Step-by-Step Guide to Disable Web Search Results in Windows 11

How to Disable Web Search Results in Windows 11

Many users find the web search features in Windows 11’s Start menu and Taskbar to be intrusive or unnecessary. Fortunately, both the web results and the Copilot button can be easily disabled. This guide provides detailed instructions on how to perform these modifications through two methods: using the Group Policy Editor and the Registry Editor.

Overview of Web Search Features in Windows 11

When utilizing the Windows Search functionality, users encounter Bing web results if their search does not yield a local match for documents, applications, images, or system settings. Clicking these links opens a new page in Microsoft Edge, and utilizing the Bing AI button initiates a search in the browser with Copilot. While some find these features useful, they may not align with everyone’s preferences.

Due to the interface’s limitations, there is no straightforward option to disable these web results directly. Nonetheless, both the Group Policy Editor and the Registry Editor provide viable workarounds for disabling these features, particularly valuable for Windows 11 Pro and Enterprise users.

Method 1: Disable Web Search Results via Registry Editor

This method is suitable for both Windows 11 Home and Pro editions. Follow these steps:

Click on Start, then search for regedit. Open the Registry Editor.
Navigate to the following path:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows
Right-click on the Windows key, select New, and choose Key.
Name the new key Explorer and press Enter.
Right-click on the Explorer key, select New, and opt for DWORD (32-bit) Value.
Label the DWORD as DisableSearchBoxSuggestions and hit Enter.
Double-click the new DWORD, changing its value from 0 to 1.
Click OK to save your changes.
Restart your computer to apply the modifications.

Post-completion, Windows Search will exclude web results and the Copilot button from the interface, focusing solely on local results for applications, files, and device settings.

Method 2: Disable Web Search Results via Group Policy Editor

This method is applicable to devices running Windows 11 Pro, Enterprise, or Education editions. Here’s how to proceed:

Access the Start menu and search for gpedit. Open the Group Policy Editor.
Navigate to:

User Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > File Explorer
Locate and double-click on “Turn off display of recent search entries in the File Explorer search box”.
Select the Enabled option.
Click Apply and then OK.
Restart your computer to finalize changes.

Upon restarting, web search results will no longer appear in the Taskbar or Start menu, and the Copilot button will be disabled as well.

Reverting Changes

To undo the modifications made through either method, you can simply delete the DisableSearchBoxSuggestions DWORD key from the registry or set the Group Policy option back to Not Configured.

FAQs on Disabling Web Results in Windows 11

Can I disable Bing web results?

Absolutely! Bing web results can be disabled through the Registry or Group Policy settings, ensuring that only local content is displayed in searches.

How to remove the Copilot button?

Removing the Copilot button involves creating the DisableSearchBoxSuggestions DWORD in the Registry, setting its value to 1. This action disables both the suggestions and the Copilot button.

Is it possible to disable web results on Windows 11 Home?

Yes, even without the Group Policy Editor, users can disable web results via the Registry Editor steps outlined above.

What changes after disabling web results?

After disabling web results, the search functionality exclusively shows local app, file, and settings results, omitting any Bing web suggestions.

Can search highlights be disabled separately?

Yes, search highlights can be turned off from the Settings app, under Privacy & security > Search permissions; however, this will not affect the Bing web search integration.

Source & Images