Microsoft doubles down on its strategy to get more Windows 11 users on Microsoft Edge


Microsoft has been adding new ways in Windows 11 to try to get more users to go with its Edge browser. Earlier this year, it changed the way users could set their default browsers, adding a bunch of new steps that required them to switch a number of settings manually in order to switch away from Edge. Last week, the company took another step by locking the Edge-specific protocol that enabled users to redirect programs to other Web browsers.

If you want a thorough explanation of what changed regarding the Edge protocol, I'd recommend this post from ghacks.net. In short, Microsoft blocked tools like Edge Deflector and Search Deflector, which were designed to make selecting a browser other than Edge more of a straightforward process.

Microsoft didn't do this by accident, and officials made it clear they aren't considering relenting on this. In last week's Windows 11 Dev Channel test build notes, there's a line that acknowledges its latest move. It simply says: "We fixed an issue where OS functionality could be improperly redirected when microsoft-edge: links are invoked."

I asked for a statement about whether the company intends to try to make switching to a browser other than Edge as difficult as possible with Windows 11. Please keep in mind; I am just the messenger here. A spokesperson sent the following:


Read more: Microsoft doubles down on its strategy to get more Windows 11 users on Edge | ZDNet
 
You can click and drag them to rearrange them. If you do so they automatically get pinned.

Also, if you hover over one three dots appear top right of the tile. Click on it, edit the title and change the url to something you want, when you click Save that also will be a pinned tile.
Been there looking at it, but I think I'll leave those alone for now. No reason.
 

My Computers My Computers

  • At a glance

    Windows 11 23H2 22631.2861Intel(R) Core(TM) i7-10700 CPU @ 2.90GHz 2.90...16384 MBytesIntel UHD Graphics 630
    OS
    Windows 11 23H2 22631.2861
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    HP Envy TE01-1xxx
    CPU
    Intel(R) Core(TM) i7-10700 CPU @ 2.90GHz 2.90 GHz
    Motherboard
    16.0GB Dual-Channel Unknown @ 1463MHz (21-21-21-47)
    Memory
    16384 MBytes
    Graphics Card(s)
    Intel UHD Graphics 630
    Sound Card
    Realtek High Definition Audio
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Monitor 1 - Acer 27" Monitor 2 - Acer 27"
    Screen Resolution
    1920 x 1080
    Hard Drives
    WDC PC SN530 SDBPNPZ-512G-1006 (SSD)
    Seagate ST1000DM003-1SB102
    Seagate BUP Slim SCSI Disk Device (SSD)
    PSU
    HP
    Case
    HP
    Cooling
    Standard
    Keyboard
    Logitech Wave K350
    Mouse
    Logitech M705
    Internet Speed
    500 mbps
    Browser
    Firefox
    Antivirus
    Windows Defender
    Other Info
    That's all Folks!
  • At a glance

    Windows 11Intel Core i7 (10th gen) 1070016 GBIntel UHD Graphics 630
    Operating System
    Windows 11
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    HP
    CPU
    Intel Core i7 (10th gen) 10700
    Motherboard
    Intel
    Memory
    16 GB
    Graphics card(s)
    Intel UHD Graphics 630
    Sound Card
    Built-in
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Acer 27" & Samsung 24"
    Screen Resolution
    1920 x
    Hard Drives
    SSD (512 GB)
    HDD (1 TB)
    Seagate
    PSU
    Intel i7 10th Generation
    Case
    HP
    Cooling
    HP/Intel?
    Keyboard
    Logitech Wave K350
    Mouse
    Logitech M705
    Internet Speed
    50 mbps
    Browser
    Firefox 90.2
    Antivirus
    Windows Defender
    Other Info
    Headphone/Microphone Combo
    SuperSpeed USB Type-A (4 on front)
    HP 3-in-One Card Readr
    SuperSpeed USB Type-C
    DVD Writer
I had a similar occurrence with Catsxp Browser until Edge updated and took the protocol back! :mad:
Yeah, I'm figuring Edge is going to grab Firefox and choke him to death.
 

