Windows 11 offers a delightful feature called Windows Spotlight, which showcases stunning scenery from around the world as dynamic desktop wallpapers. However, when using this feature, a black icon labeled “Learn About This Picture” appears on the desktop. While informative, this icon might disrupt the visual harmony of your desktop. This article explains how to hide or show this icon by modifying the Windows Registry.
1. Understanding Windows Spotlight.
Windows Spotlight enhances your desktop with a rotating gallery of beautiful images. Alongside the wallpapers, a small black icon provides additional information about the images, including the location and related links.Although this is helpful, some users might find the icon visually intrusive, especially if it doesn’t blend well with the background color.
2. Steps to Hide the “Learn About This Picture” Icon.
To hide this icon, follow these steps using the Registry Editor:
- Launch the Registry Editor: Type `regedit` in the Windows search bar, right-click “Registry Editor” and select “Run as administrator”.
- Remove the Relevant Registry Entry:Navigate to the following path:
`HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Desktop\NameSpace`
- Locate the key `{2cc5ca98-6485-489a-920e-b3e88a6ccce3}`, right-click it, and delete it.
- Add a Key to Hide the Icon: Go to:
`HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\HideDesktopIcons\NewStartPanel`
- Right-click in the blank area, select “New” -> “DWORD (32-bit) Value”.
- Name the new value: {2cc5ca98-6485-489a-920e-b3e88a6ccce3}.
- Double-click the new value, set it to `1`, and click “OK”.
- Once completed, return to your desktop to see that the “Learn About This Picture” icon has disappeared.
3. Steps to Show the “Learn About This Picture” Icon Again.
To bring back the icon, reverse the changes with these steps:
- Restore the Registry Entry: Navigate to:
`HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Desktop\NameSpace`
- Right-click on “NameSpace” select “New” -> “Key” and name it: `{2cc5ca98-6485-489a-920e-b3e88a6ccce3}`.
- Double-click the “Default” value and set it to `Windows Spotlight`.
- Modify the Key to Show the Icon. Go to:
`HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\HideDesktopIcons\NewStartPanel`
- Locate `{2cc5ca98-6485-489a-920e-b3e88a6ccce3}`, double-click it, and set the value to `0`.
- The “Learn About This Picture” icon will reappear on the desktop.
4. Important Notes.
- Always back up your registry or system before making changes to avoid unintended issues.
- The icon appears only when “Windows Spotlight” is selected under Personalization -> Background. It will not display with other background options.
5. Conclusion.
By following these steps, you can easily toggle the visibility of the “Learn About This Picture” icon on your Windows 11 desktop. This allows you to maintain a cleaner, more visually appealing workspace while enjoying dynamic wallpapers. Stay tuned for more tips to personalize and optimize your Windows experience!
6. Demo Video.
You can watch the following demo video by select the subtitle to your preferred subtitle language.
