When searching for an application via the Start menu in Windows 11, users often receive not only local results but also web suggestions. These appear alongside the apps and documents you’re searching for, leading to Edge. Microsoft now offers a way to disable such web results.
As reported by Windows Latest, the new setting is now rolling out to more Windows 11 PCs. Microsoft began the phased rollout in August 2026, and despite widening, the feature is not yet available to all users.
If the new setting is available on your computer, you can disable web search as follows:
If the setting is missing, you can enable the “Get the latest updates as soon as they’re available” option under Settings → Windows Update. This allows new features to arrive on your PC sooner.
Microsoft refers to the setting as “Web search” and not specifically as “Bing search.” The reason for this is that users in certain regions, including Europe, can also use other non-Bing search providers.
According to Windows Latest, searching without web suggestions focuses the results more on apps, files, and settings. When searching for an app, local results are therefore prioritized, rather than additional search suggestions from the internet or the Microsoft Store appearing.
The feature can also be helpful when searching for system settings. Windows Latest find that a naturally phrased query about increasing text size led directly to the relevant Windows setting.
How well Windows finds apps and files depends on indexing. In the system tested, the classic search index was active. By default, this includes certain personal folders, such as Documents, Pictures, Music, and the Desktop. The advanced mode, on the other hand, can cover the entire PC.
Even if you disable web search, you don’t automatically get a fully local search. Windows Latest noted that a section with web help was still displayed in the search preview. A WebView2 process, associated with Microsoft Edge, also continued to run in the background.
Furthermore, Windows can include content from linked accounts. Under “Search my accounts,” there are options for Microsoft accounts as well as work or school accounts. If these are enabled, content from OneDrive or Outlook may show up in the search results. If you want to exclusively search local files, check these settings and disable them if necessary.
Finding the new option isn’t particularly intuitive, though. According to Windows Latest, searching within the settings for terms such as “Web search” or “Disable Bing” did not lead directly to the relevant menu. However, the setting could be found by searching for “Search” and selecting the “Suggested search results” entry.
Disabling web search has its drawbacks. For instance, Windows Search will no longer provide direct results for simple arithmetic tasks. Instead of displaying the result of a multiplication, the search will report that no matches were found. To perform calculations, you will then need to open the Windows Calculator, for example.
Weather forecasts via the search bar are also no longer available. When searching for the weather, the installed weather app is displayed as a possible result instead.
When searching for Google Chrome, however, Windows can still find the browser itself, quick actions, and associated web apps. Only additional web suggestions are reduced.
There’s no fixed date for widespread availability as of yet. Microsoft is continuing to roll out the new setting gradually. Even with the option for the latest updates enabled, it may still be missing from your computer.
According to Windows Latest, Microsoft also has no plans to disable web search results by default for all users. Anyone who prefers local search will need to adjust the relevant settings themselves.
For anyone who mainly uses the Start menu to access apps, files, and system settings, the change may be worthwhile. However, those who carry out calculations or check the weather directly via the search function will have to do without these features or open their relevant apps.
