How to Turn Off Web Search Results in Windows 11

Patrick_Yu

Windows 11’s search function is a powerful tool that allows users to quickly find files, apps, and even perform web searches directly from the Start menu or search bar. However, not everyone wants web results integrated into their local searches. If you prefer a more streamlined, local-only search experience, you can disable web search results in Windows 11. Here’s how you can do it. 

Why disable web search results? 

There are several reasons why you might want to turn off web search results: 

• Privacy Concerns: Web searches send queries to Microsoft’s Bing, which may raise privacy issues. 
• Faster Local Searches: Removing web results can make searching for local files and apps quicker. 
• Reducing Clutter: It prevents unnecessary web suggestions from appearing when looking for specific files or apps. 
• Network Efficiency: Limiting searches to local files reduces internet usage, which is beneficial for metered connections. 

Method 1: Disabling web search via Group Policy Editor (for Windows 11 Pro & Enterprise)

1. Open the Group Policy Editor: 
   1. Press Win + R, type gpedit.msc, and hit Enter. 
2. Navigate to Search Policies: 
   1. Go to Computer Configuration → Administrative Templates → Windows Components → Search. 
3. Disable Web Search: 
   1. Find the policy labeled “Do not allow web search”, double-click it, select Enabled, and click OK. 
   2. Additionally, locate “Don't search the web or display web results in Search”, set it to Enabled. 
4. Apply and Restart: 
   1. Restart your computer or run gpupdate /force in the Command Prompt to apply the changes. 

Method 2: Disabling web search via Registry Editor (for Windows 11 Home & other editions)

If you are using Windows 11 Home, the Group Policy Editor is not available, but you can achieve the same result via the Registry Editor. 

1. Open the Registry Editor: 
   1. Press Win + R, type regedit, and hit Enter. 
2. Navigate to the Search Key:
   1. Go to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Search 
3. Modify or Create the Registry Entries: 
   1. Look for BingSearchEnabled. If it doesn’t exist, right-click, choose New → DWORD (32-bit) Value, name it BingSearchEnabled, and set its value to 0. 
   2. Look for AllowSearchToUseLocation. If found, set it to 0. 
   3. Find CortanaConsent and set it to 0. 
4. Restart Your Computer: 
   1. Close the Registry Editor and restart your PC for changes to take effect. 

Alternative methods: Using third-party tools 

If modifying system settings manually seems daunting, you can use third-party tools like O&O ShutUp10++ or W10Privacy, which provide user-friendly interfaces to tweak Windows settings, including disabling web search integration. 

How disabling web search affects your experience, including Copilot 

Before making changes, it’s essential to understand the impact: 

• You will no longer see Bing-powered results when searching via the Start menu or search bar. 
• Voice-based search via Cortana may become limited since it relies on Bing search integration. 
• Faster local search results as Windows will not have to fetch online suggestions. 
• Copilot's ability to fetch web-based information will be restricted: 
  • Microsoft 365 Copilot and Microsoft 365 Copilot Chat may fetch data from Bing when web search is enabled. 
  • If web search is disabled, Copilot will rely solely on local and enterprise data sources. 
  • Users won’t see responses labeled “From the web” in Copilot's search results. 
  • Admins can manage Copilot’s web search capability using Microsoft 365’s enterprise settings. 

Re-enabling web search results 

If you ever want to restore web search functionality, simply reverse the changes: 

• In Group Policy Editor, set the policies back to Not Configured or Disabled. 
• In the Registry Editor, delete or reset the modified keys. 

Alternatively, if you used third-party tools, navigate to their settings and re-enable the web search options. 

A search without surf 

Disabling web search results in Windows 11 is a great way to improve privacy, speed, and focus in your searches. Whether you use the Group Policy Editor, the Registry Editor, or third-party tools, following these steps will ensure that your Windows search remains local-only. If you ever change your mind, you can easily revert the settings. 

By customizing Windows search settings to fit your preferences, you can enhance your overall user experience while keeping control over how your system interacts with the web. Making these adjustments ensures a more efficient workflow while safeguarding your privacy.

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