This program can retrieve Windows Spotlight images by requesting the Microsoft Spotlight API. SpotlightDL can also define images as wallpaper and system-wide lockscreen image.

It is useful in the following use cases:

• Download most of the Spotlight library with maximum image resolution and metadata
• Define Spotlight images as ad-less lockscreen or wallpaper
• Chain SpotlightDL with your own scripts and apps using the url mode

Have a look at the releases section to get a build. There are two major versions:

• v1.x.x for Windows 7 and greater, Mac and Linux (.NET 4)
• v2.x.x for Windows 10 and greater (.NET 9)

A few Batch files are offered for ease of use for common tasks.

Download the Zip Release, extract it and double click on a script to launch the desired task:

• spotlight-download-archive: Download many images to a SpotlightArchive folder
• update-archive-and-wallpaper: Feed the Archive and use one image for your wallpaper
• update-archive-and-lockscreen: Feed the Archive and use one image for your lockscreen
• update-archive-and-lockscreen-all-users: Same, but system-wide (*)
• update-wallpaper: Randomize desktop wallpaper (using a fixed-size cache)
• update-lockscreen: Randomize your lockscreen (using a fixed-size cache)
• update-lockscreen-all-users: Same, but system-wide (*)
• restore-lockscreen: Restore default system-wide lockscreen
• generate-manual: Generate a text file with command-line usage

(*) Requires Administrator Privileges, and at least Pro edition (Home edition not supported).

If you wish to periodically launch one of these scripts, please refer to the User Manual.

Download the Lockscreen Setup and install it. Your Lock Screen will be replaced with ad-free Spotlight images. It will also be set system-wide if supported by your Windows edition.

If you no longer need it, you can uninstall it from App & features like other programs.

Simply call SpotlightDownloader.exe from the Windows command prompt and see usage.

For now, please use versions numbered v1.x.x for Mac and Linux.

The download and url modes should also work on Mac/Linux using the Mono framework:

• On Mac: https://www.mono-project.com/download/stable/#download-mac
• On Linux: sudo apt install mono-runtime

Then, from a terminal:

mono SpotlightDownloader.exe

Example: Downloading Spotlight Archive:

mkdir SpotlightArchive
mono SpotlightDownloader.exe download --many --maxres --metadata --outdir SpotlightArchive

If you get TLS errors using Mono, try running mozroots --import --ask-remove once to install TLS root certificates on your computer.

If Mono crashes, try installing mono-complete instead of mono-runtime. Use at least Mono v4.0.

By analyzing network traffic originating from Windows 10/11, it was possible to determine how to downloads images.

See SpotlightAPI.md for details about the Spotlight API endpoints.

See LockScreenAPI.md for details about the Lockscreen API.

SpotlightDL is provided under CDDL-1.0 (Why?).

Basically, you can use it or its source for any project, free or commercial, but if you improve it or fix issues, the license requires you to contribute back by submitting a pull request with your improved version of the code. Also, credit must be given to the original project, and license notices may not be removed from the code.