So, Windows 10 let you peek at more info about the pictures on your Lock Screen, which was kinda neat. But now, in Windows 11, the Spotlight wallpapers have become more of a visual thing—sometimes a little too much. That little icon that shows up on your desktop, hinting at more details about the current wallpaper, can be really annoying if you’re trying to keep things clean. The thing is, normal ways of deleting icons usually won’t do much here because this one’s tied more to system settings and Spotlight features. Luckily, there are a few methods that can help you ditch it, whether you’re okay losing Spotlight entirely or just want to hide that icon.
Getting rid of it isn’t exactly straightforward—Microsoft doesn’t make it obvious. The solutions usually involve Settings tweaks, editing the Registry, or using third-party tools. Deciding which approach depends on how much you want to tinker, or if you’re okay sacrificing some Spotlight magic for a cleaner desktop. On some setups, these things may not work immediately, or you might need a quick restart; Windows can be weird like that. Anyway, here are some tried-and-true ways to get that icon off your desktop.
How to Fix the Spotlight Icon on the Desktop in Windows 11
Disable through Settings (Good if you don’t mind losing Spotlight)
This is the easiest way but comes with the consequence of turning off the Spotlight wallpapers altogether, which might be fine if you prefer a static background. Basically, you’re telling Windows to stop showing Spotlight images, so the icon disappears too.
What this does: disables the feature that fetches and displays Spotlight images and info—so no icon, no distraction.
When it works: after switching your background away from Spotlight, the icon should be gone. Sometimes, it flickers before disappearing, or you might need to restart Explorer or your PC.
Here’s how:
- Open Settings by pressing Win + I.
- Go to Personalization.
- Click Background in the sidebar.
- Find the dropdown labeled Personalize your background and choose anything other than Windows Spotlight. For example, pick a solid color or a photo from your library.
- The icon should vanish pretty quickly, but if not, try restarting your PC or restarting Explorer via Task Manager (Ctrl + Shift + Esc) and killing Windows Explorer.
Note: On some machines, this might require a reboot for changes to fully kick in. Because Windows seems to have a weird way of holding onto some settings.
Disable with the Registry (Good if you want to keep Spotlight but hide the icon)
This one’s a little more involved, but it’s worth it if you want your Spotlight wallpapers to stay but just hate seeing that icon staring back at you.
It’s pretty much about telling Windows to hide that desktop icon through a registry tweak. Because of course, Windows has to make it harder than necessary.
Here’s what to do:
- Open Registry Editor by typing regedit into the Start menu or Run (Win + R).
- Navigate to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\HideDesktopIcons. If you don’t see it, you might need to create the key, but in most cases, it’s there.
- Within HideDesktopIcons, look for the subfolder NewStartPanel. If it’s not there, right-click on HideDesktopIcons and choose New > Key, then name it NewStartPanel.
- Inside NewStartPanel, find the entry named {2cc5ca98-6485-489a-920e-b3e88a6ccce3}. If it’s missing, you can create a new String Value and name it exactly that.
- Double-click this entry and set its Value Data to 0. Click OK.
- If you want to bring the icon back later, just change the value to 1.
- Either restart your PC or restart Windows Explorer in Task Manager (Ctrl + Shift + Esc, find Windows Explorer, click Restart) to see the change.
Heads-up: messing around in the registry can break things if you’re not careful, so it’s best to back it up first if you’re worried. But, on one setup it worked beautifully after a reboot, and on another, it was a restart of File Explorer that did the trick.
Hide Using Third-Party Software (for the faint of heart or extra cautious)
If diving into the registry sounds like a nightmare, a third-party app might do the trick. There’s stuff like Explorer Patcher, which is designed to customize your Windows Explorer and desktop experience. It can hide or show icons, tweak the Start menu, all that jazz.
Just Advised: Download from a trusted source, of course. Stuff like Explorer Patcher (or similar tools) often offer options to hide desktop icons collectively, including that pesky wallpaper info icon. Whatever you choose, be sure to read the docs and understand it could affect other UI elements.
Basically, if you already use Explorer Patcher or similar, check if there’s a toggle for desktop icons or Spotlight features—you might be able to hide the icon without risking messing up your OS with manual edits.
Because of course, Windows loves to hide things where it’s harder to find and modify—kind of weird, but that’s Microsoft for you.