Tweaks · Appearance

Appearance tweaks

Q: How do I remove “Learn about this picture” from the desktop?

Choose Hide 'Learn about this picture' shortcut under Windows spotlight on the desktop in the wizard, or use -HideDesktopSpotlightIcon . The spotlight wallpaper keeps rotating. To stop spotlight altogether, use -DisableDesktopSpotlight .

Six tweaks for how Windows looks: dark mode, transparency, animations, and Windows spotlight, the rotating wallpaper that puts a Learn about this picture icon on your desktop. None is in Default mode. They are all easy to change back in Settings too.

Checked against Win11Debloat 2026.08.24Updated October 30, 20262 min read

On this page 3 sections

Worth knowing
Every tweak, in detail
Questions

Tweak	Policy	Needs
Enable Windows spotlight desktop background and shortcut`-EnableDesktopSpotlight`Option of “Windows spotlight on the desktop”	policy	Any
Disable Windows spotlight desktop background`-DisableDesktopSpotlight`Option of “Windows spotlight on the desktop”	policy	Any
Hide the 'Learn about this picture' desktop shortcut`-HideDesktopSpotlightIcon`Option of “Windows spotlight on the desktop”	policy	Any
Enable dark theme for system and apps`-EnableDarkMode`		Any
Disable transparency effects`-DisableTransparency`		Any
Disable animations and visual effects`-DisableAnimations`		Any

Worth knowing

Windows spotlight is a “choose one” setting with three options: keep spotlight with its desktop icon (Windows' default), keep the wallpaper but hide the Learn about this picture icon, or turn spotlight off. All three use policies.
Dark mode (-EnableDarkMode) switches both apps and Windows itself to dark. It is the same as choosing Dark in Settings → Personalization → Colors.
Transparency (-DisableTransparency) and animations (-DisableAnimations) make the interface plainer and can feel snappier on older hardware. Animations need a restart to change fully.

Every tweak, in detail

Each card shows the switch, the exact registry values from the release's .reg file, and the undo file that reverses it.

Enable dark theme for system and apps

Sysprep

This will set the app and system theme to dark mode.

Switch: -EnableDarkMode
Shown while running: Enabling dark mode for system and apps
Undo option: Disable dark theme for system and apps

Tested alone on Windows 11 25H2 (build 26200.9711): changed 2 registry values.

Importing the undo file put both back exactly as before.

What changed

`AppsUseLightTheme`HKCU\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Themes\Personalize	`1`→`0`
`SystemUsesLightTheme`HKCU\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Themes\Personalize	`1`→`0`

Registry changes 2 values · HKCU

Regfiles/Enable_Dark_Mode.regsource

Key	Value	Data
HKCUSOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Themes\Personalize	`AppsUseLightTheme`	DWORD`0` 0x00000000
	`SystemUsesLightTheme`	DWORD`0` 0x00000000

Undo file: Regfiles/Undo/Enable_Light_Mode.reg (“Disable dark theme for system and apps”)

Regfiles/Undo/Enable_Light_Mode.regsource

Key	Value	Data
HKCUSOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Themes\Personalize	`AppsUseLightTheme`	DWORD`1` 0x00000001
	`SystemUsesLightTheme`	DWORD`1` 0x00000001

Disable transparency effects

Sysprep

This will disable transparency effects on Windows and interfaces. Which can help improve performance on older hardware.

Switch: -DisableTransparency
Shown while running: Disabling transparency effects
Undo option: Enable transparency effects

Tested alone on Windows 11 25H2 (build 26200.9711): changed 1 registry value.

Importing the undo file put it back exactly as before.

What changed

EnableTransparencyHKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Themes\Personalize 1→0

Registry changes 1 value · HKCU

Regfiles/Disable_Transparency.regsource

Key	Value	Data
HKCUSoftware\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Themes\Personalize	`EnableTransparency`	DWORD`0` 0x00000000

Undo file: Regfiles/Undo/Enable_Transparency.reg (“Enable transparency effects”)

Regfiles/Undo/Enable_Transparency.regsource

Key	Value	Data
HKCUSoftware\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Themes\Personalize	`EnableTransparency`	DWORD`1` 0x00000001

Disable animations and visual effects

Sysprep

This will disable animations and some visual effects in Windows, which can make the interface feel snappier, especially on older hardware.

Switch: -DisableAnimations
Shown while running: Disabling animations and visual effects
Undo option: Enable animations and visual effects

Tested alone on Windows 11 25H2 (build 26200.9711): changed 1 registry value.

Importing the undo file put it back exactly as before.

What changed

UserPreferencesMaskHKCU\Control Panel\Desktop 9e1e078012000000→9012078010000000

Registry changes 1 value · HKCU

Regfiles/Disable_Animations.regsource

Key	Value	Data
HKCUControl Panel\Desktop	`UserPreferencesMask`	BINARY`90,12,07,80,10,00,00,00`

Undo file: Regfiles/Undo/Enable_Animations.reg (“Enable animations and visual effects”)

Regfiles/Undo/Enable_Animations.regsource

Key	Value	Data
HKCUControl Panel\Desktop	`UserPreferencesMask`	BINARY`9e,1e,07,80,12,00,00,00`

Choose one

Windows spotlight on the desktop

This setting controls the Windows spotlight desktop background option. Keep the rotating wallpaper with or without the 'Learn about this picture' shortcut, or disable Windows spotlight entirely.

