Typing into the Windows Start Menu search often pulls up unwanted web results from Bing. This registry tweak removes these online suggestions, keeping your search local and focused.

The Fix

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Explorer]
"DisableSearchBoxSuggestions"=dword:00000001

Why it works

  • This registry setting specifically tells Windows Explorer to disable suggestions from online search providers when using the Start Menu search box, forcing it to prioritize local results.

Verify

  • After applying the registry change, restart your computer or restart explorer.exe (via Task Manager).
  • Open the Start Menu, start typing a search query, and confirm that no web results or Bing suggestions appear.

Notes

  • Requires Administrator privileges.
  • You may need to restart explorer.exe or reboot your machine for the changes to take effect.
  • This tweak is specific to the current user (HKEY_CURRENT_USER). For a system-wide change, it would need to be applied in HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE (and potentially affect all users).

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