How to Disable Bing Search in the Windows 11 Start Menu

Why Disable Bing Search in the Start Menu?

Whenever you press the Windows key to search for a local app, file, or setting on your computer, Windows 11 attempts to search the web using Bing at the same time. This behavior not only clutters your Start menu with irrelevant web suggestions, but it also slows down your local search performance and sends your keystrokes directly to Microsoft's servers. By disabling this feature, you can make your Start menu search lightning-fast and strictly local.

Because Microsoft does not provide a simple toggle switch in the standard Settings app to turn this off, you will need to perform a quick and safe registry edit. Here is how to do it in under five minutes.

Step 1: Open the Windows Registry Editor

To make this change, you will need to access the Windows Registry. Be sure to follow these steps exactly, as modifying unrelated registry keys can cause system instability.

• Press the Windows Key + R on your keyboard to open the Run dialog box.
• Type regedit into the text field and press Enter or click OK.
• If a User Account Control (UAC) prompt appears asking for permission, click Yes to proceed.

Step 2: Navigate to the Explorer Policies Key

Once the Registry Editor window is open, you will need to navigate to the specific folder where search policies are configured.

• In the left sidebar of the Registry Editor, navigate through the folders by expanding them in this order: HKEY_CURRENT_USER > Software > Policies > Microsoft > Windows.
• Check if there is a folder named Explorer under the Windows folder.
• If you do not see an Explorer folder, right-click on the Windows folder, hover over New, select Key, and name it Explorer.

Step 3: Create the DisableSearchBoxSuggestions Value

Now, you will create a new registry entry inside the Explorer folder to block Bing search results.

• Click on the Explorer folder in the left sidebar to select it.
• Right-click on any empty space inside the right-hand pane, hover over New, and select DWORD (32-bit) Value.
• Name this new value exactly DisableSearchBoxSuggestions and press Enter. (Capitalization matters, so ensure there are no spaces or typos).

Step 4: Edit the Value Data

By default, newly created registry values are set to "0" (disabled). You need to change this to "1" to enable the block.

• Double-click the newly created DisableSearchBoxSuggestions value in the right pane.
• In the "Value data" field, delete the 0 and type 1.
• Leave the Base set to Hexadecimal, then click OK.

Step 5: Restart Windows Explorer to Apply Changes

You do not need to restart your entire computer to apply this change. You can simply restart the Windows user interface process.

• Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc on your keyboard to open the Task Manager.
• Under the "Processes" tab, scroll down until you find Windows Explorer.
• Right-click on Windows Explorer and select Restart. Your taskbar and desktop icons will briefly disappear and reappear; this is completely normal.

Enjoy a Cleaner, Faster Start Menu

Close the Registry Editor. Press the Windows key on your keyboard and type a search query. You will notice that the Start menu now only displays local files, applications, and system settings. The laggy web search panel is gone, giving you a cleaner interface and a much faster desktop navigation experience.