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How to Hide Windows Spotlight Icon in Windows 11

Richard

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This post provides instructions for hiding or unhiding the “Learn more about this picture” icon when using the Windows Spotlight wallpaper in Windows 11. The process involves navigating to and modifying a specific registry key, enabling the removal of the icon. To restore the icon, simply remove the created data value.

This post shows students and new users steps to hide or unhide the Windows Spotlight desktop wallpaper icon to “Learn more about this picture” in Windows 11.

When you change your desktop background to Windows Spotlight, it will be a “Learn more about this picture” icon by default. This icon can be dragged and moved around on the desktop.

When you hover your mouse over the icon, it shows more info about the current picture on the desktop.

When you right-click the icon, you can open it in Bing, switch to the next, or rate the picture.

This is how to hide the icon if you use Windows Spotlight as your background wallpaper in Windows 11.

How to hide “Learn more about this picture” on Windows Spotlight wallpaper in Windows 11

As mentioned above, when you change your desktop background to Windows Spotlight, it will also be a “Learn more about this picture” icon on your desktop by default.

Below is how to hide or unhide the icon and message on your desktop in Windows 11.

First, open Windows Registry.

Then, navigate to the registry path (key) as shown below.

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\HideDesktopIcons\NewStartPanel

You may be able to copy the path above and paste it into the registry browser bar.

There, right-click on the NewStartPanel key highlighted in the folder tree, select New > DWORD (32-bit) Value option, and name the value {2cc5ca98-6485-489a-920e-b3e88a6ccce3}.

Next, double-click on the {2cc5ca98-6485-489a-920e-b3e88a6ccce3} key value to open it, then change the value data to 1, then click OK.

Once you’re done, right-click anywhere on your desktop and select Refresh. After a refresh, the icon and the message will disappear from your desktop.

If you want to unhide the icon, remove or delete the data value created above.

That should do it!

Conclusion:

  • You can easily hide or unhide the “Learn more about this picture” icon on your Windows 11 desktop when using Windows Spotlight as your background wallpaper.
  • By accessing the Windows Registry and creating a new DWORD (32-bit) Value, you can control the visibility of the icon and its accompanying message.
  • To hide the icon, set the value data to 1 and perform a desktop refresh, and to unhide the icon, simply remove the created data value.
  • These steps allow you to customize your Windows 11 desktop appearance based on your preferences and needs.
  • Take caution when modifying the registry and ensure that you follow the steps accurately to prevent any unintended changes to your system.
Richard Avatar
Richard
Richard, the owner and lead writer at Geek Rewind, is a tech enthusiast passionate about simplifying complex IT topics. His years of hands-on experience in system administration and enterprise IT operations have honed his ability to provide practical insights and solutions. Richard aims to make technology more accessible and actionable. He’s deeply committed to the Geek Rewind community, always ready to answer questions and engage in discussions. He enjoys watching football, cheering for the Minnesota Vikings, and spending time with his family when he’s not writing or managing Geek Rewind.

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