Enable or Disable Show Cloud Content in Search Results in Windows 10  

    Enable or Disable Show Cloud Content in Search Results in Windows 10

    Enable or Disable Show Cloud Content in Search Results in Windows 10

    How to Enable or Disable Show Cloud Content in Search Results in Windows 10
    Published by Category: Apps & Features
    25 May 2022
    Designer Media Ltd

    How to Enable or Disable Show Cloud Content in Search Results in Windows 10


    Search on your taskbar makes it easier for you to search the web and Windows.

    Starting with Windows 10 build 16237, Microsoft added a new option to Cortana to enable or disable showing your cloud content in the search results.

    Cortana and Search has been separated starting with Windows 10 version 1903.

    Windows Search can personalize your search results by including your content from OneDrive, SharePoint, Outlook, Bing, and other services.

    You can allow Windows Search to provide results from the apps and services that you are signed in to with your Microsoft account and/or your work or school account.

    This tutorial will show you how to turn on or off Windows Cloud Search showing cloud content in the search results for your account or all users in Windows 10.


    Contents

    • Option One: Turn On or Off show Cloud Content in Search Results for Current User in Settings
    • Option Two: Turn On or Off show Cloud Content in Search Results for Current User in Search
    • Option Three: Turn On or Off show Cloud Content in Search Results for Current User using a REG file
    • Option Four: Enable or Disable show Cloud Content in Search Results for All Users in Local Group Policy Editor
    • Option Five: Enable or Disable show Cloud Content in Search Results for All Users using a REG file






    OPTION ONE

    Turn On or Off Show Cloud Content in Search Results for Current User in Settings


    1 Open Settings, and click/tap on the Search icon.

    2 Click/tap on Permissions & History on the left side. (see screenshot below)

    3 Turn On or Off (default) Microsoft account for what you want under Cloud content search on the right side.

    4 Turn On or Off (default) Work or School account for what you want under Cloud content search on the right side.

    5 You can now close Settings if you like.

    Enable or Disable Show Cloud Content in Search Results in Windows 10-cloud_content_search.png






    OPTION TWO

    Turn On or Off Show Cloud Content in Search Results for Current User in Search


    1 Open Search (Win+S).

    2 Click/tap on the Options (3 dots) button, and click/tap on either Turn on cloud search for your Microsoft account or Turn on cloud search for your work or school account. (see screenshot below)

    Enable or Disable Show Cloud Content in Search Results in Windows 10-search.jpg

    3 Turn On or Off (default) Microsoft account for what you want under Cloud content search on the right side. (see screenshot below)

    4 Turn On or Off (default) Work or School account for what you want under Cloud content search on the right side. (see screenshot below)

    5 You can now close Settings if you like.

    Enable or Disable Show Cloud Content in Search Results in Windows 10-cloud_content_search.png






    OPTION THREE

    Turn On or Off show Cloud Content in Search Results for Current User using a REG file


    1 Do step 2 (Microsoft account) and/or step 3 (Work or School account) below for which type of account you want to turn on or off Cloud content search.


     2. To Turn On or Off Cloud Content Search for Microsoft Account

    The downloaded .reg files below will modify the DWORD value in the registry key below.

    HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\SearchSettings

    IsMSACloudSearchEnabled DWORD

    0 = Off
    1 = On


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

    Turn_ON_Cloud_content_search_for_Microsoft_account.reg

    Download

    OR

    Turn_OFF_Cloud_content_search_for_Microsoft_account.reg

    This is the default setting.

    Download


     3. To Turn On or Off Cloud Content Search for Work or School Account

    The downloaded .reg files below will modify the DWORD value in the registry key below.

    HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\SearchSettings

    IsAADCloudSearchEnabled DWORD

    0 = Off
    1 = On


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

    Turn_ON_Cloud_content_search_for_Work_or_School_account.reg

    Download

    OR

    Turn_OFF_Cloud_content_search_for_Work_or_School_account.reg

    This is the default setting.

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






    OPTION FOUR

    Enable or Disable Show Cloud Content in Search Results for All Users in Local Group Policy Editor


    You must be signed in as an administrator to do this option.

    If enabled or disabled, this option will override and gray out Option One, Option Two, and Option Three.

    The Local Group Policy Editor is only available in the Windows 10 Pro, Enterprise, and Education editions.

    All editions can use Option Five.


