How to Turn On or off Lock Screen Background Motion in Windows 11

What is the Lock Screen?

Pressing Win+L or starting your computer brings up the lock screen first. Dismissing this view reveals the sign-in area.

What is Lock Screen Background Motion?

Windows 11 lock screen motion makes your background picture shift slightly whenever you move your device. An accelerometer inside your computer tracks this physical movement to create a subtle floating effect. You can turn off this Windows 11 lock screen motion if you prefer your background to stay completely still while your computer is locked.

Windows Spotlight displays dynamic backgrounds on the lock screen by default, but disabling background motion forces a static image.

Option 1Turn On or Off Lock Screen Motion for Your Account Using Settings

1. Press Win+I to open Settings ⚙️.
2. Click on Personalization from the left menu.
3. Select Lock screen on the right.
4. Find the option called Make the lock screen image react when I move my PC and toggle it On or Off depending on what you want.
5. Close Settings when done.

You can turn Windows 11 lock screen motion on or off for your own user account through the main Settings app ⚙️. Open Settings, go to Personalization, and select Lock screen to find the toggle. This changes the setting only for you without affecting other people who share your computer.

Option 2Turn On or Off Lock Screen Motion for All Users Using Group Policy Editor

Administrators can turn Windows 11 lock screen motion on or off for every user account at once using the Local Group Policy Editor. You open this tool by running gpedit.msc and navigating to the Personalization folder under Administrative Templates. This method locks the setting in place so standard users cannot change it themselves.

1. Press Win + R, type gpedit.msc, and press Enter to open the Local Group Policy Editor.
2. In the left panel, go to: Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Control Panel > Personalization
3. In the right panel, double-click Prevent lock screen background motion.
4. To enable motion for all users: select Not Configured or Disabled, then click OK.
5. To disable motion for all users: select Enabled, then click OK.
6. Close the Local Group Policy Editor.

Option 3Turn On or Off Lock Screen Motion for All Users Using the Registry Editor

Advanced users can turn Windows 11 lock screen motion on or off for every user account on the computer by editing the Windows Registry. You run specific command-line tweaks in Command Prompt or PowerShell to add or delete the required registry keys. Back up your registry before making changes because incorrect edits can cause system problems.

To enable motion for all users:

reg delete "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Personalization" /v AnimateLockScreenBackground /f

To disable motion for all users:

reg add "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Personalization" /v AnimateLockScreenBackground /t REG_DWORD /d 1 /f

Saving text as a .reg file and double-clicking it merges the configuration into the registry. Alternatively, manual modification inside the Registry Editor achieves the same outcome.

Summary

• The lock screen shows when you start or lock your PC.
• If your device has an accelerometer, the lock screen background can move slightly as you move your device.
• You can turn off this moving background if you prefer a still image.
• Use the Settings app to change this for just your user account.
• Administrators can use the Group Policy Editor to control this for all users.
• Advanced users can edit the Windows Registry to enable or disable this feature.
• Some options require administrator rights.
• Choose the method that works best for you to customize how your lock screen looks in Windows 11!