up after an update.

You may be on to something with this. I looked at my laptop which works as my client wants. That setting you describe is enabled. I disabled it and rebooted. Then I would get the spotlight picture still, but no tips even after waiting about 30 seconds, and I still had to click on the picture to get the PIN screen. Not quite exactly what my client sees, but it gave me an idea. I turned the setting back on again and the tips came back like before. I'm thinking it might be related to his account info though. I know sometimes Windows wants us to sign in again periodically for whatever reasons. Next time I see the client, I'll make sure he's properly signed into his MS account and see if that helps.

Thanks for the info. That's a bit of a mysterious setting and it isn't obvious what all it does, lol.