How to Disable the Lock Screen Background Image in Windows

By default, when you boot up a Windows 11 PC or lock your workstation using Windows Key + L, you are greeted by the “Windows Spotlight” feature on the lock screen. This feature downloads and displays high-resolution nature photography from Bing on a daily basis. While these images are beautiful, they can be distracting in a corporate environment, or they may conflict with your company’s strict branding guidelines. If you prefer a minimalist aesthetic, you can completely disable the lock screen background image and replace it with a clean, solid color.

How to Remove the Lock Screen Background Image

You can strip the photography off your lock screen using the standard Windows personalization settings.

1. Right-click anywhere on the empty space of your desktop wallpaper.
2. Select Personalize from the context menu to open the Settings app.
3. In the right-hand panel, click on the Lock screen section.
4. Look for the drop-down menu labeled Personalize your lock screen (it will likely be set to “Windows spotlight” or “Picture”).
5. Click the drop-down menu and change the selection to Picture (if it isn’t already).
6. A new toggle switch will appear below the image gallery labeled Show the lock screen background picture on the sign-in screen.
7. Click this toggle switch so that it turns gray (Off).

By turning this specific toggle off, Windows will stop rendering the image when you hit the login prompt. Instead, the background will instantly snap to a solid, flat color that matches your current Windows Accent color theme.

How to Change the Solid Accent Color

If you successfully disabled the background image but you dislike the solid color Windows chose (e.g., a glaring bright blue), you can change it by modifying your system-wide accent color.

1. In the Settings app, click the back arrow (or click “Personalization” in the left pane) to return to the main Personalization menu.
2. Click on the Colors section.
3. Scroll down to the Accent color setting.
4. Change the drop-down menu from “Automatic” to Manual.
5. A grid of “Windows colors” will appear. Click on a dark, neutral color (like Dark Gray or Navy Blue).

Press Windows Key + L to instantly lock your computer and view the changes. Your login screen will now be a perfectly flat, distraction-free solid color.