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To stop Search Companion from downloading its occasional content files, deploy the device-scoped Turn off Search Companion content file updates policy in Intune and set it to Enabled. This blocks those downloads during local and internet searches; it does not disable Windows Search, make every search local, or prevent internet-search information from being sent to Microsoft and the selected search provider.
What the policy changes—and what it does not
Microsoft says Search Companion occasionally contacts Microsoft during local or internet searches to download an updated privacy policy and additional files used to format and display results. Enabling this policy prevents those content updates from being downloaded during searches. Microsoft does not publish a file size, request frequency, per-device transfer volume, or bandwidth-savings figure, so the reduction cannot be quantified from the policy documentation.
The setting is separate from query privacy. Microsoft’s ADMX_ICM Policy CSP documentation states: “Internet searches still send the search text and information about the search to Microsoft and the chosen search provider.” For a different behavior, Microsoft says selecting Classic Search turns Search Companion off entirely.
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| Choice | Search Companion content updates | Search Companion and internet-search information |
|---|---|---|
| Enabled | Blocked during searches. | Search Companion remains in use; internet searches may still send query text and search information to Microsoft and the chosen provider. |
| Disabled | Permitted unless the user is using Classic Search. | Search Companion is not disabled by this policy; internet-search information may still be sent. |
| Not configured | Permitted unless the user is using Classic Search. | Search Companion is not disabled by this policy; internet-search information may still be sent. |
| Classic Search | Search Companion is turned off, rather than merely prevented from downloading these files. | This policy documentation does not describe Classic Search as a control over other internet-search disclosures. |
Check Windows compatibility first
Microsoft lists this as a device-scoped policy, not a user-scoped one. Its CSP entry identifies these supported editions and minimum baselines:
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- Windows 10 version 21H1: KB5005101, build 19043.1202, and later.
- Windows 11 version 21H2: build 22000 and later.
These are the baselines Microsoft lists for this policy; do not assume an older release is supported merely because it can be enrolled in Intune. Check the current CSP entry for changes before broad deployment.
Deploy it with an Intune Settings Catalog profile
- In the Intune admin center, create a Windows 10 and later Settings Catalog configuration profile. The exact interface labels can change; confirm the path in your tenant.
- In the settings picker, navigate to Administrative Templates > System > Internet Communication Management > Internet Communication settings, then select Turn off Search Companion content file updates.
- Set the policy to Enabled. In this policy’s wording, enabling it turns off the content-file updates.
- Assign the profile to the intended device group, then create or save the profile.
- Review the profile’s deployment status in Intune. If you need to prompt a device to check in sooner, initiate a device sync using the available Intune workflow for your tenant.
This Settings Catalog workflow is described in the HTMD Intune implementation walkthrough. Intune deploys the policy to enrolled devices; it does not itself download or serve Search Companion’s content files.
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Technical identifiers for MDM troubleshooting
For direct MDM implementation or diagnostics, Microsoft documents these identifiers:
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- Policy name:
SearchCompanion_DisableFileUpdates - Friendly name: “Turn off Search Companion content file updates”
- CSP URI:
./Device/Vendor/MSFT/Policy/Config/ADMX_ICM/SearchCompanion_DisableFileUpdates - Registry mapping:
SoftwarePoliciesMicrosoftSearchCompanion, valueDisableContentFileUpdates - CSP format and access:
chrstring; Add, Delete, Get, Replace.
Microsoft identifies this as an ADMX-backed setting and says configuration requires SyncML format. For effective-policy verification, use the MDM diagnostics and policy-status procedures appropriate to your environment. Do not treat a particular Event Viewer navigation as authoritative validation: the cited walkthrough is third-party, and its sample event refers to the ADMX_ICM PolicyManager area.
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Measure network impact rather than assuming a savings figure
The documented effect is specific: Search Companion no longer downloads its content updates during searches. Microsoft describes the downloads as occasional but gives no transfer size or rate. If you need to estimate impact across a fleet, compare relevant device network observations before and after deployment under comparable conditions; the policy documentation alone cannot support a percentage or per-device savings claim.
Microsoft also documents distinct Windows Search restrictions in its Windows device restriction settings reference. Those controls should not be conflated with this ADMX_ICM policy, which addresses Search Companion content-file updates specifically.
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