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There are two different features people call “Bing search suggestions.” Bing.com can show autocomplete suggestions while you type, while Windows 11 Search can include web queries and Bing results in the Start menu and taskbar. They use different controls.
For Bing.com, open Bing Settings, go to Search, and clear See search suggestions as you type. For Windows 11 web results, open Settings > Privacy & security > Search and turn off Web Searches if that switch is available on your updated PC. Managed Enterprise, Education, and IoT Enterprise devices can use a Group Policy setting that blocks web queries and web results at the device level.
First identify which Bing suggestions you want to remove
The wording is similar, but the behavior is not. Use the path that matches what you see on screen.
| What you see | Control to change | Scope and notes |
|---|---|---|
| Autocomplete entries appear in the search box on Bing.com | Bing Settings > Search > See search suggestions as you type | A Bing website preference. Microsoft says it remains off until cookies are cleared or suggestions are enabled again. |
| Web results or internet suggestions appear in Start or taskbar Search | Windows 11 Settings > Privacy & security > Search > Web Searches | A consumer-facing Windows switch reported for the September 2026 update. Availability depends on the Windows update and rollout on the PC. |
| You need to block web searching for every user on a managed PC | Group Policy: Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > Search > Don’t search the web or display web results in Search | A device policy. Microsoft’s applicability table lists Enterprise, Education, and IoT Enterprise editions, not Pro. |
| News or themed content appears on Search Home or in the Start menu search box | The separate Show search highlights control | Removes highlights, but Microsoft does not document this control as a complete block on web queries and web results. |
If your concern is only the words that appear while visiting Bing.com, use the first procedure. If you want Start or taskbar Search to stay focused on local files, settings, and apps, use the Windows procedure.
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Before changing anything
Decide whether you are changing one browser profile, one Windows user, or the whole computer. Bing.com’s checkbox belongs to the website and is normally stored with browser cookies. The Windows Web Searches switch is a Windows Search preference, while Group Policy is applied to the device. These differences explain why changing one setting may appear to do nothing in the other place.
It also helps to record what you want to preserve. None of the documented controls removes locally indexed files, installed applications, or Windows settings from Search. The goal is to stop internet suggestions or web-result retrieval, not to disable Windows Search itself.
Turn off autocomplete suggestions on Bing.com
This change affects the Bing website. It does not change what Windows 11 Start or taskbar Search can query.
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- Open Bing’s Settings page.
- In the Search section, clear See search suggestions as you type.
- Return to the search box and type a few characters to verify that the suggestion list no longer appears.
Why the setting can come back
Microsoft states that search suggestions stay off until you clear your browser cookies or turn suggestions on again. Clearing cookies can therefore restore the default behavior even though you did not deliberately change Bing Settings. If suggestions return, revisit the same checkbox before changing Windows settings.
This also applies when a browser privacy feature automatically deletes cookies at exit, when you reset the browser, or when you test in a different browser profile. The setting is not a permanent Windows-wide switch. If several browsers are used, check the Bing preference in each browser profile where autocomplete is unwanted.
Disable web results in Windows 11 Search
A Windows 11 update reported in September 2026 adds a user-facing Web Searches switch. The exact label and availability are update-dependent, so the control may not be present on every installation.
- Open Settings.
- Select Privacy & security.
- Choose Search.
- Under Show suggested search results, find Web Searches.
- Turn Web Searches off.
- Open Start and search for a term that would normally produce an internet result. The expected behavior is that results concentrate on local files, settings, and apps.
What this switch does not change
This setting is about web searching from Windows Search. It does not turn off autocomplete on Bing.com, change your browser’s search engine, or remove locally indexed files and applications from Search. It also should not be treated as a replacement for the managed-device policy when an administrator needs an explicit, computer-wide block.
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What to expect after switching it off
Search may still show local matches immediately because those are produced by the Windows index. A query that previously returned a mixture of apps, settings, files, and internet cards should instead emphasize the local categories. The reported behavior is a change in where Search looks for results, not a promise that every visual element in Search Home disappears.
If “Web Searches” is missing
Do not assume that you overlooked the option. The reported switch depends on a particular Windows 11 update and a staged rollout, and the precise build and regional availability are not established here.
- Confirm that Windows Update has installed the latest updates offered to that PC, then restart and check Settings > Privacy & security > Search again.
