Disable web results in Windows Search by turning off Bing suggestions in Settings on Windows 11, or by setting a policy or registry value on Windows 10 and 11 when Settings does not offer the switch. If you skip the right setting, Start search keeps mixing local files with web results, which can slow lookups and send queries to Bing. This guide shows the Windows 10 and Windows 11 paths, plus a quick check after the change.
What you'll need
- Your Windows version and build number, so you pick the right value.
- Registry Editor if you plan to edit keys directly.
- PowerShell if you want to apply the setting with a command.
- Local Group Policy Editor, if your edition includes
gpedit.msc. - An admin account for machine-wide policy changes.
- A plan to sign out, log off, or refresh policy after the change.
How do you disable web results?
Start with the setting that matches your build, then reopen Start search and confirm local results still appear. On Windows 11, a policy or Settings-based switch is usually the cleanest path. On older Windows 10 builds, legacy values still matter, so do not reuse a newer fix on an older install.
- Open the correct settings area for your version: Settings for Windows 11, or Registry Editor / PowerShell for older Windows 10.
- Set the value that matches your build: BingSearchEnabled, DisableSearchBoxSuggestions, AllowCortana, or ConnectedSearchUseWeb.
- Use HKEY_CURRENT_USER when only one account needs the change.
- Use HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE when you need the same rule for all users.
- Sign out and sign back in, or restart Search, so the shell loads the new setting.
Picture a Windows 11 laptop where Start shows “calculator” plus web suggestions for the same query. Turning off the web side should leave Calculator, local apps, and device settings in place, while the Bing tiles disappear from the results pane.
Which method fits your version?
The best method depends on the build range, because Windows Search changed across Windows 10 releases and Windows 11. A newer policy value may do nothing on an older build, while a legacy value may be ignored on a newer one. Use the table below before you edit anything.
| Windows version | Safest disable-web-results method | Registry or policy location | What should still appear |
|---|---|---|---|
| Windows 10 1607 or earlier | Set ConnectedSearchUseWeb = 0 | Search-related policy or search key for the current user | Local apps, files, and settings |
| Windows 10 1703 to 1803 | Set AllowCortana = 0 | Per-user search policy location | Local apps, files, and settings |
| Windows 10 1809 to 2004 | Set BingSearchEnabled = 0 | HKEY_CURRENT_USER search policy area | Local apps, files, and settings |
| Windows 10 2004 or newer | DisableSearchBoxSuggestions = 1 | HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Explorer |
Local apps, files, and settings |
| Windows 11 | DisableSearchBoxSuggestions = 1, or the matching policy in Group Policy | HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Explorer, or HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE for all users |
Local apps, files, and settings |
Windows Search decision table
This table pairs the version with the method that is least likely to be ignored. Windows 11 setups can vary by update state, so policy-based changes are usually safer than relying on an older search value. If you need one account only, use the per-user hive; if you need the whole machine, use the machine hive.
| Version range | Value to check | Hive or tool | After-change check |
|---|---|---|---|
| Windows 10 1607 or earlier | ConnectedSearchUseWeb = 0 | Registry | No Bing/web tiles in Start search |
| Windows 10 1703 to 1803 | AllowCortana = 0 | Registry | Local results still appear first |
| Windows 10 1809 to 2004 | BingSearchEnabled = 0 | HKEY_CURRENT_USER | No web suggestions under local results |
| Windows 10 2004 or newer | DisableSearchBoxSuggestions = 1 | HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Explorer |
Start search stays local |
| Windows 11 | DisableSearchBoxSuggestions = 1 | HKEY_CURRENT_USER or HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE | Web suggestions should not appear |
Verification checklist
- Open Start and type a local app name, such as Calculator or Notepad.
- Confirm the top results are local apps, files, or settings.
- Type a broad term that used to trigger web suggestions.
- Confirm no Bing or browser results appear in the Start pane.
- Open File Explorer search separately and confirm its recent searches behave as expected.
Is Group Policy better than registry?
Use Local Group Policy Editor when it is available, because it gives you a cleaner policy path and avoids manual key creation. On Home editions, gpedit.msc may be missing, so the registry route is the fallback. Policy wins over a user-level tweak when both are present.
- Press Win+R, type
gpedit.msc, and open Local Group Policy Editor. - Go to User Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > File Explorer.
- Open Turn off display of recent search entries in the File Explorer search box.
- Set it to Enabled, then run gpupdate /force or sign out and back in.
- If you need the change for every account, apply the matching policy under the machine hive instead.
Suppose a shared family PC shows web suggestions for every account. A machine-level policy in HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE is the better fit than a per-user edit, because one sign-in should not bypass the change for everyone else.
Common mistakes
- Changing File Explorer instead of Start search. The File Explorer search box has separate recent-search behavior, so do not expect one setting to fix the other.
- Using the wrong hive. HKEY_CURRENT_USER applies to one account; HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE is the machine-wide route.
- Using a legacy value on a newer build. ConnectedSearchUseWeb and AllowCortana are for older Windows 10 ranges, not Windows 11.
- Skipping logoff or policy refresh. The shell often needs a new session before the change appears.
A common first-timer mistake is to edit the right value in the wrong place. For example, setting a per-user key when the device is managed by policy can leave Start search unchanged until the higher-priority policy is removed or refreshed.
How do I disable web results in Windows Search?
Use the version that matches your build. Windows 11 usually responds to DisableSearchBoxSuggestions = 1 in the Explorer policy path, while older Windows 10 builds may need ConnectedSearchUseWeb, AllowCortana, or BingSearchEnabled. After the change, sign out and check Start search for local-only results.
How do I turn off online results in Windows 11 search?
On Windows 11, open HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Explorer and create DisableSearchBoxSuggestions as a DWORD value set to 1. If you manage the whole machine, use the matching HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE policy path instead. Log off and back on to reload Search.
How do I disable web search in Windows 10 Start menu?
Windows 10 is build-specific. Use ConnectedSearchUseWeb = 0 on 1607 or earlier, AllowCortana = 0 on 1703 to 1803, and BingSearchEnabled = 0 on 1809 to 2004. On 2004 or newer, DisableSearchBoxSuggestions = 1 is the cleaner policy path.
What registry setting disables web results in Windows Search?
The current policy value is DisableSearchBoxSuggestions = 1 under HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Explorer. For older Windows 10 builds, the disabling value changes with the release: ConnectedSearchUseWeb = 0, AllowCortana = 0, or BingSearchEnabled = 0. Match the value to the build.
Why does Windows Search keep showing Bing results?
Usually the device is on a build that ignores the value you set, or the setting was placed in the wrong hive. A policy in HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE can override a user-level change. Log off, reopen Start, and confirm the current build still uses the value you edited.
Does disabling web results also remove recent search suggestions?
Not always. Start menu web results and File Explorer recent search entries are separate behaviors. If you want File Explorer to stop showing recent search entries, use the File Explorer policy path and Turn off display of recent search entries in the File Explorer search box.
Do I need to sign out or reboot after changing the setting?
Usually yes. The change may require logging off and logging back in before Windows Search reloads the setting. If you used Group Policy, run gpupdate /force first, then sign out if the Start menu still shows Bing results after the refresh.