Solved Is there a way to disable 'quick searches'

zooburner · Oct 10, 2021

Okay I fully installed windows 11, mostly I have to say I like it, I'm in the process of customising it, and there is one thing that has me stumped. I'm talking about the 'quick searches' on the start/search menu, mostly it lists things i have absolutely no interest in whatsoever. Is there a way to disable, or at least customise what appears there? I've included a picture of what I mean

Ghot · Oct 10, 2021

@zooburner

This will take care of that issue...

1. Go to: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Explorer
2. On the right side, create a new 32-bit DWORD and name it: DisableSearchBoxSuggestions
3. Double click the DWORD you just created and set it's value to 1.
4. Sign out, then sign back in (or reboot) to apply the changes.

Both the Start menu and Taskbar search boxes, also do what is called a Web Search.
So... instead of just getting local results when you perform a search, it also gives you web results.
This is what you're seeing under the Quick Searches heading.

The registry edit above, will stop the web search. Then you will only see the local results.

Here... I've exported this key for you. In case you don't feel comfortable with registry edits.
Just place this on your desktop and double click it, and answer YES and then OK.
That will edit the registry for you.

zooburner · Oct 10, 2021

Ghot said:
@zooburner

This will take care of that issue...

1. Go to: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Explorer
2. On the right side, create a new 32-bit DWORD and name it: DisableSearchBoxSuggestions
3. Double click the DWORD you just created and set it's value to 1.
4. Sign out, then sign back in (or reboot) to apply the changes.

View attachment 9532

Both the Start menu and Taskbar search boxes, also do what is called a Web Search.
So... instead of just getting local results when you perform a search, it also gives you web results.
This is what you're seeing under the Quick Searches heading.

The registry edit above, will stop the web search. Then you will only see the local results.

Here... I've exported this key for you. In case you don't feel comfortable with registry edits.
Just place this on your desktop and double click it, and answer YES and then OK.
That will edit the registry for you.

Hi there Ghot, thanks so much for your reply

I couldn't find it at the location listed above but found it here

Computer\HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\PolicyManager\default\ADMX_WindowsExplorer\DisableSearchBoxSuggestions

Is that the same thing ?

Ghot · Oct 10, 2021

zooburner said:
Hi there Ghot, thanks so much for your reply

I couldn't find it at the location listed above but found it here

Computer\HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\PolicyManager\default\ADMX_WindowsExplorer\DisableSearchBoxSuggestions

Is that the same thing ?

Probably not.
The registry is VERY specific. I have both. You should have the registry location that I posted.

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Explorer

If you can't find it... use the registry patch, that I posted above.
Remember to reboot to apply the changes.

zooburner · Oct 10, 2021

Ghot said:
Probably not.
The registry is VERY specific. I have both. You should have the registry location that I posted.

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Explorer

That's strange then, i don't have the 'explorer' folder, if it helps this is a clean install of windows 11 ?

Ghot · Oct 10, 2021

Just use the registry patch I posted above... that will "create" that key.

Here's the source. It even says... "If this path is missing, then create the missing parts manually". This patch will do that for you...

How to disable web search in Windows 10 taskbar

This tweak was originally made for Windows 10, but it works on Windows 11.
I did an In-Place upgrade from Win 10 to Win 11, not a clean install.
That may be why I already have that key and you don't.

You can create the Explorer key yourself, or let the patch do it for you. :)

zooburner · Oct 10, 2021

Ghot said:
Just use the registry patch I posted above... that will "create" that key.

Here's the source. It even says... "If this path is missing, then create the missing parts manually". This patch will do that for you...

How to disable web search in Windows 10 taskbar

This tweak was originally made for Windows 10, but it works on Windows 11.
I did an In-Place upgrade from Win 10 to Win 11, not a clean install.
That may be why I already have that key and you don't.

View attachment 9538

Thanks Ghot, that did the trick :)

Ghot · Oct 10, 2021

zooburner said:
Thanks Ghot, that did the trick :)

Here's a couple more, that will probably make your day...