- Make sure you are looking under Search, not under a browser’s settings or the separate Show search highlights option.
- If the switch still does not appear, use the administrative policy described below when the edition and management rights support it.
- On an unmanaged PC whose edition does not expose the policy, there may be no documented system-wide replacement for the missing consumer switch. You can still disable Bing.com autocomplete independently.
The absence of the switch is therefore an availability issue, not evidence that the Bing.com checkbox controls Windows Search. Avoid downloading a third-party “Bing remover” utility simply because a menu item is missing; the documented controls are built into Bing or Windows.
Block web queries with Group Policy
Administrators can use Microsoft’s device policy named Don’t search the web or display web results in Search. Microsoft says that when this policy is enabled, queries are not performed on the web and web results are not displayed when a user searches.
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Supported editions and scope
Microsoft’s policy table lists Windows Enterprise, Education, and IoT Enterprise editions. Windows Pro is not listed in that table. The policy is device-scoped, so it is intended for managed computers rather than as a per-user preference.
That edition limitation matters before you plan a rollout. The presence of the Local Group Policy Editor, administrative rights, or a similarly named setting does not establish that Microsoft supports this particular policy on every Windows edition. If the device is running Pro, use the consumer switch when available or ask the organization’s administrator what control is supported.
Enable the policy
- Open the Local Group Policy Editor or the policy-management console used by your organization.
- Navigate to Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > Search.
- Open Don’t search the web or display web results in Search.
- Set the policy to Enabled, then apply the change.
- Sign out and back in, restart the computer, or allow your organization’s policy refresh process to apply the setting.
- Search from Start and confirm that web queries and web results are no longer returned.
Because the policy is applied at the computer level, changing it can affect every account that uses that device. If the PC is managed by an employer or school, the administrator may control the setting and may reverse a local change during the next policy refresh.
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When to choose policy instead of the Settings switch
Use the policy when the requirement is consistent enforcement for all users, when the organization needs web queries explicitly prevented, or when a supported managed edition must keep the setting from being changed casually. Use the Settings switch for an individual user on a current installation when a device-wide rule is unnecessary. The two paths differ in scope and administration even though both reduce web content in Windows Search.
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Do not confuse web results with Search highlights
Search highlights is a separate Windows feature. Microsoft describes it as content shown on Search Home and in the Start menu search box. Turning off Show search highlights removes those highlights, but the cited policy documentation does not say that this alone blocks all web queries or web results.
Use the highlights control when you only want a cleaner Search Home. Use Web Searches or the administrative web-search policy when the goal is to stop internet results. If you turn off highlights and still see a web result for a typed query, that is not a contradiction; the two controls govern different parts of the interface.
Choose the least disruptive solution
| Your goal | Best path | Expected result |
|---|---|---|
| Stop autocomplete on Bing.com | Clear See search suggestions as you type in Bing Settings | Bing.com stops displaying typed-query suggestions until cookies are cleared or the option is re-enabled. |
| Keep Start and taskbar Search local on a current Windows 11 installation | Turn off Web Searches under Settings > Privacy & security > Search | Windows Search is expected to focus on files, settings, and apps. |
| Enforce the block for a managed supported edition | Enable Don’t search the web or display web results in Search in Group Policy | Microsoft documents that web queries are not performed and web results are not displayed. |
| Remove promotional or topical content from Search Home | Turn off Show search highlights | Highlights are removed; this is not documented as a complete web-search block. |
Test the change without creating confusion
Use separate tests for the two environments. First, visit Bing.com and type several characters in its search box. This checks the website preference only. Then open Start and type a term that matches a local setting or file as well as a likely web query. This checks Windows Search and shows whether local results remain available.
- If Bing.com still suggests phrases but Start no longer shows internet results, the Windows setting worked and Bing’s website preference still needs changing.
- If Bing.com no longer suggests phrases but Start still shows web results, only the website preference was changed.
- If Start shows neither the Web Searches switch nor an effective policy, the PC may not have the update or edition support required for the documented Windows controls.
Run the test after signing out and back in or restarting if the interface appears unchanged. Do not use a Bing.com browser tab as proof that the Windows switch failed, and do not use a Start search as proof that the Bing website checkbox failed. They are independent tests.
Troubleshooting common outcomes
Suggestions return after a browser cleanup
Check Bing Settings again. Microsoft explicitly says clearing cookies ends the disabled state. A privacy tool or browser reset that removes cookies can therefore make autocomplete reappear.