Show 'Learn about this picture' shortcut (Default)

Enable Windows spotlight desktop background and shortcut

policySysprep

Restores the Windows spotlight desktop background and the 'Learn about this picture' shortcut.

Switch: -EnableDesktopSpotlight
Shown while running: Restoring the Windows spotlight desktop background and shortcut

Tested alone on Windows 11 25H2 (build 26200.9711): changed 2 registry values.

What changed

`DisableSpotlightCollectionOnDesktop`HKCU\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\CloudContent	not set→not set
`{2cc5ca98-6485-489a-920e-b3e88a6ccce3}`HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\HideDesktopIcons\NewStartPanel	not set→not set

Registry changes 2 values · HKCU

Regfiles/Enable_Desktop_Spotlight.regsource

Key	Value	Data
HKCUSoftware\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\CloudContentpolicy	`DisableSpotlightCollectionOnDesktop`	—deleted
HKCUSoftware\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\HideDesktopIcons\NewStartPanel	`{2cc5ca98-6485-489a-920e-b3e88a6ccce3}`	—deleted

Hide 'Learn about this picture' shortcut

Hide the 'Learn about this picture' desktop shortcut

policySysprep

Hides the 'Learn about this picture' desktop shortcut while keeping Windows spotlight wallpaper rotation enabled. It does not disable Windows spotlight.

Switch: -HideDesktopSpotlightIcon
Shown while running: Hiding the Windows spotlight 'Learn about this picture' desktop shortcut
Undo option: Show the 'Learn about this picture' desktop shortcut

Tested alone on Windows 11 25H2 (build 26200.9711): changed 1 registry value.

Importing the undo file put it back exactly as before.

What changed

{2cc5ca98-6485-489a-920e-b3e88a6ccce3}HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\HideDesktopIcons\NewStartPanel not set→1

Registry changes 2 values · HKCU

Regfiles/Hide_Desktop_Spotlight_Icon.regsource

Key	Value	Data
HKCUSoftware\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\CloudContentpolicy	`DisableSpotlightCollectionOnDesktop`	—deleted
HKCUSoftware\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\HideDesktopIcons\NewStartPanel	`{2cc5ca98-6485-489a-920e-b3e88a6ccce3}`	DWORD`1` 0x00000001

Undo file: Regfiles/Undo/Show_Desktop_Spotlight_Icon.reg (“Show the 'Learn about this picture' desktop shortcut”)

Regfiles/Undo/Show_Desktop_Spotlight_Icon.regsource

Key	Value	Data
HKCUSoftware\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\HideDesktopIcons\NewStartPanel	`{2cc5ca98-6485-489a-920e-b3e88a6ccce3}`	—deleted

Disable Windows spotlight desktop background

policySysprep

Turns off Windows spotlight for the desktop background, which displays rotating images and may show tips and fun facts. This feature uses policies, which will lock down certain settings.

Switch: -DisableDesktopSpotlight
Shown while running: Disabling the Windows spotlight desktop background
Undo option: Enable Windows spotlight desktop background

Tested alone on Windows 11 25H2 (build 26200.9711): changed 1 registry value.

Importing the undo file put it back exactly as before.

What changed

DisableSpotlightCollectionOnDesktopHKCU\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\CloudContent not set→1

Registry changes 2 values · HKCU

Regfiles/Disable_Desktop_Spotlight.regsource

Key	Value	Data
HKCUSoftware\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\CloudContentpolicy	`DisableSpotlightCollectionOnDesktop`	DWORD`1` 0x00000001
HKCUSoftware\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\HideDesktopIcons\NewStartPanel	`{2cc5ca98-6485-489a-920e-b3e88a6ccce3}`	—deleted

Undo file: Regfiles/Undo/Enable_Desktop_Spotlight.reg (“Enable Windows spotlight desktop background”)

Regfiles/Undo/Enable_Desktop_Spotlight.regsource

Key	Value	Data
HKCUSoftware\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\CloudContentpolicy	`DisableSpotlightCollectionOnDesktop`	—deleted
HKCUSoftware\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\HideDesktopIcons\NewStartPanel	`{2cc5ca98-6485-489a-920e-b3e88a6ccce3}`	—deleted

Questions

How do I remove “Learn about this picture” from the desktop?

Choose Hide 'Learn about this picture' shortcut under Windows spotlight on the desktop in the wizard, or use -HideDesktopSpotlightIcon. The spotlight wallpaper keeps rotating. To stop spotlight altogether, use -DisableDesktopSpotlight.

Keep going

All tweaksEvery setting it can change, with the exact registry values.Default modeExactly what the recommended defaults remove and change.Undo & restoreRevert any tweak, restore the registry backup, reinstall removed apps.

Something wrong or out of date? Email hello@win11debloat.dev and we will fix it.

#Worth knowing

#Every tweak, in detail

#Questions

How do I remove “Learn about this picture” from the desktop?

Keep going

Worth knowing

Every tweak, in detail

Questions