Gets the Windows 10 context menus, back...

Disable "Show more options" context menu in Windows 11

This tutorial will show you how to enable or disable having to click on "Show more options" to see the full context menu for your account or all users in Windows 11. When you right click on an item in Windows 11, you will see a new modern condensed context menu with Show more options...

www.elevenforum.com

Gets the Windows 10 File Explorer ribbon bar, back...

Enable or Disable File Explorer Command Bar in Windows 11 Tutorial

Windows 11 replaced the Ribbon in File Explorer with a new modern command bar. If you prefer the Ribbon, you can disable the command bar to enable the Ribbon again in File Explorer. This tutorial will show you how to enable or disable the command bar in File Explorer for your account in...

www.elevenforum.com

And these registry patch(es) will get rid of some or all of those excess folders in File Explorer...

zooburner · Oct 10, 2021

Ghot said:
Here's a couple more, that will probably make your day...

Gets the Windows 10 context menus, back...

Disable "Show more options" context menu in Windows 11

This tutorial will show you how to enable or disable having to click on "Show more options" to see the full context menu for your account or all users in Windows 11. When you right click on an item in Windows 11, you will see a new modern condensed context menu with Show more options...

www.elevenforum.com

Gets the Windows 10 File Explorer ribbon bar, back...

Enable or Disable File Explorer Command Bar in Windows 11 Tutorial

Windows 11 replaced the Ribbon in File Explorer with a new modern command bar. If you prefer the Ribbon, you can disable the command bar to enable the Ribbon again in File Explorer. This tutorial will show you how to enable or disable the command bar in File Explorer for your account in...

www.elevenforum.com

Yes, they are helpful, thanks so much for your help :)

Ghot · Oct 10, 2021

And if you really hate the Quick Access (folder) in File Explorer, like I do...

1. Open the Windows Registry as an administrator by launching the Run command using the Windows + R keyboard shortcut, typing "regedit", and hitting Enter.

2. Navigate to the following registry path: HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID{679f85cb-0220-4080-b29b-5540cc05aab6}

3. Now you need to change the permissions of ShellFolder, right-click ShellFolder, select Permissions, then click the Advanced button.

4. At the top of Advanced Security Settings for ShellFolder, change the ownership of the folder to "Administrators".

5. To do this, click Change, click Advanced, click the Find Now button, and from "search results" select "Administrators", then click OK, OK again, then Apply, hit OK, and hit OK one last time to close the ShellFolder Permissions box.

6. Now... Under "Group or User Names", choose: Administrators and put a check mark in... "Full Control"
Then click Apply and OK.

7. With that completed, we can now change the settings to remove Quick Access from File Explorer.

8. Inside "ShellFolder", double-click Attributes, and change data value from a0100000 to a0600000, and click OK.

9. You can now either restart Windows 10 or open the Task Manager, find and select Windows Explorer, and click Restart from bottom-right corner.

That's about all I have... so far.

Make sure you check the tutorials on this site. There's loads of tweaks in there as well.

Ghot · Oct 11, 2021

Windows 11 Tweaks - Leader Board.

These are tweaks I've seen asked for... many times. They are collected here for easy access. All of these and more can be found in the Eleven Forum Tutorials section. Make sure to read the "notes" in the various tutorials. At the bottom of the first post in all the "tutorials", there are...

www.elevenforum.com

Stinger2000 · Oct 15, 2021

Ghot said:
@zooburner

This will take care of that issue...

1. Go to: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Explorer
2. On the right side, create a new 32-bit DWORD and name it: DisableSearchBoxSuggestions
3. Double click the DWORD you just created and set it's value to 1.
4. Sign out, then sign back in (or reboot) to apply the changes.

View attachment 9532

Both the Start menu and Taskbar search boxes, also do what is called a Web Search.
So... instead of just getting local results when you perform a search, it also gives you web results.
This is what you're seeing under the Quick Searches heading.

The registry edit above, will stop the web search. Then you will only see the local results.