The Windows switch is present but web results remain
Verify that Web Searches is actually off under Show suggested search results, then restart Search by signing out and back in or restarting Windows. Test from Start rather than from Bing.com, because the two controls are independent.
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The policy setting cannot be found
Check the full path: Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > Search. If the policy is still unavailable, verify the Windows edition and whether your organization manages policy centrally. Microsoft’s applicability table lists Enterprise, Education, and IoT Enterprise, not Pro.
Highlights disappeared but internet results remain
That is expected if only Show search highlights was changed. Highlights and web results are separate features. Use the Web Searches switch or the documented administrative policy for web-result control.
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A user-facing preference can affect the account in which it was changed, while the Group Policy setting is device-scoped. If another Windows account still sees web results, check whether the computer policy was actually applied or whether you changed only a per-user setting.
An organization reverses the setting
On a work or school PC, central management can overwrite local changes during policy refresh. Contact the administrator rather than repeatedly changing the same option. The device policy is designed to be managed centrally and may intentionally apply to every user.
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Disabling Bing.com autocomplete changes what the Bing website displays as you type; it does not disable Windows Search. Disabling Windows web results changes the source of results shown from Start or the taskbar but does not remove local files, settings, or apps from the index. The administrative policy has the broadest scope because it applies to the device and explicitly prevents web queries and web-result display.
On a work, school, or shared computer, prefer the organization’s documented policy process. A local preference can be overwritten by central management, while a device policy can affect all users. On a personal PC, start with the user-facing switch when it is available and reserve Group Policy for editions and situations that support it.
There is no task-specific hardware, paid utility, accessory, or replacement part required for any of these procedures. The relevant controls are part of Bing, Windows Settings, or supported Windows management tools.
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Quick checklist
- Are the suggestions on Bing.com, or are they web results in Windows Start/taskbar Search?
- For Bing.com, did you clear See search suggestions as you type in Bing Settings?
- For Windows Search, did you check Settings > Privacy & security > Search for Web Searches?
- If the switch is absent, have you checked Windows Update and the PC’s edition?
- Are you using Show search highlights only to remove highlights, rather than expecting it to block web queries?
- On a managed supported edition, did an administrator enable Don’t search the web or display web results in Search?
- Did you test Bing.com and Start separately after making the change?
- Could a browser cleanup or organization policy have restored the previous behavior?
Frequently Asked Questions
Does turning off Bing suggestions in Bing.com disable web results in Windows 11?
No. Bing.com autocomplete is controlled by Bing Settings. Windows Start and taskbar web results use the Windows Search setting or, on supported managed editions, the Group Policy setting.
Where is the Windows 11 switch to stop internet results?
On installations that have received the reported update, open Settings > Privacy & security > Search and turn off Web Searches under Show suggested search results. The switch is update- and rollout-dependent.
Why can’t I find Web Searches in Settings?
The consumer switch is not available on every Windows 11 installation. Check Windows Update, restart, and look again. If it remains absent, check the edition and ask an administrator about the documented policy where applicable.
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Will turning off Show search highlights block Bing results?
Not necessarily. Search highlights are a separate feature for Search Home and the Start menu search box. Microsoft does not document that control as a complete block on web queries or web results.
Can Windows 11 Pro use the Group Policy web-search block?
Microsoft’s applicability table lists Enterprise, Education, and IoT Enterprise for Don’t search the web or display web results in Search; Pro is not listed. Use the consumer switch when available or consult the device administrator.
Why did Bing autocomplete return after I disabled it?
Microsoft says the disabled state lasts until cookies are cleared or suggestions are enabled again. A browser reset, privacy cleanup, or different browser profile can therefore restore suggestions.
Does the Group Policy setting affect every Windows user?
Yes, it is a computer-level policy. On a managed device it can prevent web queries and web-result display for every account using that computer, subject to the organization’s policy management.
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No. The documented controls are built into Bing, Windows 11 Settings, and supported Windows management tools. No paid utility or hardware is required.
The Bottom Line
Use Bing Settings to stop autocomplete on Bing.com. Use Windows 11’s Web Searches switch to remove internet results from Start and taskbar Search when your updated PC exposes it. For managed Enterprise, Education, or IoT Enterprise devices, the documented Group Policy setting provides a device-wide block; Search highlights are a separate feature.
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