8

Hello there lovely people,

I found a similar post of what I desire, but it was not helpful as the UI and settings available has changed in an update:

How can web search be disabled in the Windows 10 Anniversary Update (Build 1607)?

I don't want to see random factoids like "How are the Red Sox doing?" or, "What's a Spartan?"

How do I limit or prevent Cortana's ability to reach the web? Before the text changed to "Search Windows", instead of "Ask me anything". I'm looking for the same thing. I only need the search bar for searching my personal computer.

I've learned that the new updates integrate Cortana with windows search even more than before, and everything I read about is not relevant to the newest updates (or not helpful).

Any insights?

Improve this question

2 Answers 2

Reset to default
5

some of the web search settings have changed if you have a clean install of the Anniversary update (1607).

  1. Go to Local Group Policy Editor ("gpedit.msc")
  2. Computer Configuration -> Administrative Templates
  3. Windows Components -> Search
  4. Enable "Do not allow web search"
  5. Disable "Allow Cortana"

Apply and restart.

Note that Group Policy is not available in the "Home" editions of Windows.

Improve this answer
4
  • 2
    Exactly what I'm looking for! This changes the text from "ask me anything" to "search windows"
    – Muradin007
    Commented Sep 27, 2016 at 3:13
  • 1
    This is the easiest way? I wonder how Microsoft is getting away with this. I mean, they were sued for including Windows Media Player just ten something years ago, but now they are practically forcing users to use their Bing (disabling web search from Start menu search is very cumbersome for normal users, and it does not allow users to change to another search engine such as Google).
    – Damn Vegetables
    Commented Jan 2, 2017 at 20:43
  • I also had to enable "Don't search the web or display web results in Search" in Windows 10 version 1803.
    – User5910
    Commented Jul 19, 2018 at 21:33
  • 2
    Win10 Version 1803: These settings still won't block the "See web results" entry in the "Search Suggestions" section. At least the web results are not displayed if you don't click it.
    – User5910
    Commented Aug 17, 2018 at 15:14
0

The group policy to disable web searching is no longer effective.

In the registry, under key
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Explorer
Set (DWORD) DisableSearchBoxSuggestions = 1, creating keys and values as needed.

To disable for all users, use path
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Explorer

Improve this answer

You must log in to answer this question.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged .