Windows 11 Spotlight stopped working on one user profile – works on another profile
I am experiencing a Windows Spotlight issue on my Windows 11 laptop and would like assistance identifying the cause. System information: Windows 11 Home Version 25H2 OS Build 26200.8973 HP Envy 17 Windows Spotlight stopped displaying new images on my original Windows user profile. The Spotlight image area remains blank and no new Spotlight assets are downloaded. I have carried out extensive troubleshooting, including: Confirmed BITS, Delivery Optimization and Windows Update services are running. Confirmed connectivity to Microsoft's Spotlight-related endpoints over HTTPS. Re-registered the Windows ContentDeliveryManager package. Reset the ContentDeliveryManager package. Confirmed the relevant Windows Spotlight registry settings are enabled. Checked the ContentDeliveryManager and targeted-content cache. Checked Windows event logs and BITS activity. Confirmed that Windows is receiving Spotlight content metadata from Microsoft's content service. One particularly important finding is that I created a completely new local Windows user profile on the same PC and same Windows installation. Windows Spotlight works correctly in that new profile and downloads the Spotlight assets normally. This indicates that the Windows Spotlight infrastructure, network connectivity, Windows installation and ContentDeliveryManager system component are functioning correctly. The problem appears to be isolated specifically to the original Windows user profile. The original profile receives Spotlight metadata, but the content returned includes an EmptyCreative entry rather than an actual image asset. I would therefore like Microsoft to advise: What user-profile component or database controls the Windows Spotlight subscription/creative state? Is there a supported way to repair or rebuild the Spotlight state for the affected user profile without creating a new Windows profile? Is there a Microsoft-supported diagnostic or repair procedure for this profile-specific Spotlight failure? If this is a known Windows 11 25H2 issue, is there a corresponding fix or workaround? I would prefer to repair the existing user profile rather than migrate to a new profile, as the existing profile contains my applications, configurations and personal files. I can provide additional diagnostic information, event logs, registry information or screenshots if required. Thank you.Windows update fail
hi, i need help here. So, my windows update is acting weird that it needs to install version 25H2 while my own windows is already the same version it need to install. i also voluteer in windows insider program for release preview. is there any solution to this? i tried any work like troubleshooters, cmd, ets. but it doesn't workDaily false "Antivirus protection is disabled" toasts – even though Defender is running fine
For about a week now, I've been getting a "Turn on antivirus protection" toast about once a day. Clicking it opens Windows Security, where everything shows as green and active. Defender has never actually been off. I've checked everything: all protection flags are True, signatures are updating, scans run fine. The issue seems to be that Defender isn't registering itself with the Windows Security Center—so the system thinks there's no AV available and fires the toast, even though the Security app itself shows everything is fine. I've already tried sfc /scannow, DISM, resetting the SecHealthUI app, toggling protection off and on, and reinstalling definitions—nothing fixed it. Is this a known bug on build 26200 / 25H2? Is there a way to force Defender to re-register with Security Center without doing a full repair install?
Windows suddenly thinks I am in Indonesia rather than in Punjab, India
Hi, Since September 1 around 5 PM, my Windows laptop has suddenly started detecting my location as Indonesia, even though I am in Punjab, India. At the same time, my time zone automatically changed from UTC+05:30 (India) to UTC+07:00 (Bangkok/Hanoi/Jakarta). Google Maps and Microsoft Find My Device are also showing a location in North Sumatra, Indonesia. I have already restarted the laptop, checked Location Services and automatic time zone settings, and even tested the laptop using my phone's mobile hotspot. The problem remains the same. And I am not willing to reset my pc or fresh windows reinstallation. I am not using a VPN or proxy. My internet IP is also being identified as being in India. Has anyone experienced Windows suddenly detecting the wrong country like this? I would like to find out what is causing the incorrect location rather than resetting or reinstalling Windows. Thanks.
