Set up a custom lock screen slideshow with local photos on Windows 11

Pick one of three realistic approaches. All three are free; the choice is about control.

Budget tier:     Keep Spotlight, just hide tips and ads
Sweet spot:      Local Slideshow from a curated folder
No-compromise:   Slideshow + disable Spotlight suggestions + fixed logon background

Three things decide the result: image aspect ratio, resolution, and the folder being truly local. Everything else (sort order, transition style) is cosmetic.

Matters:   16:9 or your monitor's aspect ratio, >= native resolution, local path
Marketing: 'AI enhancement', 'dynamic themes', animated wallpaper apps

Create a folder like **C:\\Users\\<you>\\Pictures\\LockScreen** and copy only images that look good at your monitor's native resolution. Avoid portrait phone shots unless you have a vertical display. Keep the folder under 200 images so Windows indexes it quickly.

mkdir %USERPROFILE%\Pictures\LockScreen

Open **Settings > Personalization > Lock screen**. Change **Personalize your lock screen** from **Windows spotlight** to **Slideshow**. Click **Browse** and add your folder. Expand **Advanced slideshow settings** and turn off **Only use pictures that fit my screen** if you want everything to show, or leave it on for a stricter look.

Settings -> Personalization -> Lock screen
Personalize your lock screen: Slideshow
Add folder: C:\Users\<you>\Pictures\LockScreen

Confirm your display resolution in **Settings > System > Display** and make sure your images meet or exceed it. If you run multiple monitors, the lock screen only shows on the primary one - resize to that monitor's resolution. Rotating displays and ultrawides need matching aspect ratios or Windows will crop.

Skip third-party lock screen replacers; they fight with Windows updates. Skip paid "4K wallpaper packs" when free high-resolution photos are everywhere. Skip animated lock screens: Windows does not natively support video on the lock screen, and apps that fake it drain battery on laptops.