Windows 11 Search Highlights: Turn Them On or Off

Search Highlights in Windows 11 add images, trending searches, and fun facts to the search flyout. Some users find them useful, others prefer a cleaner search panel. This guide shows you exactly how to enable or disable them, with step-by-step instructions for both the Settings app and Group Policy Editor.

What You’ll Need

• A PC running Windows 11 (version 21H2 or later)
• Administrator account (for Group Policy method)
• About 2 minutes of time

Step-by-Step

Method 1: Using Settings (Recommended)

1. Click the Start button (Windows icon) on the taskbar, or press the Windows key on your keyboard.
2. Click the Settings gear icon in the Start menu. Alternatively, press Windows + I to open Settings directly.
3. In the Settings window, click Privacy & security in the left sidebar.
4. Scroll down and click Search permissions.
5. Under the More settings section, find the toggle labeled Show search highlights.
6. Toggle the switch Off to disable search highlights, or On to enable them.
7. Close Settings. The change takes effect immediately – open the search flyout (click the search bar on the taskbar) to see the result.

Method 2: Using Group Policy (For Windows 11 Pro, Enterprise, or Education)

1. Press Windows + R to open the Run dialog box.
2. Type gpedit.msc and press Enter. If prompted by User Account Control, click Yes.
3. Navigate to Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > Search.
4. In the right pane, double-click the policy named Allow search highlights.
5. Select Enabled to turn search highlights on, or Disabled to turn them off. (Select Not Configured to use the default Windows setting.)
6. Click OK, then close the Group Policy Editor.
7. Restart your PC (or run gpupdate /force in Command Prompt) for the change to take effect.

Method 3: Using Registry Editor (For All Editions)

1. Press Windows + R, type regedit, and press Enter. Click Yes if UAC prompts.
2. Navigate to this key:
   HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Explorer
3. If the Explorer key does not exist, right-click Windows, select New > Key, and name it Explorer.
4. Right-click in the right pane, select New > DWORD (32-bit) Value.
5. Name it DisableSearchHighlights.
6. Double-click the new value. Set the value data to 1 to disable highlights, or 0 to enable them.
7. Click OK, close Registry Editor, and restart your PC.

Common Mistakes

• Looking in the wrong Settings section: Search highlights are not under Personalization – they are under Privacy & security > Search permissions.
• Using the wrong toggle: There is also a toggle for “Show search suggestions” – that is different. Make sure you toggle the one labeled “Show search highlights”.
• Forgetting to restart after registry changes: Registry edits often require a full restart to take effect. Simply closing the search flyout may not apply the change.
• Assuming Group Policy applies to Home editions: The Group Policy Editor is not available on Windows 11 Home. Use Settings or Registry instead.

Tips

• If you disable highlights, you may also want to disable “Search suggestions” for an even cleaner look – but note that suggestions are often useful for quick answers.
• Search highlights are tied to your Microsoft account and Bing. If you sign in with a local account, some highlight content may not appear.
• If you enable highlights, you can hover over the image to see a “More info” button that explains the featured content.
• On a work or school device, your IT administrator may have already set a policy that overrides your local settings. In that case, the toggle in Settings may be grayed out.

Troubleshooting

The toggle is missing or grayed out. This usually means your device is managed by an organization. Check with your IT admin, or try the Group Policy method – but if the policy is enforced, you cannot override it locally.

Highlights still show after disabling. First, make sure you toggled the correct setting. Then restart Windows Explorer (right-click the taskbar > Task Manager > find “Windows Explorer” > right-click > Restart). If that does not work, try the Registry method – it is more forceful.

Highlights do not appear after enabling. This can happen if your PC is not connected to the internet, or if your region does not support the feature. Also, ensure your Windows 11 is updated to the latest version – older builds may not have the toggle.

Registry edit does not work. Double-check the path. It must be exactly HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Explorer. If you created the key under the wrong location, it will be ignored. Also verify that the value name is spelled correctly: DisableSearchHighlights.

Frequently Asked Questions

What exactly are search highlights? They are rotating images, trending searches, and fun facts that appear in the search flyout when you click the search bar. They are designed to make search more engaging and informative.

Will disabling search highlights speed up my PC? No. The feature is purely visual and uses negligible system resources. Disabling it only changes the appearance of the search flyout.

Can I disable search highlights for all users on my PC? Yes. Use the Group Policy method (set to Disabled) or the Registry method under HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE instead of HKEY_CURRENT_USER to apply system-wide.

Do search highlights affect my privacy? They are tied to Bing and may send search queries to Microsoft. If you are concerned, you can disable them, and also review your privacy settings under Settings > Privacy & security > Search permissions.

Why do I see “No highlights available” in the search flyout? This occurs when your PC is offline, or when the feature is not fully supported in your region. It is harmless – just ignore it or disable the feature.

Will the setting reset after a Windows update? Usually not. Your preference is stored in the registry and should persist. However, major feature updates occasionally reset some settings – if that happens, simply toggle it again.

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