Procedure to Disable Windows Desktop Spotlight within an Offline Windows 10 Enterprise IoT LTSC 21H2 WIM Image

Hello,

When KB5060533 is integrated, Spotlight is enforced by default because the hotfix modifies the personalization defaults at the system level. To disable it for all accounts created during OOBE and for post-deployment accounts, you need to adjust the default user profile hive and enforce Group Policy or registry settings within the offline WIM before deployment.

The most reliable method is to mount the WIM and load the C:\Users\Default\NTUSER.DAT hive into HKU\Default using reg load. Within that hive, set the following registry values to disable Spotlight:

HKU\Default\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\ContentDeliveryManager

• RotatingLockScreenEnabled = 0 (DWORD)

RotatingLockScreenOverlayEnabled = 0 (DWORD)

SubscribedContent-310093Enabled = 0 (DWORD)

These keys control Spotlight activation for new accounts created during OOBE. By modifying them in the default profile hive, every new user inherits the disabled state.

For accounts added after deployment, you should enforce the same setting via Group Policy. Use the policy path: Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > Cloud Content > Turn off all Windows Spotlight features Set this to Enabled. This ensures Spotlight is disabled consistently, regardless of KB5060533 defaults. If you prefer registry enforcement, the equivalent machine-level key is:

HKLM\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\CloudContent

DisableWindowsSpotlightFeatures = 1 (DWORD)

This combination—editing the default profile hive offline and applying Group Policy or machine-level registry enforcement—ensures Spotlight is disabled both during OOBE and for accounts provisioned later.

I hope you've found something useful here. If it helps you get more insight into the issue, it's appreciated to accept the answer. Should you have more questions, feel free to leave a message. Have a nice day!

Domic Vo.