If your Windows lock screen is cluttered with news feeds, weather updates, or random tips you didn’t ask for, don’t worry — there are ways to tidy it up. These dynamic features, like Windows Spotlight, are meant to be helpful but can end up feeling more distracting than anything else. Sometimes they even update unexpectedly, and it’s kind of annoying. So, if you want a cleaner, more minimal lock screen experience, here’s what usually helps.
How to Disable News and Tips on Lock Screen in Windows
Method 1: Turn Off Lock Screen Notifications and Spotlight
If the news feeds and tips keep showing up, this is a solid first step. It’s basically about stopping Windows from pulling in those extra bits of info. It’s useful when the lock screen feels overloaded with stuff you don’t care about, especially if you’re just trying to keep it simple or preserve battery life.
- Right-click on the desktop and select Personalize.
- In the Lock Screen menu, change the Lock Screen Status dropdown to None. That’ll usually hide some of the more active features.
- If the news, tips, or weather still persist, proceed with disabling Windows Spotlight.
Method 2: Switch from Spotlight to a Static Picture
For some reason, Spotlight is persistent, and toggling it off can be a bit tricky sometimes. It’s kind of weird, but switching to a static picture instead of the Spotlight background might do the trick. This method works well if Spotlight keeps updating even after trying to turn it off, or if you just want no surprises on your lock screen.
- Press Win + I to open Settings, then go to Personalization > Lock Screen.
- Under Personalize your lock screen, pick Picture instead of Windows Spotlight. Choose a static image you like, and that should cut out the dynamic updates.
Method 3: Disable Tips, Fun Facts, and Other Suggestions
If you’re tired of getting trivia or tips popping up, this is where to tackle that. In some setups, those tips are controlled by an option in the settings, and turning it off stops the barrage of random info.
- Go back to Personalization > Lock Screen (or right-click desktop > Personalize).
- Toggle off Get fun facts, tips, and more.
- On some machines, this toggle makes the biggest difference, especially if you’re seeing a lot of random notifications or tips on the lock screen.
Method 4: Completely Remove the Lock Screen (Advanced, but more permanent)
Of course, if just toggling things off isn’t enough and you want a total clean slate, there’s an advanced route. Using the Group Policy Editor to disable the lock screen altogether is a surefire way, but beware—this is more intrusive and will affect other areas of Windows.
- Type gpedit.msc in the Start menu and hit Enter to open the Group Policy Editor.
- Navigate to Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Control Panel > Personalization.
- Find and double-click Do not display the lock screen. Then select Enabled and hit Apply.
Just a heads up — on some Windows setups, this can be a bit finicky and might require a reboot or additional tweaks in the registry. But in theory, this disables the lock screen entirely, giving you a straightforward login screen instead of all that clutter.
And that’s about it! Whether you prefer fiddling with individual settings or going full nuclear, these options should help you get a cleaner, less distracting lock screen. Sometimes Windows makes it harder than necessary to customize these things, but a bit of digging usually does the trick.