How to stop internet results in Search for Windows 11 — get rid of Bing suggestions for a clean, simplified experience

On Windows 11, it's possible to turn off the web search results that appear on the home page of the Windows Search experience, but through the Settings app. In this guide, I'll show you the steps to complete this configuration.

If you perform a search using the Search box in the Taskbar, it's likely that at one point or another, you have seen web results as you perform a search query.

Although this feature can be helpful, it's not something everyone wants, and it may not work correctly sometimes. Regardless of the reason, you can turn off web results in Windows 11 using Group Policy and the Registry, since there's no Settings app option.

In this how-to guide, I'll outline the different ways to disable results from the internet when using the Windows Search experience on your computer.

How to turn off search highlights on Windows 11 using Group Policy

To prevent Windows Search from showing web results on Windows 11 Pro, use these steps:

1. Open Start.
2. Search for Group Policy and click the top result to open the app.
3. Open the following location: User Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > File Explorer
4. Right-click the "Turn off display of recent search entries in the File Explorer search box" policy and choose the Edit option.

5. Select the Enabled option.

6. Click the Apply button.
7. Click the OK button.

Once you complete the steps, you may have to reboot the computer to apply the changes, and then the Windows Search experience will no longer show web results.

If you change your mind, it's possible to revert the changes, using the same instructions outlined above, but in step 5, select the "Not Configured" option.

How to turn off search highlights on Windows 11 using Registry

To stop web results through Windows Search using the Registry on Windows 11 Pro and Home, use these steps:

1. Open Start.
2. Search for Registry and click the top result to open the app.
3. Open the following location: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows
4. Right-click the Windows key, select New, and choose the Key option.

5. Confirm the Explorer name for the key and press Enter.
6. Right-click the newly created key, select New, and choose the "DWORD (32-bit) Value" option.

7. Name the DWORD DisableSearchBoxSuggestions and press Enter.
8. Right-click the newly created key, then choose Modify.
9. Change its value from 0 to 1.

10. Click the OK button.

After you complete the steps, restart the computer, and then the next time you perform a search, you'll receive system and file-related results.

In the case that you want to revert the changes, open the Registry, and in the HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Explorer path, right-click the "DisableSearchBoxSuggestions" DWORD, and select the "Delete" option.

Regardless of the option you choose, this configuration will also turn off search highlights, the web suggestions you see when opening the Windows Search home.

Also, as a result of this configuration, the "Show search highlights" option on the "Search" settings page will appear grayed out.

FAQs about disabling web search on Windows 11

These are common questions regarding the steps to disable web search results on Windows 11.

More resources

Explore more in-depth how-to guides, troubleshooting advice, and essential tips to get the most out of Windows 11 and 10. Start browsing here:

• Windows 11 on Windows Central — All you need to know
• Windows 10 on Windows Central — All you need to know

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