My Computers My Computers

  • At a glance

    Windows 11 23H2 22631.2861Intel(R) Core(TM) i7-10700 CPU @ 2.90GHz 2.90...16384 MBytesIntel UHD Graphics 630
    OS
    Windows 11 23H2 22631.2861
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    HP Envy TE01-1xxx
    CPU
    Intel(R) Core(TM) i7-10700 CPU @ 2.90GHz 2.90 GHz
    Motherboard
    16.0GB Dual-Channel Unknown @ 1463MHz (21-21-21-47)
    Memory
    16384 MBytes
    Graphics Card(s)
    Intel UHD Graphics 630
    Sound Card
    Realtek High Definition Audio
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Monitor 1 - Acer 27" Monitor 2 - Acer 27"
    Screen Resolution
    1920 x 1080
    Hard Drives
    WDC PC SN530 SDBPNPZ-512G-1006 (SSD)
    Seagate ST1000DM003-1SB102
    Seagate BUP Slim SCSI Disk Device (SSD)
    PSU
    HP
    Case
    HP
    Cooling
    Standard
    Keyboard
    Logitech Wave K350
    Mouse
    Logitech M705
    Internet Speed
    500 mbps
    Browser
    Firefox
    Antivirus
    Windows Defender
    Other Info
    That's all Folks!
  • At a glance

    Windows 11Intel Core i7 (10th gen) 1070016 GBIntel UHD Graphics 630
    Operating System
    Windows 11
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    HP
    CPU
    Intel Core i7 (10th gen) 10700
    Motherboard
    Intel
    Memory
    16 GB
    Graphics card(s)
    Intel UHD Graphics 630
    Sound Card
    Built-in
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Acer 27" & Samsung 24"
    Screen Resolution
    1920 x
    Hard Drives
    SSD (512 GB)
    HDD (1 TB)
    Seagate
    PSU
    Intel i7 10th Generation
    Case
    HP
    Cooling
    HP/Intel?
    Keyboard
    Logitech Wave K350
    Mouse
    Logitech M705
    Internet Speed
    50 mbps
    Browser
    Firefox 90.2
    Antivirus
    Windows Defender
    Other Info
    Headphone/Microphone Combo
    SuperSpeed USB Type-A (4 on front)
    HP 3-in-One Card Readr
    SuperSpeed USB Type-C
    DVD Writer
Been there looking at it, but I think I'll leave those alone for now. No reason.
I have four rows of eight pinned tiles, all of my own choosing. Whenever I do a clean install on a new machine I copy my FF profile across and get all my pinned tiles and firefox settings transferred in one easy step.
 

My Computers My Computers

  • At a glance

    Windows 11 HomeAMD Athlon Silver 3050U8GBRadeon Graphics
    OS
    Windows 11 Home
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Acer Aspire 3 A315-23-R9VY
    CPU
    AMD Athlon Silver 3050U
    Memory
    8GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    Radeon Graphics
    Monitor(s) Displays
    laptop screen
    Screen Resolution
    1366x768 native resolution, up to 2560x1440 with Radeon Virtual Super Resolution
    Hard Drives
    1TB Samsung EVO 870 SSD (from April 2026: 250GB EVO 850)
    Internet Speed
    150 Mbps
    Browser
    Edge, Firefox
    Antivirus
    Defender
    Other Info
    UPDATE - 11 April 2026: due to lid hinges starting to break up this laptop has been retired from active duty. The OS with all software and files has been migrated to my System Seven in 'Other systems' to carry on as my general purpose 'main machine'.

    I've now clean installed 25H2 and used Garlin's scripts to update Secure Boot to CA 2023 and revoke the PCA 2011 certificates. It's new role is to test secure boot issues.

    Info for 2021-2026:
    fully 'Windows 11 ready' laptop. Windows 10 C: partition migrated from my old unsupported 'main machine' then upgraded to 11. A test migration ran Insider builds for 2 months. When 11 was released on 5th October 2021 it was re-imaged back to 10 and was offered the upgrade in Windows Update on 20th October. Windows Update offered the 22H2 Feature Update on 20th September 2022. It got the 23H2 Feature Update on 4th November 2023 through Windows Update, 24H2 on 3rd October 2024 through Windows Update by setting the Target Release Version for 24H2, and 25H2 on 30th September 2025 through Windows Update by setting the Target Release Version for 25H2.
  • At a glance

    Windows 11 ProIntel® Core™ i5-520M8GB(integrated graphics) Intel HD Graphics
    Operating System
    Windows 11 Pro
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Dell Latitude E4310
    CPU
    Intel® Core™ i5-520M
    Motherboard
    0T6M8G
    Memory
    8GB
    Graphics card(s)
    (integrated graphics) Intel HD Graphics
    Screen Resolution
    1366x768
    Hard Drives
    500GB Crucial MX500 SSD
    Browser
    Firefox, Edge
    Antivirus
    Defender
    Other Info
    unsupported machine: Legacy bios, MBR, TPM 1.2, upgraded from W10 to W11 using W10/W11 hybrid install media workaround.

