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What to Know About Saving Windows Spotlight Lock-Screen Images

Copy candidate files from the Windows Spotlight lock-screen cache, add .jpg to copies, and check which ones open as images. The method is a community workaround, not an official export feature.
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You can save a Windows Spotlight lock-screen image by copying candidate files from Windows’ local Spotlight cache, then adding a .jpg extension to a copy. This is a community-documented workaround, not an official Microsoft export feature, and the cache may contain files that are not the image currently on your screen.

Turn on Spotlight for the lock screen

Microsoft documents the lock-screen option in Settings > Personalization > Lock screen in Windows 11 and Windows 10. Choose Windows spotlight as the lock-screen background. Spotlight rotates images from Microsoft and can also show tips, tricks, and notifications.

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Find and save cached lock-screen images

  1. Open File Explorer.
  2. Paste %LocalAppData%PackagesMicrosoft.Windows.ContentDeliveryManager_cw5n1h2txyewyLocalStateAssets into the address bar and press Enter. This is the cache location described in a Microsoft Q&A community answer dated July 18, 2025: How can I find the location of a Windows Spotlight lock screen image.
  3. Create a separate folder for saved images, then copy candidate files from the Assets folder into it. Leave the originals in the cache.
  4. In your new folder, add .jpg to a copied file’s name, then open it. If it does not display as an image, try another candidate.

The files in this cache have no filename extension. The community answer describes copying them and adding .jpg, but does not establish that every cached file is an image, identify which file is currently displayed, or guarantee a complete archive.

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Lock-screen Spotlight and desktop Spotlight are separate

The cache path above is documented as a way to find lock-screen Spotlight images. Microsoft lists desktop Spotlight separately among the choices under Settings > Personalization > Background. The available guidance does not verify that the lock-screen Assets folder also holds desktop Spotlight images or establish a consistent cache path for them.

If the folder is empty or the image is missing

The cache location and extension advice come from community guidance and may vary by Windows version or system state. If the folder is missing, empty, or does not contain the image you want, Microsoft’s support documentation explains how to set Spotlight but does not provide a fallback download or export method. The available method also does not provide a reliable way to filter unrelated files or pinpoint the current lock-screen picture.

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Windows 10 support status

Microsoft states that support for Windows 10 ended on October 14, 2025. This does not change where the documented lock-screen personalization setting is found, but it is important context if you are still using Windows 10.

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