no widgets selection for lock screen setup

Question

no widgets selection for lock screen setup

Billy L Bunting 0

no widgets selection for lock screen setup and spotlight does not change the photo

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Answer 1

Clary-N 15,095 Microsoft External Staff Moderator

Hi Billy L Bunting,

To help narrow this down, could you let me know which Windows 11 version and build you're running? You can check this by pressing Windows + R, typing winver and sharing the result.

In the meantime, please try these additional steps:

Run System File Checker and DISM:

Open Command Prompt as Administrator, then run the following commands one at a time:

DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth

After it completes, run:

sfc /scannow

These tools can repair corrupted Windows system files that may affect built-in features such as the lock screen, Widgets and Windows Spotlight.

Test with a new user account:

Create a temporary local user account by going to Settings > Accounts > Other users > Add account, then sign in to the new profile. If the Widgets options and Windows Spotlight work correctly there, it may indicate that the issue is limited to your current Windows profile rather than Windows itself.

Also, is the Widgets section completely missing from the Lock screen settings or do you see it but with no available widget choices? For Windows Spotlight, has the image never changed or did it stop updating recently?

If possible, please share a screenshot of your Lock screen settings page.

I look forward to your update.

If you have extra questions about this answer, please click "Comment".

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Clary-N 15,095 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2026-08-25T08:36:42.42+00:00

Hi Billy L Bunting,

May I know if you have got any chance to check my answer?

I am glad to help if you have any other questions.
Billy L Bunting 0 Reputation points

2026-08-25T16:20:16.89+00:00

Yes, I performed your suggestions to no avail. Do you have any other ideas?----------------### [Moderator Note: Personal Info Removed]

Hi Clary-N, Thank you for your response. My Windows 11 version is Version 25H2 (OS Build 26200.9168). Unfortunately, the additional steps you suggested did not resolve the issue. The problem began after I clicked "not interesting" on several lock screen displays. Since then, the lock screen has stopped changing and remains stuck on the same image whenever I lock the computer or reboot it. Also lost the widget selection. Best regards, [Moderator Note: Personal Info Removed]
Billy L Bunting 0 Reputation points

2026-08-25T16:20:48.89+00:00

----------------### [Moderator Note: Personal Info Removed]

Hi Clary-N, Thank you for your response. My Windows 11 version is Version 25H2 (OS Build 26200.9168). Unfortunately, the additional steps you suggested did not resolve the issue. The problem began after I clicked "not interesting" on several lock screen displays. Since then, the lock screen has stopped changing and remains stuck on the same image whenever I lock the computer or reboot it. Also lost the widget selection. Best regards, [Moderator Note: Personal Info Removed]
Billy L Bunting 0 Reputation points

2026-08-25T16:22:23.8033333+00:00

I tried all your suggestions to no avail. Any other recommendations?
Clary-N 15,095 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2026-08-26T09:07:23.74+00:00
Please note that our forum is a public platform, and we will modify your question to hide your personal information in the description. Kindly ensure that you hide any personal or organizational information the next time you post an error or other details to protect personal data.

Hi Billy L Bunting,

Thank you for the update. The fact that this started immediately after selecting "Not interesting" on several Spotlight images is helpful, especially since both the lock screen image rotation and widget options were affected around the same time.

Since the DISM, SFC, and new user profile tests did not resolve the issue, I'd suggest first switching the lock screen from Windows Spotlight to Picture or Slideshow, restarting the PC and then switching it back to Windows Spotlight.

If that does not help, you may want to consider performing an in-place upgrade repair of Windows. This reinstalls Windows while keeping your personal files, apps and settings intact, and can often resolve issues affecting built-in Windows features that are not corrected by SFC or DISM.

Before proceeding, I recommend backing up any important files as a precaution.

To perform an in-place upgrade:

Download the latest Windows 11 ISO or Installation Assistant from the Windows 11 download page.

Open the ISO and run Setup.exe (or launch the Installation Assistant).

Select Keep personal files and apps when prompted.

Complete the installation and allow Windows to restart.

After the repair is complete, check whether Windows Spotlight and the lock screen widget options have been restored.

Kindly keep me updated on how it goes.
Clary-N 15,095 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2026-08-27T08:56:18.6666667+00:00

Hi Billy L Bunting,

Have you had a chance to check my answer yet?

Please do keep me updated.
Billy L Bunting 0 Reputation points

2026-08-27T10:38:10.0833333+00:00

Clary-N,

Thanks for your response. Yes, I have checked your answer but haven't tried it, yet. Will let you know when I get a chance to try it.

Billy