    In-place upgrade to 22H2 using ISO and a workaround.
    Feature Update to 23H2 by manually installing the Enablement Package.
    In-place upgrade to 24H2 using hybrid 23H2/24H2 install media.
    Upgraded to 25H2 by Enablement Package.

    Also running Insider Dev, and Canary builds and Windows 10 as native boot .vhdx.
  • My SYSTEM THREE is a Dell Latitude 5410, i7-10610U, 32GB RAM, 512GB NVMe ssd, supported device running Windows 11 Pro.

    My SYSTEM FOUR was a 2-in-1 convertible Lenovo Yoga 11e (1st gen) type 20DA, Celeron N2930, 8GB RAM, 256GB ssd. Unsupported device. This has now been sold. It has been replaced by my System Eight.

    My SYSTEM FIVE is a Dell Latitude 3190 2-in-1, Pentium Silver N5030, 8GB RAM, 1TB NVMe ssd, supported device running Windows 11 Pro, plus Insider Beta, Dev, and Canary builds (and a few others) as a native boot .vhdx.

    My SYSTEM SIX is a Dell Latitude 5550, Core Ultra 7 165H, 64GB RAM, 1TB NVMe SSD, supported device, Windows 11 Pro, Hyper-V host machine. Updated to 25H2 on 30th September 2025.

    My SYSTEM SEVEN is a Lenovo Thinkpad T580, 1920x1080 touchscreen, Intel Core i7-8650U, 16GB RAM, 512GB NVMe SSD + 2nd 512GB NVMe SSD, a supported device for Windows 11. This is my current general purpose 'main machine'. The installed Windows 11 Home from my System One has been migrated to this machine. As its new home has an existing digital licence for Pro I've been able to upgrade the migrated OS from Home to Pro.

    My SYSTEM EIGHT is a 2-in-1 convertible Lenovo Yoga 11e (5th gen) type 20LN, Celeron N4120, 8GB RAM, 512GB NVMe ssd, a supported device for Windows 11. Currently running Windows 11 Pro, plus Insider Dev, Beta, and Canary builds as native boot vhdx.

My Computer My Computer

At a glance

Windows 11 Home(Beta) - 25H2 -26220.9022AMD Ryzen 5 5600GG.SKILL Ripjaws V Series 64GB 4x16Nvidia geforce gtx titan x
OS
Windows 11 Home(Beta) - 25H2 -26220.9022
Computer type
PC/Desktop
Manufacturer/Model
Banana Junior 5600-G Series
CPU
AMD Ryzen 5 5600G
Motherboard
Asus ROG Strix B550-F
Memory
G.SKILL Ripjaws V Series 64GB 4x16
Graphics Card(s)
Nvidia geforce gtx titan x
Monitor(s) Displays
28" ASUS VP28U 4k
Screen Resolution
4K
Hard Drives
Primary SAMSUNG 970 EVO Plus
PSU
EVGA BQ 700w 80+ Bronze
Case
Zalman i3 NEO
Cooling
ARCTIC Freezer 7 X
Keyboard
Corsair
Mouse
Amazon Generic with Cord
Internet Speed
Download: 295.11 mbps Upload: 65.35 mbps T-Mobile Internet
Browser
Firefox and Edge
Antivirus
MS - Defender
Other Info
Speakers: Klipsch ProMedia 2.1
Looks like someone wants some money
Hi there

What on earth is the problem with setting FF as default browser. Nothing wrong in a prompt before final commitment for "are you sure". After setting FF as your default browser you aren't bothered again. Same with using different email clients etc .

C'mon folks -- it's not the old USSR here. I suppose some here are already on pensions, and others hope to get them at retirement -- where do they think "Money" comes from. I'm sure for those of us who invest directly in the Stock Market want to get dividends or make money from the stocks (or preferably both). Nothing wrong either ethically or morally wrong in making money if it's done legitimately.

