Disable search suggestions

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Works with Windows 10 and 11Works with Windows Vista, XP, 7, 8, 10, 11, and Windows Server 2008 or newer.

• Windows onlyThis script improves your privacy on Windows
• Multiple actionsThis page belongs to a category, containing some changes with similar goal.
• Impact: Minimum

  System Functionality / Data Loss Risk: Low

  This action improves privacy with minimal impact when you run the recommended script.

• Batch (batchfile)These changes use Windows system commands to update your settings.
• 5 scripts
• No subcategories
• Administrator rights requiredThis script requires privilege access to do the system changes
• Fully reversible

  You can fully restore this action (revert back to the original behavior) using this website.

  The restore/revert methods provided here can help you fix issues.

Overview

This category focuses on enhancing privacy by disabling various search suggestions in Windows, commonly associated with Cortana ¹. Cortana is a digital assistant integrated into Windows Search, capable of collecting extensive personal data to provide its services ². This includes your search queries, contact information, location, voice inputs, browsing history, and details from emails, calendars, and communication history ².

These scripts are designed to limit the amount of personal data shared with Microsoft, preventing your typed searches from being sent to Bing for search recommendations, even when Cortana is inactive ².

Safe for General Use

All actions in this script is recommended for all users. This is recommended for all users to improve without any noticeable impact on the system functionality.

Sources

PrivacyLearn.com maintains strict sourcing standards for accuracy, integrity and up-to-date content. Our content relies on authoritative sources including vendor documentation, industry standards, and verified research. Learn more about our verification process and quality standards in our editorial standards page.

• Manage connections from Windows 10 and Windows 11 Server/Enterprise editions operating system components to Microsoft services - Windows Privacy. Microsoft Learn. (2023).
  Original: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/privacy/manage-connections-from-windows-operating-system-components-to-microsoft-services
  Archived: https://web.archive.org/web/20230911110911/https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/privacy/manage-connections-from-windows-operating-system-components-to-microsoft-services#2-cortana-and-search
• Cortana and privacy - Microsoft Support. support.microsoft.com. (2024).
  Original: https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/cortana-and-privacy-47e5856e-3680-d930-22e1-71ec6cdde231
  Archived: https://web.archive.org/web/20240121010852/https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/cortana-and-privacy-47e5856e-3680-d930-22e1-71ec6cdde231

Apply Now

Choose one of two ways to apply:

Download script

Download and run the script directly

• No app needed
• Offline usage
• Easy-to-apply
• Free
• Open-source

Normal — Everyday Privacy (Enterprise-Grade)

• Recommended for all
• Safe for daily use
• No impact on system stability

Read more about Normal and other protection levels

Apply protection

Undo protection

Help

How to apply or restore "Disable search suggestions" using script

• ≈ 2 min to complete
• Tools: Web Browser
• Difficulty: Simple
• ≈ 5 instructions

1. 1

   Download

   Download the script file by clicking on the   Apply protection  button above.
   Use   Undo protection button above to restore changes.
2. 2

   Keep the file

   If warned by your browser, keep the file.
3. 3

   Open

   Open the downloaded file.
4. 4

   Exit

   Once it's done, press any key to exit the window.
5. 5

   Restart

   Restart your computer for all changes to take effect.

Apply with privacy.sexy

Guided, automated application with safety checks

• Recommended for most users
• Includes safety checks
• Shows the code
• Free
• Open-source
• Popular
• Offline/Online usage

Open privacy.sexy

Help

How to apply or restore "Disable search suggestions" using privacy.sexy

• ≈ 3 min to complete
• Tools: privacy.sexy
• Difficulty: Simple
• ≈ 4 instructions

privacy.sexy is free and open-source application that lets securely apply this action easily with more advanced options.

1. 1

   Open or download

   Open or download the desktop application
2. 2

   Choose script

   1. Search for the category name: Disable search suggestions
   2. Check the category by clicking on the checkbox of the category.
3. 3

   Run

   Click on ▶️ Run button at the bottom of the page.

   This button only appears on desktop version (recommended). On browser, use 💾 Save button.

Explore This Guide

• 5 Privacy settings

Choose what to protect based on your needs:

Click any option to learn more about what it does.

Each change can be applied and reversed individually.

• Some settings and commands may require technical knowledge to apply correctly.
• Most users find the Normal protection above sufficient.

Disable Bing search and recent search suggestions (breaks search history)

This script improves privacy by disabling Bing search in the Start menu and recent search suggestions in File Explorer. By default, Windows 10's Search Box includes suggestions from the Internet, alongside local search results. This script limits the search results to your local machine, improving privacy by not sending data to Microsoft servers. The script: Stops Bing web search integration in the Start menu. • Disables recent search suggestions in File Explorer. • Prevents search entries from ...

Disable Bing search in start menu

This script disables the Bing search integration in the Windows Start menu search function. In Windows, typing in the Start menu search box displays results from the web via Bing, in addition to local search results. By preventing the search function from sending queries to Microsoft servers, this script enhances user privacy and optimizes system performance by reducing the search workload. Running this script prevents such web searches by modifying the `HKCU\\SOFTWARE\\Microsoft\\Windows\\CurrentVe...

Disable web search in search bar

This script disables the ability to perform web searches directly from the Windows Desktop Search By executing this script, searches made from the desktop will be restricted to local content, omitting results from the web. Without this script, Windows Desktop Search includes web results by default, utilizing the user's default web browser and search engine. This script configures "HKLM\\SOFTWARE\\Policies\\Microsoft\\Windows\\Windows Search!DisableWebSearch" registry key. "DisableWebSearch" is not re...

Disable web results in Windows Search

This script improves your privacy by disabling the display of web results in the Windows Search function. This prevents your search terms from being sent to Microsoft servers. By default, the Windows Start menu Search box shows results from your computer, the Windows Store, and Bing's web search results. This default behavior means your queries are shared with Microsoft, which could impact your privacy. Running this script stops the Start menu search from performing web searches and displaying w...

Disable Windows search highlights

This script disables the search highlights feature in the taskbar search box. By default, search highlights present content like holidays, anniversaries, and other special events, both globally and regionally. This feature, available since Windows 10 and 11 version 2004, periodically updates with content, including illustrations and text in the search box. However, using search highlights can impact your privacy. This feature is even considered a security vulnerability. It reduces privacy by com...

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Same Goal

Other guides in Disable Windows search data collection 

See settings that are in the same category as this guide.

Using other actions in the same category may help you achieve your goal better.

Disable Cortana data collection

Disable privacy-invasive indexing

Disable search's access to location

Disable local search history (breaks recent suggestions)

Disable sharing personal search data with Microsoft

Disable personal cloud content search in taskbar

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About the Creators

These people have authored this documentation and written its scripts:

• 

  undergroundwires

  • Certified security professional
  • 7+ years experience securing banks
  • Open-source developer since 2005
  • EU advisor, Public Speaker, Moderator
• Open-Source Contributors

  • Hundreds across the globe
  • Testers, reviewers, developers
  • Companies, military agencies
  • Community since 2017

About Us

Reviewed By

This guide has undergone comprehensive auditing and peer review:

• Expert review by undergroundwires

  • Verified technical accuracy and editorial standards
  • Assessed system impact and user privacy risks

• Public review by large community

  • Privacy enthusiasts and professionals peer-reviewed
  • Millions of end-users tested across different environments

History

We continually monitor our guides, their impact and all other privacy options. We update our guides when new information becomes available. On every update, we publicly store who made the change, what has been changed, why the change was made and when the change was made.

Review Change History Our Change Process