As we navigate through Windows 11 or Windows 10, we encounter various features designed to enhance our user experience. One such feature is ‘Quick Searches’, which offers easy access to weather, news, and recent activities right from the search menu. While some users find this feature useful, others might see it as a distraction or clutter on their PC. If you’re in the latter group, you’d likely prefer a more streamlined search experience that focuses solely on your local searches and skips the additional content.
We’ve noticed that disabling ‘Quick Searches’ can make the search function simpler and more tailored to personal use, which for many users is a significant aspect of working efficiently on their computer. The process to disable Quick Searches isn’t immediately obvious, so we’ve taken it upon ourselves to break down the steps. Turning off this feature will not affect other functionalities of the search feature, which ensures that your PC continues to perform optimally while catering to your preferences for a cleaner interface.
Contents
Understanding Quick Searches
Windows Search has evolved, integrating AI and internet capabilities to provide a comprehensive search experience. This includes Quick Searches, which tap into Bing’s capabilities for a wide range of search queries directly from the desktop.
The Role of AI and Bing in Windows Search
Quick Search Versus Regular Search
In this section, we outline the steps to manage your search settings and adjust permissions for a tailored experience in Windows 11.
Using the Settings App to Manage Search Settings
When we navigate to the Settings app in Windows 11, it’s clear that Microsoft has streamlined the user experience to make it intuitive. To manage your search settings, we first open the Settings app by pressing Win + I. From there, we select ‘Privacy & Security’, which allows us to configure how the search function operates with respect to our privacy and app permissions.
Adjusting the Group Policy
For professional or educational environments, where group policies are used, there’s an added layer of control. To fine-tune the search settings, such as disabling web results, we might delve into the Group Policy Editor. This requires more advanced knowledge, but it’s worth it for the customization it offers.
Adjusting Search Permissions and Local Results
To ensure local searches are yielding results from our personal files and apps without unnecessary web suggestions, we turn to ‘Search Permissions’ within the Settings. Here’s where we can disable web search results to keep our search strictly local. This preference helps us focus on the files and applications—ensuring that the search box on the Start menu only displays what’s relevant to our device.
| Option | Description | How to Access |
| Search Permissions | Configure search to include/exclude web results. | Settings > Privacy & Security > Searching Windows |
| Local Results | Show results from local files, apps, and settings only. | Settings > Privacy & Security > Search Permissions |
Editing the Windows Registry
When disabling Quick Searches in Windows 11, we make precise modifications to the Windows Registry, ensuring that changes are cautiously enacted to prevent system instability.
Locating Relevant Registry Keys
Firstly, to access the Registry Editor, we use the shortcut Win + R, type regedit, and press Enter. Navigating through the hierarchy of folders, our focus is on HKEY_CURRENT_USER.
Creating and Modifying DWORD Values
In the relevant section within the HKEY_CURRENT_USER, we create a new DWORD (32-bit) Value if it does not already exist. We name this value according to the requirement, like DisableSearchBoxSuggestions.
| Action | Result |
| Create a new DWORD (32-bit) Value | Quick Searches feature toggle |
| Modify the value from 0 to 1 | Disables the Quick Searches feature |
After creating the DWORD, we modify its value data from zero to one, which turns off the Quick Searches functionality. Modifying registry values is a sensitive task, and it’s essential we take a backup of the Registry before proceeding, to roll back in case we encounter any issues.
Utilizing Group Policy for Professional Users
We, as advanced users and system administrators, can extensively configure Windows 11 Pro systems using Group Policy. It’s an effective tool for tailoring system behavior across our organization.
Configuring Search Policies with Group Policy Editor
To start, we’ll open the Local Group Policy Editor on our Windows 11 Pro computers. We do this by pressing Win + R, typing gpedit.msc, and hitting Enter. Once inside, we navigate to Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > Search. This path leads us to an array of search-related settings that we can manage to control how search functions on our systems. By tweaking these settings, we can influence the search behavior for all users on a machine, allowing us to ensure consistency in professional environments.
Disabling Quick Search and Search Highlights for Organizations
Now, when it comes to disabling Quick Search, we specifically focus on a setting called DisableSearchBoxSuggestions. Here’s a quick guide:
| Step | Action | Result |
| 1 | Right-click in the right pane | Prepare to create a new policy |
| 2 | Select New > DWORD (32-bit) Value | Create a policy template |
| 3 | Name it as DisableSearchBoxSuggestions | Set policy name for disabling suggestions |
| 4 | Edit its value data from 0 to 1 | Activate the policy by changing its value |
| 5 | Restart the computer | Apply the changes made |
In addition to disabling Quick Search, organizations may want to turn off Search Highlights which can show trending and suggested content. We disable this feature within the same Group Policy paths but look for the setting named Disable Search Highlights and change its value to enable or disable this feature company-wide. Keep in mind, changes take effect after a system restart. By carefully applying these policies, we maintain control over search functionality and prevent distractions for our users.