How-To Guide for Disabling Bing in the Windows 11 Start Menu

Authored by: Support.com Tech Pro Team

Disabling Bing in the Windows 11 Start Menu

By default, the Windows 11 Start Menu includes web results from Bing when you search for applications or files. If you prefer to disable this feature, here's how to do it.

Using Settings:

Click on the "Start" button to open the Start Menu.

Click on the "Settings" (gear) icon to open the Windows Settings.

In the Settings window, select "Privacy & Security."

Click on "Search" in the left-hand menu.

Under "Search on Start," you will see an option called "Search online and include web results." Turn this option off.

Using Group Policy Editor (Pro Edition):

Press "Win + R" to open the Run dialog.

Type gpedit.msc and press "Enter" to open the Local Group Policy Editor.

In the left pane, navigate to "Computer Configuration" > "Administrative Templates" > "Windows Components" > "Search."

In the right pane, find "Do not use the search-based method when resolving shell shortcuts" and double-click it.

Select "Enabled," and then click "Apply" and "OK."

Close the Group Policy Editor.

Press "Win + X" and select "Windows Terminal (Admin)" to open a Command Prompt with administrator privileges.

In the Command Prompt, type gpupdate /force and press "Enter" to force a policy update.

Using Registry Editor (Pro Edition):

Press "Win + R" to open the Run dialog.

Type regedit and press "Enter" to open the Registry Editor.

Navigate to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Search\Flighting\0\SearchBoxOnIdiom.

In the right pane, right-click and choose "New" > "DWORD (32-bit) Value."

Name the new value Override and set its value to 0 to disable Bing.

Restart your computer to apply the changes.

Disabling Bing in the Windows 11 Start Menu can provide a more localized search experience. Whether you choose to use the Settings, Group Policy Editor, or Registry Editor, you can easily turn off this feature to customize your Windows experience.

Contact Support.Com: