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MateoLiu's avatar
MateoLiu
Iron Contributor
Sep 18, 2026

Windows11 Lock screen slideshow stops playing after the system wakes from sleep

When using the lock screen slideshow feature and specifying a custom image folder, the slideshow plays normally after a restart, but when the system wakes from sleep, the slideshow stops advancing.The lock screen remains on the last image displayed until I manually lock and unlock the computer. This issue occurs regardless of the slideshow interval setting.

 

configuration
deployment

2 Replies

  • Emily2002's avatar
    Emily2002
    Brass Contributor
    Sep 19, 2026

    Because the slideshow works after a restart and resumes after another lock/unlock cycle, this looks like the lock-screen slideshow getting stuck when Windows resumes. Changing the picture interval is unlikely to fix that.

    Try resetting just the slideshow configuration:

    1. Open Settings > Personalization > Lock screen and change Slideshow to Picture.
    2. Remove the existing folder from the slideshow folder list, then select Slideshow again and add it back. Removing it from the list does not delete your photos.
    3. For testing, use a folder stored on the internal drive. If it is in OneDrive, select Always keep on this device and wait for the pictures to download.
    4. Expand the slideshow’s advanced settings. If the problem happens on battery power, enable Play a slideshow when using battery power, if available.
    5. Test another sleep/wake cycle.

    If it still freezes with local images, install available Windows updates and retest.

    Your lock/unlock workaround is reasonable for now. Also, confirm you are watching the lock screen with the clock rather than the PIN/password screen, where the background is not a reliable test of slideshow playback.

  • maskwill's avatar
    maskwill
    Brass Contributor
    Sep 18, 2026

    This is a known Windows 11 lock-screen slideshow quirk after waking from sleep. Changing the slideshow interval usually doesn’t fix it.

     

    Try these fixes, in order:

     

    1. Restart Windows Explorer

    - Press `Ctrl + Shift + Esc` → Task Manager

    - Find Windows Explorer → right-click → Restart.

    2. Re-select the slideshow folder

    - Go to Settings → Personalization → Lock screen

    - Change Personalize your lock screen to Picture.

    - Switch it back to Slideshow and select your folder again.

    3. Disable Fast Startup

    - Control Panel → Power Options → Choose what the power buttons do

    - Select Change settings that are currently unavailable

    - Uncheck Turn on fast startup → Save.

    4. If it always breaks specifically after sleep, try disabling Hibernate/Fast Startup temporarily with an elevated Command Prompt:

     

    ```

    powercfg /h off

    ```

    Restart and test sleep/wake again.

     

    If none of these work, the most likely cause is a Windows 11 lock-screen slideshow bug triggered by the sleep/wake transition, rather than your image folder or interval setting.