How to Disable Web Results in Windows 11 Search

Although Microsoft improved Windows Search by prioritizing local results on Windows 11, the web results are still there, and many people dislike having web searches mixed with local searches.

It is possible to disable web results in Windows 11 search without any third-party app, but you must do it in the Windows registry or the Group Policy Editor.

(If you like web results in Windows Search but want to change the Start Menu default search engine and browser, I’ve written an article on that.)

First, we will see how to disable web results via the registry editor.

How to Disable Web Results in Windows 11 Search via Registry Editor

Before making any changes to your registry, I strongly suggest you back up your registry.

1. Type Registry on Windows Search and open the first result:
   
2. Go to:
   Computer\HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\
   You can paste this path into the registry editor search bar to find it directly.
3. Create a new key on ‘Windows’; name it Explorer.
   Double-click on Windows > New > Key
   
4. Create a new DWORD (32-bit) Value on ‘Explorer’; name it as DisableSearchBoxSuggestions:
   Double-click on Explorer > New > DWORD (32-bit) Value
   
5. Double-click on it and set its data as 1:
   
6. Restart your PC.

This will remove web suggestions and results from Windows Search.

If you want to enable it again in the future, you need to delete the DWORD you created under Computer\HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Explorer\

(Is your Windows 11 indexing painfully slow? I’ve written an article on how to quickly fix that.)

You can also achieve the same results by using the Group Policy Editor, as I will show you next.

How to Disable Web Results in Windows 11 Search via Group Policy Editor

Another way to disable web results in Windows search is by enabling Turn off display of recent search entries in the File Explorer in the File Explorer by using Group Policy Editor.

(This method only works for Windows 11 Pro users, as the Group Policy Editor is not available on the Home edition.)

Follow the steps below:

1. To open the Group Policy Editor, press Win Key + R, type gpedit.msc in the Run dialog, then press Enter:
   
2. In the Group Policy Editor, look for the path below:
   User Configuration\Administrative templates\Windows Components\File Explorer
3. Find turn off display of recent search entries in the File Explorer and double-click on it to open:
   
4. Toggle the “turn off display of recent search entries” in the File Explorer to Enabled and press Ok:
   
5. Reboot your PC.
   

Conclusion

You can disable web results in Windows 11 Search via the Windows Registry or the Group Policy Editor (if you are a Windows 11 Pro user.)

To do this in the registry, the registry editor and navigate to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\ and create a new key called Explorer; on Explorer, create a new D-Word (32-bit) value and name it DisableSearchBoxSuggestions. Change its value to 1.

To do it in the group policy editor, double-click on User Configuration\Administrative templates\Windows Components\File Explorer and then Enable turn off display of recent search entries in the File Explorer.

If your Windows Search bar closes after typing, check the article I’ve written on that.