Turn On or Off Search online and include web results in Windows 10  

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    Turn On or Off Search online and include web results in Windows 10

    Turn On or Off Search online and include web results in Windows 10

    How to Turn On or Off Search online and include web results from Bing in Windows 10
    Published by Category: General Tips
    25 May 2022
    Designer Media Ltd

    How to Turn On or Off Search online and include web results from Bing in Windows 10



    You can type what you're looking for in the search box (Win+S) on the taskbar. You'll get suggestions and answers to your questions, and search results from your PC (My stuff) and the Internet (Web).

    If you turn on search online and include web results, search will use your previous Bing searches, and locations (if available) to improve search suggestions and provide web results. After you type a search term, you can click/tap on My stuff to find results for files, apps, settings, photos, videos, and music across your PC and OneDrive, or click/tap on Web to find results on the internet.

    If you turn off search online and include web results, search will not provide web results, or use my location or online search history. After you type a search term, you can click/tap on Search my stuff to find results for files, apps, settings, photos, videos, and music across your PC and OneDrive.

    Starting with Windows 10 build 18317, Microsoft separated Search and Cortana.

    This tutorial will show you how to turn on or off search online and include web results from Bing for only your account when you do a search on the taskbar in Windows 10.

    Bing "web" search results in Windows 10 is not available in all regions. It is available in at least the United States region.


    This tutorial will only work in Windows 10 version 1909, 2004, 20H2, and higher.



    EXAMPLE: Bing "Web" search results turned on and off
    Turn On or Off Search online and include web results in Windows 10-bing_search_results-.png Turn On or Off Search online and include web results in Windows 10-bing_search_results-off.png



    Here's How:

    The downloadable .reg files below will add and modify the DWORD value in the registry key below.

    HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Explorer

    DisableSearchBoxSuggestions DWORD

    (delete) or 0 = On
    1 = Off


    1 Do step 2 (on) or step 3 (off) below for what you would like to do.


    2 To Turn On Search online and include web results from Bing

    This is the default setting.

    A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the file below, and go to step 4 below.

    Turn_On_Search_web_results.reg

    Download


    3 To Turn Off Search online and include web results from Bing

    A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the file below, and go to step 4 below.

    Turn_Off_Search_web_results.reg

    Download


    4 Save the .reg file to your desktop.

    5 Double click/tap on the downloaded .reg file to merge it.

    6 When prompted, click/tap on Run, Yes (UAC), Yes, and OK to approve the merge.

    7 Either restart the explorer process, sign out and sign in, or Restart the computer to apply.

    8 You can now delete the downloaded .reg file if you like.


    That's it,
    Shawn






  1. Posts : 1,092
    Win 10 Pro x64
       #1

    Apparently once you flip that switch it's gone forever?

    Turn On or Off Search online and include web results in Windows 10-2016-03-16_22h24_08.png

    I re-enabled it but that switch is still missing even after a restart.
      My Computer


  2. Posts : 68,543
    64-bit Windows 11 Pro for Workstations
    Thread Starter
       #2

    Odd. Is Cortana turned on when this happens?

    If so, does it return if Cortana is turned off?
      My Computers


  3. Posts : 1,092
    Win 10 Pro x64
       #3

    Yeah it was on, turning off Cortana does bring it back though, didn't think of that one.

    Thanks Shawn.
      My Computer


  4. Posts : 15,426
    Windows10
       #4

    Version 1803 has altered Cortana/Search for even PRO so you can no longer turn of web searches in Cortana using gpedit.msc or a simple regedits. It is still possible to turn it off using following regedit. I do not know how to reverse it though.

    Code:
    Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00
    
    [HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Search]
    "CortanaConsent"=dword:00000000
    "AllowSearchToUseLocation"=dword:00000000
    "BingSearchEnabled"=dword:00000000
    
    [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Windows Search]
    "ConnectedSearchUseWebOverMeteredConnections"=dword:00000000
    "AllowCortana"=dword:00000000
    "DisableWebSearch"=dword:00000001
    "ConnectedSearchUseWeb"=dword:00000000
      My Computer


  5. Posts : 26,406
    Windows 11 Pro 22631.3296
       #5

    cereberus said:
    Version 1803 has altered Cortana/Search for even PRO so you can no longer turn of web searches in Cortana using gpedit.msc or a simple regedits. It is still possible to turn it off using following regedit. I do not know how to reverse it though.

    Code:
    Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00
    
    [HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Search]
    "CortanaConsent"=dword:00000000
    "AllowSearchToUseLocation"=dword:00000000
    "BingSearchEnabled"=dword:00000000
    
    [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Windows Search]
    "ConnectedSearchUseWebOverMeteredConnections"=dword:00000000
    "AllowCortana"=dword:00000000
    "DisableWebSearch"=dword:00000001
    "ConnectedSearchUseWeb"=dword:00000000
    Backup your registry before applying it.
      My Computer


  6. Posts : 1
    windows 10 pro
       #6

    Worked for my Admin account but not for other user account


    I merged the regedits above and it worked for my admin account, but when I go to the other user account the websearch still appears just as before. Do I need to do something additional to apply it to the other account?
      My Computer


  7. Posts : 42,636
    Win 10 Pro (22H2) (2nd PC is 22H2)
       #7

    Notice how the regedits above include
    [HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Search]
    "CortanaConsent"=dword:00000000
    "AllowSearchToUseLocation"=dword:00000000
    "BingSearchEnabled"=dword:00000000

    - current user = the one when you merged that. It would follow that that would not apply to any other users, so it seems reasonable that that's what you'd need to deal with.
      My Computers


  8. Posts : 750
    Windows 10 Pro 64-bits
       #8

    Windows 10 Professional "N" Edition only...


    For Windows 10 Pro "N" 64-bit version 1809, modifying the "HKEY_CURRENT_USER" or "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE" registry hives did not disable Cortana web search. On the other hand, modifying the "HKEY_USERS" registry hive did:

    Run the following command to get your currently logged UID's SID:

    Code:
    wmic useraccount get name,sid
    Find the SID ("My SID") in the "HKEY_USERS" hive and add the three registry DWORD below:
    Code:
    Computer\HKEY_USERS\"My SID*"\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Search]
    „BingSearchEnabled“=dword:00000000
    „AllowSearchToUseLocation“=dword:00000000„
    CortanaConsent“=dword:00000000
    *-"My SID" = the actual logged on SID
    This can be done with standard UID, no need for admin account since it's a user account. Well, unless you're logged in as admin, then you change your admin account's Cortana web search settings.

    This works since the Media Feature Pack for N Editions adds Cortana, but is just an app and not integrated part of the Windows OS. And just like in any app, the end user is free to make configuration change to the app.

    Makes me wonder, would changing the "HKEY_USERS" hive for the Windows Home Edition work as well?
      My Computer


  9. Posts : 68,543
    64-bit Windows 11 Pro for Workstations
    Thread Starter
       #9

    Hello @Cr00zng,

    I just tested this .reg files in build 18282 to see if anything changed, and they're still working for me. I don't even have to sign out/on to apply anymore either.
      My Computers


 

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