Here... I've exported this key for you. In case you don't feel comfortable with registry edits.
Just place this on your desktop and double click it, and answer YES and then OK.
That will edit the registry for you.

Hey Ghot,
I appreciate the info and patches you have posted to make Win 11 better. I am not as tech savvy as you and have a question. I didn't make a backup when I first did a fresh install of Win 11 and used your patch to disable web searches, which is what I want. I was getting ready to make my backup with Macrium Reflect and thought it may be best to undo that registry change for the backup but not sure how to do that. My question is, do you think it is necessary to change it back to how Win 11 came and if so, do you have a patch to undo the "web search " changes I made? I know I have a couple of other patches you posted and they have both, Enable and Disable so it's easy to undo a change you make. Do you happen to have a patch to undo this change ? I appreciate your help for a noob like me.
Thanks !!!

Ghot · Oct 15, 2021

Stinger2000 said:
Hey Ghot,
I appreciate the info and patches you have posted to make Win 11 better. I am not as tech savvy as you and have a question. I didn't make a backup when I first did a fresh install of Win 11 and used your patch to disable web searches, which is what I want. I was getting ready to make my backup with Macrium Reflect and thought it may be best to undo that registry change for the backup but not sure how to do that. My question is, do you think it is necessary to change it back to how Win 11 came and if so, do you have a patch to undo the "web search " changes I made? I know I have a couple of other patches you posted and they have both, Enable and Disable so it's easy to undo a change you make. Do you happen to have a patch to undo this change ? I appreciate your help for a noob like me.
Thanks !!!

It doesn't matter if you leave it or set it back to how it was.

To "undo" the change, just set the value of DisableSearchBoxSuggestions, to... 0

Stinger2000 · Oct 16, 2021

Ghot said:
It doesn't matter if you leave it or set it back to how it was.

To "undo" the change, just set the value of DisableSearchBoxSuggestions, to... 0

Thanks for the quick reply. I do like better with the search disable so will just leave it and make my backup.

SpacemanSam · Mar 21, 2022

I'm having a similar problem: on a clean install of Windows 11 Pro, I run a batch file to configure it the way I want. Among other things, I turn off web search and set the registry value listed in this tut. But when I hover the mouse over the search icon on the taskbar it offers me "news" and "time in Madrid".
If I ever wanted to read the news on my computer I would open a web browser and browse to a trustworthy news site. I don't want News "in my face" when I'm trying to search for something on my computer such as regedit or task scheduler.
As for the time in some other continent, I live in the USA and have absolutely no interest in knowing what time it is in Europe.
How do I remove these very annoying and even idiotic distractions from Search, using a batch file?

glasskuter · Mar 21, 2022

SpacemanSam said:
I'm having a similar problem:

See if this works for you.

Add or Remove Copilot and "Find results in Web" in Windows Search in Windows 11

This tutorial will show you how to add or remove the "Ask Copilot" and "Find results in Web" (Web) icons on Windows Search toolbar for your account in Windows 10 and Windows 11. Windows Search lets you search from your taskbar to find what you’re looking for, whether it’s on your device, in the...

www.elevenforum.com

Use option 2 step 3. Option 1 is for Insider Dev channel

Stinger2000 · Mar 22, 2022

I have the same issue when I hover over the taskbar search icon. It did remove the "Quick Searches" in start and I have tried both reg edits mentioned and also tried disabling "search" with Winaero but it still shows over the taskbar search icon.

glasskuter · Mar 22, 2022

Stinger2000 said:
I have the same issue when I hover over the taskbar search icon

If you are running Dev channel then option one in the tutorial should work.
If you are running release build, then option 2

Stinger2000 · Mar 22, 2022

glasskuter said:
If you are running Dev channel then option one in the tutorial should work.
If you are running release build, then option 2

I tried option 2 and it still shows when hovering the search icon in the taskbar. It does remove the quick search in Start which is the same as the reg edit @Ghot posted or the Winaero tweak.

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