Ms for all the remarks made at it such as "Evil Empire" etc is a hugely successful company - and has bought cheap computing to billions around the world at considerable advantage - and don't forget the the Gates foundation is one of the biggest contributors to charity on the entire planet.

Cheers
jimbo
 

My Computer My Computer

At a glance

Windows XP,11 Linux Fedora Rawhide pre-releas...2 X Intel i7
OS
Windows XP,11 Linux Fedora Rawhide pre-release 45
Computer type
PC/Desktop
CPU
2 X Intel i7
Screen Resolution
4KUHD X 2
Is HKCR has the microsoft-edge protocol? If it has, we can change edge.exe (or microsoft-edge) to whatever browser we want.
 

My Computers My Computers

  • At a glance

    Windows 11 HomeCore i5-12450HX20GB DDR5-4800iGPU + RTX 3050 Mobile (6GB)
    OS
    Windows 11 Home
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Lenovo
    CPU
    Core i5-12450HX
    Memory
    20GB DDR5-4800
    Graphics Card(s)
    iGPU + RTX 3050 Mobile (6GB)
    Sound Card
    Realtek
    Monitor(s) Displays
    the built-in laptop screen, and a generic monitor
    Screen Resolution
    1080p * 2
    Hard Drives
    GIGABYTE NVMe SSD 256GB (GP-GSM2NE3256GNTD)
    Micron NVMe SSD 512GB (MTFDKCD512QFM-1BDIAABLA)
    Browser
    Firefox
    Antivirus
    WD
  • At a glance

    Windows 10 ProCore i3-21004GB DDR3-2133iGPU
    Operating System
    Windows 10 Pro
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Dell
    CPU
    Core i3-2100
    Memory
    4GB DDR3-2133
    Graphics card(s)
    iGPU
    Screen Resolution
    1080p
    Antivirus
    WD

My Computers My Computers

  • At a glance

    Windows 11 23H2 22631.2861Intel(R) Core(TM) i7-10700 CPU @ 2.90GHz 2.90...16384 MBytesIntel UHD Graphics 630
    OS
    Windows 11 23H2 22631.2861
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    HP Envy TE01-1xxx
    CPU
    Intel(R) Core(TM) i7-10700 CPU @ 2.90GHz 2.90 GHz
    Motherboard
    16.0GB Dual-Channel Unknown @ 1463MHz (21-21-21-47)
    Memory
    16384 MBytes
    Graphics Card(s)
    Intel UHD Graphics 630
    Sound Card
    Realtek High Definition Audio
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Monitor 1 - Acer 27" Monitor 2 - Acer 27"
    Screen Resolution
    1920 x 1080
    Hard Drives
    WDC PC SN530 SDBPNPZ-512G-1006 (SSD)
    Seagate ST1000DM003-1SB102
    Seagate BUP Slim SCSI Disk Device (SSD)
    PSU
    HP
    Case
    HP
    Cooling
    Standard
    Keyboard
    Logitech Wave K350
    Mouse
    Logitech M705
    Internet Speed
    500 mbps
    Browser
    Firefox
    Antivirus
    Windows Defender
    Other Info
    That's all Folks!
  • At a glance

    Windows 11Intel Core i7 (10th gen) 1070016 GBIntel UHD Graphics 630
    Operating System
    Windows 11
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    HP
    CPU
    Intel Core i7 (10th gen) 10700
    Motherboard
    Intel
    Memory
    16 GB
    Graphics card(s)
    Intel UHD Graphics 630
    Sound Card
    Built-in
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Acer 27" & Samsung 24"
    Screen Resolution
    1920 x
    Hard Drives
    SSD (512 GB)
    HDD (1 TB)
    Seagate
    PSU
    Intel i7 10th Generation
    Case
    HP
    Cooling
    HP/Intel?
    Keyboard
    Logitech Wave K350
    Mouse
    Logitech M705
    Internet Speed
    50 mbps
    Browser
    Firefox 90.2
    Antivirus
    Windows Defender
    Other Info
    Headphone/Microphone Combo
    SuperSpeed USB Type-A (4 on front)
    HP 3-in-One Card Readr
    SuperSpeed USB Type-C
    DVD Writer
I just tried MSEdgeRedirect and it works perfectly i.e. Searches open my default browser which is Firefox. BUT, I now can't even open Edge if I want to. When you click on the edge icon nothing happens. I can't find anything on the GitHub site that mentions this.
 