Taskbar goes dark black intermittently
Pretty sure this is a bug with Windows' MPO or graphical presentation model, but basically: For the past few months my taskbar has 'randomly' been going dark black, usually with Chrome open. Upon moving the mouse or clicking the taskbar, it immediately reverts. It's not a monitor and it's not a driver issue. This has also persisted across a fresh format and fresh driver installs. Turning off "Show shadows under windows" seems like it reduced the frequency, but it still happens even with that disabled. I've been told that potentially, disabling HAGS might fix it - but that shouldn't be necessary in the first place. What is going on with this?Why hasn't Microsoft fixed the issue with the July update causing problem with file history logging?
"I've been feeling really upset these past few days. Ever since my laptop installed update KB5101684 on July 29, File History has been malfunctioning. While files successfully back up to the D drive, the backup timestamp does not update. Furthermore, newly created or saved files (like Word documents, images, and videos) still show 'No previous versions available' under Properties → Previous Versions, and folder modification timestamps are unexpectedly altered even when no actual data inside the folders has changed. Even more concerning, my Windows 10 22H2 desktop started experiencing similar File History sync issues after installing KB5120249 on August 12, 2026. I have already chatted with live support; they said they would investigate my issue, but who knows how long that will take, and they even told me to reinstall the OS. I refuse to reinstall it—especially since I don't even know how to fix it—and I'm worried it will never get fixed. As a global operating system giant, please immediately have your development team investigate the File History and timestamp logic issues in these updates, and roll out a hotfix as soon as possible instead of just telling consumers to reinstall to dodge the problem. Please face up to your software quality defects and provide a concrete fix!" If you're experiencing the same issue as me, could you please refer my question to Microsoft? I would greatly appreciate it.Gaming laptop stuttering/ freezing
Hello, I have an Omen gaming laptop. Intel Core processor, Nvidia GeForce RTX. I bought it two years ago and have been treating it very well, no suspicious downloads, no nothing. Recently though I've noticed some bad stuttering. Like when I try to scroll, or load a new page, it freezes for a second before catching up with the action I had taken. Even as I type this, sometimes the screen freezes and then a few seconds later the letters pop up. When I try to play video games the issue is even worse. Literally every 10 or so seconds the game lags and freezes for a second or two, it's impossible to play any games right now. This issue only popped up this past week, and at first I could solve the issue by restarting my laptop, but now that doesn't fix it anymore. The laptop starts up fine, runs pretty quickly, no long loading times, it's up to date and no new updates are available. My storage isn't even close to full. Idk what could be causing this. Usually the freezing isn't that bad if I'm just on google/ youtube or something. But if I've got an app like Discord or a game running in the background, the freezing becomes awful when I try to type something or open a new tab.
Help with Nokia Lumia 635 RM-974 - Urgent!
I have a Nokia Lumia 635 (model RM-974). Unfortunately, it won't boot up correctly. Every time I try to turn it on, the Nokia logo appears, followed by a BSOD. When I connect it to my PC, it consistently shows up in Device Manager as an "Unknown USB Device (Device Descriptor Request Failed)." The phone's buttons work perfectly, but even when I try to enter a specific mode, the phone just displays the Nokia logo and restarts—it just keeps doing that. The only mode I can still access is the one triggered by holding Volume Up + Power (the one showing the lightning bolt and gear icons), but even in this mode, the PC recognizes it the same way. I have tried using different PCs and cables and installing various drivers, but that isn't the problem. Unfortunately, since the PC doesn't recognize the USB-connected device, tools like WDRT, thor2, or WPInternals can't detect it either. I look forward to hearing from you soon.
Border around right-click context menu – is this new or just a bug?
Switched back to the old context menu recently using Chris Titus's Windows util. Don't remember seeing a border around it before—is this a native Windows 11 thing now? Looks nice either way. Edit: It disappears after a restart. Seems to happen when I boot with both TV and monitor connected—output defaults to the TV, and when I switch to the monitor, the border shows up. Probably a scaling-related visual bug, though I have no clue how that affects the context menu. Somehow it does. Also noticed shortcut icons aren't showing the usual arrow indicator—everything in the screenshot except This PC, Recycle Bin, and folders is a shortcut. And some Windows-related icons in the context menu look glitched too.
