Disable rotating lock screen
This DWORD value controls rotating Windows spotlight lock-screen images for the user registry hive in which Windows evaluates it.
since 0.9.8.11
Purpose
Show registry keys (1)
HKU\.DEFAULT\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\ContentDeliveryManager\RotatingLockScreenEnabled
This DWORD value controls rotating Windows spotlight lock-screen images for the user registry hive in which Windows evaluates it. A value of 0 disables that image rotation. Consequently, the lock screen no longer receives periodically changing Windows spotlight images through this setting.
The value does not disable every Windows spotlight feature. In particular, it is not documented as controlling all tips, recommendations, overlays, or organizational messages. Windows uses other settings and separate policies for those experiences.
Notes
Possible side effects
The image displayed instead of rotating Windows spotlight images depends on other lock-screen, policy, and profile settings. It might be a configured image, a default Windows image, or an image that was already cached.
Notes
RotatingLockScreenEnabled is a per-user ContentDeliveryManager value. It is not equivalent to the administrative Configure Windows spotlight on lock screen policy. That policy uses a different registry location and can additionally determine whether users may select Windows spotlight or modify their lock screen.
The literal HKEY_USERS\.DEFAULT path also does not identify the Windows default user profile hive stored under C:\Users\Default. Microsoft documents that C:\Users\Default\NTUSER.DAT must be loaded under a temporary name when it is edited directly. Unless a product explicitly redirects or processes the hive, an entry under HKEY_USERS\.DEFAULT therefore cannot be assumed to propagate automatically to newly created user profiles.
Microsoft does not publish a complete supported-scope reference for this specific non-policy value. Its effect on lock-screen image rotation is documented, but broader effects should not be inferred from it.
Microsoft documentation
Microsoft Learn: Configure Windows spotlight
Microsoft Learn: Experience Policy CSP
Microsoft Learn: Customize the default user profile by using CopyProfile
Microsoft Learn: Registry Hives