My Computer My Computer

At a glance

Windows 11 Home v23H2 OS Build 22631.2506Intel Core i3-71008 GBIntel HD Graphics 630 (Kaby Lake-S GT2)
OS
Windows 11 Home v23H2 OS Build 22631.2506
Computer type
PC/Desktop
Manufacturer/Model
HP
CPU
Intel Core i3-7100
Motherboard
HP 82F2
Memory
8 GB
Graphics Card(s)
Intel HD Graphics 630 (Kaby Lake-S GT2)
Sound Card
RealTek
Monitor(s) Displays
HP W2071d
Screen Resolution
1600x900
Hard Drives
Seagate ST1000DM003-1SB102

SAMSUNG MZVLW128HEGR-000H1
Internet Speed
400 Mbs
Browser
Firefox
Antivirus
Windows Defender
A big issue with Edge is it will not do things that Firefox will do. For example I cannot download financial info and have it go to Quicken —- it is dumb and places it in download folder. Firefox and even IE was able to do the direct placement into Quicken.
 

My Computers My Computers

  • At a glance

    windows 10 & 11AMD Ryzen 7X64GbRadeon RX 480 8Gb
    OS
    windows 10 & 11
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    iBuyPower (special build)
    CPU
    AMD Ryzen 7X
    Motherboard
    Asus Prime x370 Pro
    Memory
    64Gb
    Graphics Card(s)
    Radeon RX 480 8Gb
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Samsung UHD 27 inch
    Screen Resolution
    UHD
    Hard Drives
    3 Samsung 1 TB SSD each; 1 Samsung PCIe M.2 at 2 TB
  • At a glance

    Windows 11 proAMD 9 5900X32 GbNvidia GeForce RTX 3080 Ti 12 GB GDDR6X
    Operating System
    Windows 11 pro
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    IBuyPower
    CPU
    AMD 9 5900X
    Motherboard
    Asus x570 ROG Crosshair VIII Dark Hero WI-FI 6E ARGB
    Memory
    32 Gb
    Graphics card(s)
    Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080 Ti 12 GB GDDR6X
    Sound Card
    3D PREMIUM surround sound onboard
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Samsung 32 inch UHD curved monitor
    Screen Resolution
    UHD
    Hard Drives
    Samsung 980 pro 2 tb gen 4 NVMe ssd
    PSU
    850 watt consair RM850X
    Case
    Lian Li LANCOOL ONE tempered glass RGB gaming case
    Cooling
    DEEPCOOL GAMERSTORM RGB 240 mm CASTLE 240EX liquid cooler
    Keyboard
    Ares m.2 gaming keyboard
    Mouse
    Ares m.2 gaming optical mouse
    Internet Speed
    450
    Browser
    Firefox / Edge
    Antivirus
    Windows defender
    Other Info
    With all this gaming rig I am not a gamer!
Desperate are they!?!?!?

000208.png
 

My Computers My Computers

  • At a glance

    Windows 11 Pro
    OS
    Windows 11 Pro
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    ASUS ROG Strix
  • At a glance

    Windows 11 Pro
    Operating System
    Windows 11 Pro
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    ASUS VivoBook
  • ASUS VivoBook 'Lite' ~ Windows 11 Home

My Computers My Computers

  • At a glance

    Windows 10Ryzen 3 3200
    OS
    Windows 10
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    ACER
    CPU
    Ryzen 3 3200
  • At a glance

    Win 10Intel I3
    Operating System
    Win 10
    Computer type
    Tablet
    Manufacturer/Model
    Microsoft Surface Pro 7
    CPU
    Intel I3
I still had no issues setting Firefox as my default. Yes.. there are issues when using the start search using Edge but how many use that?? Enough I guess.
 

