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

What is the Lock Screen?

The lock screen appears first when you start your PC or when you lock it (by pressing ⊞ Win+L). You need to dismiss this screen to reach the sign-in area.

What is Lock Screen Background Motion?

Windows 11 lock screen motion is a feature that makes your background picture gently move and shift when you move your device, like a subtle animation. This effect uses a special sensor called an accelerometer (a device that detects tilt and motion) to create a dynamic look. You can turn off this moving background if you prefer your lock screen image to stay perfectly still.

You can turn off lock screen background motion if you prefer a still picture. This feature, called Windows Spotlight, displays dynamic backgrounds on the lock screen by default. Turning off background motion ensures a static image for the lock screen.

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 the Windows 11 lock screen motion on or off for your account using ⚙️ the Settings app. This method lets you choose whether your lock screen background moves or stays still without affecting other users on the computer.

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

Windows 11 administrators can control the lock screen motion for every user on a computer using the Group Policy Editor. This tool is useful for setting a consistent look across multiple accounts, allowing you to decide if the background should move or remain still for everyone.

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

For advanced users, changing Windows 11 lock screen motion for all users can be done with the Registry Editor. Exercise caution with this method, as it offers fine-grained control over system settings, including turning the moving background effect on or off for everyone on the PC.

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

To apply these changes, you can save the provided text as a .reg file and double-click it to merge it into your registry. Alternatively, open the Registry Editor (a system tool), navigate to the correct location, and modify the values manually.

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!