    1 Open the Local Group Policy Editor.

    2 In the left pane of Local Group Policy Editor, navigate to the location below. (see screenshot below)

    Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Search

    Enable or Disable Show Cloud Content in Search Results in Windows 10-cortana_cloud_search_gpedit-1.jpg

    3 In the right pane of Search, double click/tap on the Allow Cloud Search policy to edit it. (see screenshot above)

    4 Do step 5 (always enable), step 6 (disable), or step 7 (default) below for what you would like to do.


    5 To Always Enable Show Cloud Content in Search Results

    A) Select (dot) Enabled, select Enable Cloud Search in the "Cloud Search Setting" drop down menu, click/tap on OK, and go to step 8 below. (see screenshot below)


    6 To Disable Show Cloud Content in Search Results

    A) Select (dot) Enabled, select Disable Cloud Search in the "Cloud Search Setting" drop down menu, click/tap on OK, and go to step 8 below. (see screenshot below)


    7 Default (user choice) Show Cloud Content in Search Results

    A) Select (dot) Not Configured, click/tap on OK, and go to step 8 below. (see screenshot below)

    Enable or Disable Show Cloud Content in Search Results in Windows 10-cortana_cloud_search_gpedit-2.jpg


    8 When finished, you can close Local Group Policy Editor if you like.






    OPTION FIVE

    Enable or Disable Show Cloud Content in Search Results for All Users using a REG file


    You must be signed in as an administrator to do this option.

    If enabled or disabled, this option will override and gray out Option One, Option Two, and Option Three.

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

    HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Windows Search

    AllowCloudSearch DWORD

    (delete) = Default
    0 = Disable
    1 = Always enable


    1 Do step 2 (always enable), step 3 (disable), or step 4 (default) below for what you would like to do.


    2 To Always Enable Show Cloud Content in Search Results

    A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the file below, and go to step 5 below.

    Always_enable_Cloud_Search_for_all_users.reg

    Download


    3 To Disable Show Cloud Content in Search Results

    A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the file below, and go to step 5 below.

    Disable_Cloud_Search_for_all_users.reg

    Download


    4 Default (user choice) Show Cloud Content in Search Results

    This is the default setting.

    A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the file below, and go to step 5 below.

    Default_user_choice_Cloud_Search.reg

    Download


    5 Save the .reg file to your desktop.

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

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

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


    That's it,
    Shawn






  1. Posts : 68,662
    64-bit Windows 11 Pro for Workstations
       #1

    Tutorial updated to add Option 2 and 3 to enable or disable Cortana Cloud Search for all users using a group policy.
      My Computers


  2. Posts : 68,662
    64-bit Windows 11 Pro for Workstations
    Thread Starter
       #2

    Tutorial updated for Windows 10 May 2019 Update version 1903.
      My Computers


  3. Posts : 42
    Windows 10 x64
       #3

    Hi, Windows Cloud Search enable/disable registry tweak here works but totally disable it, how to just keep it enabled and turn it on/off via registry? possible? thanks
      My Computer


  4. Posts : 68,662
    64-bit Windows 11 Pro for Workstations
    Thread Starter
       #4

    Kishvand said:
    Hi, Windows Cloud Search enable/disable registry tweak here works but totally disable it, how to just keep it enabled and turn it on/off via registry? possible? thanks

    I haven't been able to find a viable registry setting for Option 1 yet.
      My Computers


  5. Posts : 113
    Windows 10
       #5

    In Windows 1903, the search option does not show web as a search location, is this limited to regions were Cortana is supported? If not how do I enable the search to also search the web?
      My Computer


  6. Posts : 68,662
    64-bit Windows 11 Pro for Workstations
    Thread Starter
       #6

    PurSpyk said:
    In Windows 1903, the search option does not show web as a search location, is this limited to regions were Cortana is supported? If not how do I enable the search to also search the web?

    Hello,

    You might also check the tutorial below to see if you may be able to turn on Web search results with it.

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


  7. Posts : 5
    10 Pro x64 19041
       #7

    The Settings options have registry values that weren't listed in this guide.

    [HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\SearchSettings]
    "IsMSACloudSearchEnabled"=dword:00000000
    "IsAADCloudSearchEnabled"=dword:00000000

    0 = disabled
    1 = enabled
    deleted = default

    IsMSACloudSearchEnabled = the "Microsoft account" Settings option
    IsAADCloudSearchEnabled = the "Work or School account" Settings option

    Edit: Also I'd imagine there's a value for the "Windows Cloud Search" option in Settings, but I don't have that option to test. I assume either something else I did removed the display of that option or it longer exists on 19041.508. Any idea?

    Enable or Disable Show Cloud Content in Search Results in Windows 10-no-cloud-search-toggle.png

    - - - Updated - - -

    I don't see a way to edit my previous post. There must a be a max time you can edit? Anyways, I'm now thinking I don't have the "Windows Cloud Search" option because I'm using a local account and not signed in with a Microsoft account. Can anyone confirm?

    Also there's a minor typo under Option Three - Step 3. It mentions "Disable_Cortana_Search_for_all_users.reg" but the file downloaded is named "Disable_Cloud_Search_for_all_users.reg". I assume this was just the name of reg file from an older version of the guide.
    Last edited by Feral; 18 Sep 2020 at 07:30.
      My Computer


  8. Posts : 68,662
    64-bit Windows 11 Pro for Workstations
    Thread Starter
       #8

    Thank you @Feral. The tutorial has now been updated for these changes in Settings.
      My Computers


 

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