My Computer My Computer

At a glance

Windows 11 Home(Beta) - 25H2 -26220.9022AMD Ryzen 5 5600GG.SKILL Ripjaws V Series 64GB 4x16Nvidia geforce gtx titan x
OS
Windows 11 Home(Beta) - 25H2 -26220.9022
Computer type
PC/Desktop
Manufacturer/Model
Banana Junior 5600-G Series
CPU
AMD Ryzen 5 5600G
Motherboard
Asus ROG Strix B550-F
Memory
G.SKILL Ripjaws V Series 64GB 4x16
Graphics Card(s)
Nvidia geforce gtx titan x
Monitor(s) Displays
28" ASUS VP28U 4k
Screen Resolution
4K
Hard Drives
Primary SAMSUNG 970 EVO Plus
PSU
EVGA BQ 700w 80+ Bronze
Case
Zalman i3 NEO
Cooling
ARCTIC Freezer 7 X
Keyboard
Corsair
Mouse
Amazon Generic with Cord
Internet Speed
Download: 295.11 mbps Upload: 65.35 mbps T-Mobile Internet
Browser
Firefox and Edge
Antivirus
MS - Defender
Other Info
Speakers: Klipsch ProMedia 2.1
@Wynona I very much disliked seeing Bing search results which I searched from the start search because I do my web searching straight from my browser of choice (Firefox) using my choice of search engine. In my case it wasn't my dislike of Edge so much as it was I didn't want to see any web searches in start search at all. I use it strictly for searching the operating system. I solved the issue by turning off web search in start search. Most of the comments in this thread are from power users who probably already know this, but for anyone who doesn't know that might be reading this thread, here's how.
Method 1-Group Policy Editor in Windows Pro
Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > Search
Enable “Do not allow web search,” and “Don’t search the web or display web results in Search.”
Method 2 -Regedit in Windows Pro or Home
search for regedit and open the Registy Editor app.
Navigate to Computer\HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows
right-click on the Windows folder and select New > Key. Name the key Explorer.
Now, right-click on the Explorer folder and select New > DWORD (32-bit) Value. Name this value DisableSearchBoxSuggestions.
Then double-click the DisableSearchBoxSuggestions to edit its value data. Type 1 in the Value data field and then click OK.

Navigate to Computer\HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Search
On the right sidebar of the Search folder, right-click on the free space and then select New > DWORD (32-bit) Value. Name it BingSearchEnabled.
Double-click on BingSearchEnabled to edit its value. Set the Value data to 0 and then click OK.
Again, right-click on the free space on the right sidebar and then select New > DWORD (32-bit) Value. Name it CortanaConsent.
Double-click the CortanaConsent and set its Value data to 0.

Using either method, after a reboot you will no longer see any web searches when using Start Search.
 
Last edited:

My Computers My Computers

  • At a glance

    Windows 11 Pro 25H2 26200.9168i9-10900 10 core 20 threads32 gbnone-Intel UHD Graphics 630
    OS
    Windows 11 Pro 25H2 26200.9168
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Dell Optiplex 7080
    CPU
    i9-10900 10 core 20 threads
    Motherboard
    DELL 0J37VM
    Memory
    32 gb
    Graphics Card(s)
    none-Intel UHD Graphics 630
    Sound Card
    Integrated Realtek
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Benq 27
    Screen Resolution
    2560x1440
    Hard Drives
    2x1tb Solidigm m.2 nvme /External drives 512gb Samsung m.2 sata+2tb Kingston m2.nvme
    PSU
    500w
    Case
    MT
    Cooling
    Dell Premium
    Keyboard
    Logitech wired
    Mouse
    Logitech wireless
    Internet Speed
    so slow I'm too embarrassed to tell
    Browser
    #1 Edge #2 Firefox
    Antivirus
    Defender+MWB Premium
  • At a glance

    Windows 11 Pro 24H2 26200.9168AMD Ryzen 7 6800U32 gbintegrated
    Operating System
    Windows 11 Pro 24H2 26200.9168
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Beelink Mini PC SER5
    CPU
    AMD Ryzen 7 6800U
    Memory
    32 gb
    Graphics card(s)
    integrated
    Sound Card
    integrated
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Benq 27
    Screen Resolution
    2560x1440
    Hard Drives
    1TB Crucial nvme
    Keyboard
    Logitech wired
    Mouse
    Logitech wireless
    Internet Speed
    still too embarrassed to tell
    Browser
    Firefox
    Antivirus
    Defender
  • System 3 is non compliant Dell 9020 i7-4770/24gb ram Win11 PRO 26200.9168
@Wynona I very much disliked seeing Bing search results which I searched from the start search because I do my web searching straight from my browser of choice (Firefox) using my choice of search engine. In my case it wasn't my dislike of Edge so much as it was I didn't want to see any web searches in start search at all. I use it strictly for searching the operating system. I solved the issue by turning off web search in start search. Most of the comments in this thread are from power users who probably already know this, but for anyone who doesn't know that might be reading this thread, here's how.
Method 1-Group Policy Editor in Windows Pro
Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > Search
Enable “Do not allow web search,” and “Don’t search the web or display web results in Search.”
Method 2 -Regedit in Windows Pro or Home
search for regedit and open the Registy Editor app.
Navigate to Computer\HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows
right-click on the Windows folder and select New > Key. Name the key Explorer.
Now, right-click on the Explorer folder and select New > DWORD (32-bit) Value. Name this value DisableSearchBoxSuggestions.
Then double-click the DisableSearchBoxSuggestions to edit its value data. Type 1 in the Value data field and then click OK.

