On Windows 11, by default, the Lock screen shows a different background image every time you sign in to your account using the “Windows Spotlight” feature.
Although it’s a useful feature that gives you a sense of a fresh experience every time you turn on your computer, it’s only available for the Lock screen and not the desktop. However, if you see an image you’d like to use on the desktop, there’s a way to retrieve the image and set it as your new desktop background on Windows 11.
In this guide, you will learn the steps to find and set a Windows Spotlight image as your desktop wallpaper on Windows 11.
Set Windows Spotlight image as desktop background on Windows 11
To find and set a Windows Spotlight image used on the Lock screen as your desktop wallpaper on Windows 11, use these steps:
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Open File Explorer.
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Copy and paste this path in the address bar and press Enter:
%USERPROFILE%/AppData\Local\Packages\Microsoft.Windows.ContentDeliveryManager_cw5n1h2txyewy\LocalState\Assets
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Click the Sort menu, select More, and choose the Size option.
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Select the files over 1000KB.
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Right-click the selection and choose the Copy option.
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Browse to the Pictures folder.
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Click the New menu and select the Folder option.
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Confirm a name for the folder and open it.
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Click the Paste button in the command bar (or use the Ctrl + V keyboard shortcut).
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Right-click inside the folder and select the Command Prompt (or Windows Terminal) option.
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Type the following command to convert the files to .jpg image files and press Enter:
ren *.* *.jpg
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Right-click the image in the folder and select the Set as desktop background option.
Once you complete the steps, the Windows Spotlight image will be set as the new desktop wallpaper on your Windows 11 computer. When you see an image you like on the Lock screen, make sure to download it quickly since it will eventually be overwritten by new images.
Mauro Huculak is a Windows expert and the Editor-in-Chief who started Pureinfotech in 2010 as an independent online publication. He is also been a Windows Central contributor for nearly a decade. Mauro has over 12 years of experience writing comprehensive guides and creating professional videos about Windows, software, and related technologies, including Android and Linux. Before becoming a technology writer, he was an IT administrator for seven years. In total, Mauro has over 20 years of combined experience in technology. Throughout his career, he achieved different professional certifications from Microsoft (MSCA), Cisco (CCNP), VMware (VCP), and CompTIA (A+ and Network+), and he has been recognized as a Microsoft MVP for many years. You can follow him on X (Twitter), YouTube, LinkedIn and About.me.