If you use Windows Spotlight on your Windows 11 desktop, you may have already noticed that when you use this system a new icon appears on your desktop that you may not want to have there. Therefore, let's see how to remove “More information about this image” in Windows 11.
This will allow you to fully enjoy the image you have chosen as your wallpaper, while leaving your desktop clearer. You will see that it is a really simple operation and that it will not take you any time.
How does Windows Spotlight work?
This is a Windows 11 feature with which you can personalize your computer's lock screen and wallpaper with relevant images, news, weather information, etc.
If you want to activate it, you first have to update the operating system through Windows Update. Then go to Settings > Personalization > Background > Customize background and choose the option of “Windows Featured Content”. A landscape photograph will then appear on your desktop, and it will change every day.
If you spend a lot of time in front of the screen, this can be an interesting option to make each day of work or study a little different. Because it will change your desktop background without you having to do anything.
When you activate this function, An icon will appear on the image with the text “More information about this image”. Clicking on it shows the options “Open” (opens the image in the browser), “Switch to the next image”, “I like this image”, “I am not a fan of this image”.
How to remove “More information about this image” in Windows 11
Although some people find this icon useful, for others it can be somewhat uncomfortable. Windows does not give us the opportunity to remove it in an “official” way, so we have to resort to a slightly elaborate alternative.
Open the registry editor
First of all, be careful when using this function, because Editing the registry incorrectly can cause serious problems in the operating system and cause data loss. In some cases, it will not be possible to solve the issue without carrying out a complete reinstallation of the operating system.
Having made this clarification, to access the registry editor, enter the search box on the taskbar and type “regedity”, then click on the registry editor.
Find the URI record
In the next step you have to enter the URI (Uniform Resource Identifier Record) or navigate to:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER \ Software \ Microsoft \ Windows \ CurrentVersion \ Explorer \ HideDesktopIcons \ NewStartPanel
follow the route
Now right click on ““NewStartPanel” and then in "New", and then click on “DWord value (32 bits)”.
In the next step rename as {2cc5ca98-6485-489a-920e-b3e88a6ccce3},click on this new name and change the value to 1. Then click on "To accept".
Close the editor and refresh the desktop. If you have done it correctly, now the “More information about this image” icon should no longer appear.
If in the future you want to reverse this operation, follow the same steps we have seen, and delete {2cc5ca98-6485-489a-920e-b3e88a6ccce3}. When you refresh the desktop everything should be back to normal.
Other alternatives to customize your Windows 11 desktop
As we have pointed out, manipulating the registry editor is not a very good idea if you do not fully understand what you are doing. If you follow the instructions we have seen, nothing should fail, but any error can cause serious failures in your operating system.
Therefore, perhaps in your case it is better to disable Windows Spotlight and look for other alternatives to personalize the desktop.
- Change wallpaper. Through the option to change wallpaper you can personalize your desktop with your own photographs or with images that you like. You can set one that remains static, or allow the system to rotate the images in your collection.
- Windows Themes. Through Windows Settings you can access a wide variety of themes, including wallpapers, colors, sounds, and even visual effects. This way you can quickly change the appearance of your computer screen and vary it whenever you feel like it.
- Custom color palette. In the “Page Layout” tab, within the “Schemes” group, click the “More” arrow in the color schemes gallery. Click on “Create a new color combination” and in the dialog box click on the colors you want to change and choose new ones (if you click on “More colors” others will appear). Give the new custom color combination a name and click “Save”. Windows accent colors will now adjust to your preferences.
- Custom icons. Another way to give your wallpaper a new look is by customizing the icons. There are many applications that have different icon packs available. Surely it will not be difficult for you to find one that suits your tastes.
- Widgets and gadgets. You can customize them to display information on your desktop that is useful to you, such as the news or weather. Although Windows 11 does not support desktop gadgets, you can find alternatives through apps developed by third parties.
- Taskbar and Start menu. By changing the size of the icons, their arrangement, hiding or showing only some, you can make both your taskbar and your Start menu no longer follow the standardized model.
We have seen how to delete “More information about this image” in Windows 11 in a simple and fast way, and also other even simpler alternatives to personalize your desktop and make it something unique. Although it may seem like a purely aesthetic issue to you, the truth is that having a desktop adjusted to your aesthetic preferences helps you be more productive when you are working, because it avoids distractions and allows you to have the icons and files right where you want. You may not be able to change your computer as frequently as you would like, but if you do a thorough cleaning of the files, and customize the image it presents a little, it will be almost as if you were brand new computer.