Navigate to Computer\HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Search
On the right sidebar of the Search folder, right-click on the free space and then select New > DWORD (32-bit) Value. Name it BingSearchEnabled.
Double-click on BingSearchEnabled to edit its value. Set the Value data to 0 and then click OK.
Again, right-click on the free space on the right sidebar and then select New > DWORD (32-bit) Value. Name it CortanaConsent.
Double-click the CortanaConsent and set its Value data to 0.

Using either method, after a reboot you will no longer see any web searches when using Start Search.
Re: Bing Search . . . I go into Firefox Settings>Search and eliminate all search engines, leaving only DuckDuckGo.

Re: Eliminating Web Search . . . I want Search to go to the Web when necessary, but with Firefox. So far, that's working for me. I realize it may not work with the next update, but I'll take my chances.

Since all searches are working as I want them to, I think I'll leave well enough alone. ;)
 

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  • At a glance

    Windows 11 23H2 22631.2861Intel(R) Core(TM) i7-10700 CPU @ 2.90GHz 2.90...16384 MBytesIntel UHD Graphics 630
    OS
    Windows 11 23H2 22631.2861
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    HP Envy TE01-1xxx
    CPU
    Intel(R) Core(TM) i7-10700 CPU @ 2.90GHz 2.90 GHz
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    16.0GB Dual-Channel Unknown @ 1463MHz (21-21-21-47)
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    That's all Folks!
  • At a glance

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    Windows 11
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    HP
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    Intel Core i7 (10th gen) 10700
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    Intel
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    SuperSpeed USB Type-C
    DVD Writer
@WynonaMost of the comments in this thread are from power users who probably already know this, but for anyone who doesn't know that might be reading this thread, here's how.
Method 1-Group Policy Editor in Windows Pro
Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > Search
Enable “Do not allow web search,” and “Don’t search the web or display web results in Search.”
Method 2 -Regedit in Windows Pro or Home
search for regedit and open the Registy Editor app.
Navigate to Computer\HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows
right-click on the Windows folder and select New > Key. Name the key Explorer.
Now, right-click on the Explorer folder and select New > DWORD (32-bit) Value. Name this value DisableSearchBoxSuggestions.
Then double-click the DisableSearchBoxSuggestions to edit its value data. Type 1 in the Value data field and then click OK.

Navigate to Computer\HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Search
On the right sidebar of the Search folder, right-click on the free space and then select New > DWORD (32-bit) Value. Name it BingSearchEnabled.
Double-click on BingSearchEnabled to edit its value. Set the Value data to 0 and then click OK.
Again, right-click on the free space on the right sidebar and then select New > DWORD (32-bit) Value. Name it CortanaConsent.
Double-click the CortanaConsent and set its Value data to 0.

Using either method, after a reboot you will no longer see any web searches when using Start Search.
Do you think those tweaks would survive the next Cumulative Update? It's a royal PITA to have to keep doing the hacks, but it also can be satisfying.
 

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    Windows 11 Pro 25H2 (OS Build 26200.8524)AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 w/Radeon 890M32GBNVIDIA GeForce RTX 4050 (and IGP Radeon 890M)
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    Windows 11 Pro 25H2 (OS Build 26200.8524)
    Computer type
    Laptop
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    ASUS - ProArt PX13
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    AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 w/Radeon 890M
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    AMI HN7306WU
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    Vivaldi, Brave, Edge
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  • At a glance

