Disable Windows search highlights
- Windows onlyThis script improves your privacy on Windows
- Single actionThis page belongs to a script, containing basic changes to achieve a task.
- 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.
- 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 script disables the search highlights feature in the taskbar search box.
By default 1 2, search highlights present content like holidays, anniversaries, and other special events, both globally and regionally 1. This feature, available since Windows 10 and 11 version 2004 1 3 4, periodically updates with content, including illustrations and text in the search box 1.
However, using search highlights can impact your privacy. This feature is even considered a security vulnerability 2. It reduces privacy by communicating personalized content including updates from your organization, suggested people, files, and more 3. Acknowledging this privacy concern, Windows provides settings in the "Privacy & security" section to manage it 3.
This script adjusts following registry keys to turn off this feature:
HKLM\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Windows Search!EnableDynamicContentInWSB
4 2 5HKCU\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\SearchSettings!IsDynamicSearchBoxEnabled
6 7 8HKCU\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\SearchSettings!ShowDynamicContent
7
Sources
- Group configuration: search highlights in Windows - Microsoft Community Hub. techcommunity.microsoft.com. (2024).
Original: https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/t5/windows-it-pro-blog/group-configuration-search-highlights-in-windows/ba-p/3263989
Archived: https://web.archive.org/web/20240120213614/https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/t5/windows-it-pro-blog/group-configuration-search-highlights-in-windows/ba-p/3263989 - SecPod SCAP Repo, a repository of SCAP Content (CVE, CCE, CPE, CWE, OVAL and XCCDF). www.scaprepo.com. (2024).
Original: https://www.scaprepo.com/view.jsp
Archived: https://web.archive.org/web/20240120214205/https://www.scaprepo.com/view.jsp?id=CCE-99848-4 - Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22572. Windows Insider Blog. blogs.windows.com. (2024).
Original: https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2022/03/09/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-22572
Archived: https://web.archive.org/web/20240120214019/https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2022/03/09/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-22572/ - Allow search highlights. admx.help. (2024).
Original: https://admx.help
Archived: https://web.archive.org/web/20240120214147/https://admx.help/?Category=Windows_10_2016&Policy=FullArmor.Policies.3B9EA2B5_A1D1_4CD5_9EDE_75B22990BC21::AllowSearchHighlights - Search Policy CSP - Windows Client Management. Microsoft Learn. learn.microsoft.com. (2024).
Original: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/client-management/mdm/policy-csp-search
Archived: https://web.archive.org/web/20240120140023/https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/client-management/mdm/policy-csp-search#allowsearchhighlights - How to disable Search Highlights in Windows 11/10. www.thewindowsclub.com. (2024).
Original: https://www.thewindowsclub.com/how-to-disable-search-highlights-in-windows
Archived: https://web.archive.org/web/20240121145807/https://www.thewindowsclub.com/how-to-disable-search-highlights-in-windows - Enable or Disable Search Highlights in Windows 10. Tutorials. www.tenforums.com. (2024).
Original: https://www.tenforums.com/tutorials/194711-enable-disable-search-highlights-windows-10-a.html
Archived: https://web.archive.org/web/20240120214424/https://www.tenforums.com/tutorials/194711-enable-disable-search-highlights-windows-10-a.html - How to Turn Off Search Highlights on Windows 11. www.howtogeek.com. (2024).
Original: https://www.howtogeek.com/895945/how-to-turn-off-search-highlights-on-windows-11
Archived: https://web.archive.org/web/20240120214331/https://www.howtogeek.com/895945/how-to-turn-off-search-highlights-on-windows-11/
Apply Now
Choose one of three ways to apply:
Download script
Download and run the script directly- No app needed
- Offline usage
- Easy-to-apply
- Free
- Open-source
Help
How to apply or restore "Disable Windows search highlights" using script
- ≈ 2 min to complete
- Tools: Web Browser
- Difficulty: Simple
- ≈ 5 instructions
- 1
Download
Download the script file by clicking on thebutton above.
Use button above to restore changes. - 2
Keep the file
If warned by your browser, keep the file. - 3
Open
Open the downloaded file. - 4
Exit
Once it's done, press any key to exit the window. - 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
- Free
- Open-source
- Popular
- Offline/Online usage
Help
How to apply or restore "Disable Windows search highlights" using privacy.sexy
- ≈ 3 min to complete
- Tools: privacy.sexy
- Difficulty: Simple
- ≈ 4 instructions
- 2
Choose script
- Search for the script name: Disable Windows search highlights
- Check the script by clicking on the checkbox.
- 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.
- Apply
- Revert
:: Set the registry value: "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Windows Search!EnableDynamicContentInWSB"
PowerShell -ExecutionPolicy Unrestricted -Command "$registryPath = 'HKLM\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Windows Search'; $data = '0'; reg add 'HKLM\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Windows Search' /v 'EnableDynamicContentInWSB' /t 'REG_DWORD' /d "^""$data"^"" /f"
:: Set the registry value: "HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\SearchSettings!IsDynamicSearchBoxEnabled"
PowerShell -ExecutionPolicy Unrestricted -Command "$registryPath = 'HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\SearchSettings'; $data = '1'; reg add 'HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\SearchSettings' /v 'IsDynamicSearchBoxEnabled' /t 'REG_DWORD' /d "^""$data"^"" /f"
:: Suggest restarting explorer.exe for changes to take effect
PowerShell -ExecutionPolicy Unrestricted -Command "$message = 'This script will not take effect until you restart explorer.exe. You can restart explorer.exe by restarting your computer or by running following on command prompt: `taskkill /f /im explorer.exe & start explorer`.'; $warn = $false; if ($warn) { Write-Warning "^""$message"^""; } else { Write-Host "^""Note: "^"" -ForegroundColor Blue -NoNewLine; Write-Output "^""$message"^""; }"
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Help
How to apply or restore "Disable Windows search highlights" using commands
- ≈ 2 min to complete
- Tools: Command Prompt
- Difficulty: Medium
- ≈ 3 instructions
- 1
Open Command Prompt
Open Command Prompt as Administrator. - 2
Copy code
Copy the code: - 3
Paste & run
Paste the commands into Command Prompt and press Enter to run.Some changes require a system restart to take effect
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About the Creators
These people have authored this documentation and written its scripts:
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
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- 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.