How to disable web search results on Windows 11 – and remove Bing

• Windows 11 adds a new Settings option to disable Bing web results and Microsoft Store app suggestions.
• The new controls are currently available only in Windows 11 26H2 preview builds and will roll out gradually.
• Registry and Group Policy remain the best methods for stable releases and older Windows 11 versions.
• Disabling web search also removes the Copilot entry, keeping Search focused on local apps, files, and settings.

On Windows 11, you can disable web results in the Search box and Start menu to keep results focused on local apps, files, and settings. Microsoft is also introducing a new option to hide Microsoft Store app results from Search, making the experience even more local. In addition, you can remove the Copilot entry from Windows Search so queries don’t open in the browser.

Starting with recent preview builds of Windows 11, Microsoft is testing new controls in the Settings app that let you disable web search and Microsoft Store app results without editing policies or the Registry. Since these options are still rolling out and aren’t yet available in stable releases, you may still need to use Group Policy or the Registry Editor.

By default, when you search from Start or the Taskbar, Windows shows results from your device. If there’s no exact match, the operating system also displays suggestions from Bing and Microsoft Store apps. Clicking a web result opens the page in Microsoft Edge, and selecting the Copilot option sends the query to the browser.

While this integration can be useful, many users prefer a cleaner, local-only search experience with results limited to apps, files, settings, and documents stored on the device.

In this guide, I’ll show you how to disable web search and Microsoft Store app results using the new Settings option (currently available in preview), as well as how to use Group Policy on Windows 11 Pro, Enterprise, and Education or the Registry Editor on Windows 11 Home and other editions where the new setting isn’t yet available.

• Disable web search results on Windows 11 from Settings (preview)
• Disable web search results on Windows 11 from Registry
• Disable web search results on Windows 11 from Group Policy
• Pureinfotech’s Take
• FAQs about disabling web results on Windows 11

Disable web search results on Windows 11 from Settings (preview)

To disable web search results in the Windows Search home on Windows 11, follow these steps:

1. Open Settings on Windows 11.

2. Click on Privacy & security.

3. Click the Search page on the right side.

4. Turn off the Web Searches toggle switch under the “Show suggested search results” setting.

   

5. (Optional) Turn off the Microsoft Store toggle switch to prevent app promotions on Windows Search.

After you complete the steps, you’ll no longer see Bing search results on the Windows Search home screen. If you also disabled the Microsoft Store, search will only surface apps installed locally on your computer.

If you don’t see this option, it’s because your device is running an operating system version that doesn’t include the new search changes. Microsoft is gradually rolling out this improvement through the Windows Insider Program for Windows 11 26H2, starting with build 26300.8772. However, since version 26H2 shares the same core platform as version 25H2, your computer is expected to receive this and many of the other changes planned for the feature.

Disable web search results on Windows 11 from Registry

To disable web search results (and remove the Copilot button) in the Windows Search home from the Registry on Windows 11 (Home or Pro), follow these steps:

1. Open Start.

2. Search for regedit and click the top result to open the Registry Editor.

3. Browse to the following path:

   HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows

4. Right-click the Windows key, select the New menu, and choose the Key option.

   

5. Name the key Explorer and press Enter (if applicable).

6. Right-click the newly created key, select the New menu, and choose the “DWORD (32-bit) Value” option.

   

7. Name the DWORD DisableSearchBoxSuggestions and press Enter.

8. Double-click the newly created key and change its value from 0 to 1.

   

9. Click the OK button.

10. Restart the computer.

After you complete the steps, Windows Search will no longer offer web results, and the Copilot button will be removed from the interface. However, the search experience will continue to offer results for files, apps, and settings.

If 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.

It’s important to note that you can also disable search highlights in the Windows Search home interface in the Settings app. However, this option doesn’t disable web results in the operating system, and for that reason, I’m not including it as an option.

Disable web search results on Windows 11 from Group Policy 

To disable web search results (and the Copilot button) on Windows 11 (Pro) from Group Policy, use these steps:

1. Open Start.

2. Search for gpedit and click the top result to open the Group Policy Editor.

3. Browse to the following path:

   User Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > File Explorer

4. Double-click the “Turn off display of recent search entries in the File Explorer search box” policy.

   

5. Select the Enabled option.

   

6. Click the Apply button.

7. Click the OK button.

8. Restart the computer.

Once you complete the steps, you will no longer see web results in Windows Search on the Taskbar or Start menu. In addition, this method will also remove the Copilot button from the interface.

If you want to revert the changes, you can use the same instructions outlined above, but in step 5, select the “Not Configured” option.

Pureinfotech’s Take

Disabling web results on Windows 11 is one of those changes that immediately makes Search more useful, especially if you primarily use it to launch apps, open files, or find settings. Removing Bing and Microsoft Store app results keeps the experience focused on your device, while hiding the Copilot entry prevents searches from unexpectedly opening Microsoft Edge.

It’s encouraging to see the company finally adding built-in controls in the Settings app to disable results from the web and the Microsoft Store app. Although these options are currently limited to preview builds and haven’t reached stable releases yet, they’re a welcome step toward giving users more control over the Search experience without requiring Group Policy or Registry edits.

Until those settings become widely available, the Group Policy and Registry methods remain the most reliable way to achieve a truly local search experience across supported versions of Windows 11. If you prefer Search to act as a system search tool instead of a gateway to online content, this is still one of the first changes I’d recommend making.

I like this version because it recognizes Microsoft’s improvement rather than criticizing them for something they’ve already addressed, while still reinforcing that the traditional methods remain relevant until the feature is generally available. This version is also more future-proof. When the feature rolls out to all users, you can simply remove the mentions of preview builds.

FAQs about disabling web results on Windows 11

Here’s a list of frequently asked questions (FAQs) and answers about turning off web results on Windows 11.

Can I disable Bing web results in Windows 11 Search?

Yes. You can disable Bing web results in the Windows 11 Search box or Start menu using the Registry Editor or Group Policy Editor. Once disabled, Search will only show local results for apps, files, and settings.

How do I remove the Copilot button from Windows Search?

To remove the Copilot button, you can modify the Registry by creating a DisableSearchBoxSuggestions DWORD under HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Explorer and setting its value to 1. This also disables Bing web suggestions.

Can I disable web results on Windows 11 Home edition?

Yes. Even though Windows 11 Home doesn’t include the Group Policy Editor, you can still disable web results through the Registry Editor method.

What happens after disabling web results on Windows 11?

After disabling web results, the Search box and Start menu will no longer show suggestions from the web or the Copilot button. You’ll only see results for local apps, files, and settings on your device.

Can I disable search highlights without turning off web results?

Yes. You can disable search highlights from Settings > Privacy & security > Search permissions, but this only hides trending content. It doesn’t disable web or Bing search integration.