    Windows 11 Pro, 21H2 (Build 22000.376)i7-8650U16 GBiGPU (Intel® UHD Graphics 620)
    Operating System
    Windows 11 Pro, 21H2 (Build 22000.376)
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    Tablet
    Manufacturer/Model
    Surface Pro 6
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    i7-8650U
    Memory
    16 GB
    Graphics card(s)
    iGPU (Intel® UHD Graphics 620)
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    Dell P2415Q
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    512GB PCIe Gen 3 x2 SSD
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Do you think those tweaks would survive the next Cumulative Update?
For the most part, tweaks survive, especially those made in HKCU. Tweaks made in HKLM do sometimes revert with the annual windows version update but once I do them, I export the change and whenever they break again, I have everything back with 2 clicks of a mouse. The monthly cumulatives usually don't affect them. Making tweaks isn't the satisfying part for me. It's the chase of finding them and everything I learn along the way. I'm not smart enough to figure them out myself, but I have great respect for anyone who can. The cherry on top is the end result.
 

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  • At a glance

    Windows 11 Pro 25H2 26200.9168i9-10900 10 core 20 threads32 gbnone-Intel UHD Graphics 630
    OS
    Windows 11 Pro 25H2 26200.9168
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Dell Optiplex 7080
    CPU
    i9-10900 10 core 20 threads
    Motherboard
    DELL 0J37VM
    Memory
    32 gb
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    none-Intel UHD Graphics 630
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    Integrated Realtek
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    2560x1440
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    500w
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    MT
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    Logitech wired
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    Logitech wireless
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    so slow I'm too embarrassed to tell
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    #1 Edge #2 Firefox
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    Defender+MWB Premium
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    Windows 11 Pro 24H2 26200.9168AMD Ryzen 7 6800U32 gbintegrated
    Operating System
    Windows 11 Pro 24H2 26200.9168
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Beelink Mini PC SER5
    CPU
    AMD Ryzen 7 6800U
    Memory
    32 gb
    Graphics card(s)
    integrated
    Sound Card
    integrated
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Benq 27
    Screen Resolution
    2560x1440
    Hard Drives
    1TB Crucial nvme
    Keyboard
    Logitech wired
    Mouse
    Logitech wireless
    Internet Speed
    still too embarrassed to tell
    Browser
    Firefox
    Antivirus
    Defender
  • System 3 is non compliant Dell 9020 i7-4770/24gb ram Win11 PRO 26200.9168
For the most part, tweaks survive, especially those made in HKCU. Tweaks made in HKLM do sometimes revert with the annual windows version update but once I do them, I export the change and whenever they break again, I have everything back with 2 clicks of a mouse. The monthly cumulatives usually don't affect them. Making tweaks isn't the satisfying part for me. It's the chase of finding them and everything I learn along the way. I'm not smart enough to figure them out myself, but I have great respect for anyone who can. The cherry on top is the end result.
Thanks! I never thought of exporting the change. I will do that next time I need to tweak something contrary to MS's wishes.
 

My Computers My Computers

  • At a glance

    Windows 11 Pro 25H2 (OS Build 26200.8524)AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 w/Radeon 890M32GBNVIDIA GeForce RTX 4050 (and IGP Radeon 890M)
    OS
    Windows 11 Pro 25H2 (OS Build 26200.8524)
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    ASUS - ProArt PX13
    CPU
    AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 w/Radeon 890M
    Motherboard
    AMI HN7306WU
    Memory
    32GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4050 (and IGP Radeon 890M)
    Monitor(s) Displays
    external 24" Dell P2415Q
    Screen Resolution
    3840 x 2160 on external Dell, 2880 x 1800 on laptop screen
    Hard Drives
    1TB WD SSD
    Browser
    Vivaldi, Brave, Edge
    Antivirus
    Avast (free version)
  • At a glance

    Windows 11 Pro, 21H2 (Build 22000.376)i7-8650U16 GBiGPU (Intel® UHD Graphics 620)
    Operating System
    Windows 11 Pro, 21H2 (Build 22000.376)
    Computer type
    Tablet
    Manufacturer/Model
    Surface Pro 6
    CPU
    i7-8650U
    Memory
    16 GB
    Graphics card(s)
    iGPU (Intel® UHD Graphics 620)
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Dell P2415Q
    Screen Resolution
    3840 x 2160 on external Dell, 2736 x 1824 on SP6 screen
    Hard Drives
    512GB PCIe Gen 3 x2 SSD
    Browser
    Vivaldi, Comodo Dragon, Edge
    Antivirus
    Avast (free edition)
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