Disabling integrated web search in Win 10 20.04

For those not aware, Microsoft sends all your desktop start menu search queries to their servers (because privacy). In Windows 10 20.04 there is no obvious way to opt out of this in the UI and the old registry-setting tweak to disable web search no longer works.

One way that does appear to work is to block the Windows Search app at the firewall level as illustrated in the following screenshot:

If anyone finds a better approach, please let me know.

Conversation 10 comments

  • sherlockholmes

    Premium Member
    01 June, 2020 - 3:58 am

    <p>Thank God I never use Windows Search. Because I know where I store my mp3s, pics and documents. Does really anyone use Windows Search? </p>

    • anderb

      Premium Member
      01 June, 2020 - 6:42 am

      <blockquote><em><a href="#544255">In reply to SherlockHolmes:</a></em></blockquote><p>I'm sure I'm not the only person who starts an app by hitting the windows key and typing the first few letters of the app name.</p>

      • sherlockholmes

        Premium Member
        01 June, 2020 - 9:37 am

        <blockquote><em><a href="#544269">In reply to anderb:</a></em></blockquote><p>The apps I use are pinned to the taskbar. </p>

    • lvthunder

      Premium Member
      01 June, 2020 - 10:26 am

      <blockquote><em><a href="#544255">In reply to SherlockHolmes:</a></em></blockquote><p>Yes, people use it. Just because you don't doesn't mean everyone else doesn't.</p>

      • sherlockholmes

        Premium Member
        01 June, 2020 - 10:28 am

        <blockquote><em><a href="#544298">In reply to lvthunder:</a></em></blockquote><p>Why so negative? I just said that I dont use it and that I dont have to worry about it. Thats all. </p>

    • PanamaVet

      02 June, 2020 - 8:55 am

      <blockquote><em><a href="#544255">In reply to SherlockHolmes:</a></em></blockquote><p><br></p><p>I use Windows search because I devote time to improving my technology universe and I am careful about what I put on the task bar. There are some things I would not wish to run<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">&nbsp;accidently with a sliding click</span>.</p><p><br></p><p>I would prefer that Window Search not trigger a web search because I use a more secure approach to venture into the web.</p><p><br></p><p>A typo can display the item you want and then skip it into a web search. This article addresses an important issue that improves Windows search.</p><p><br></p><p>Your world is such that you don't need Windows Search and I respect that.</p><p><br></p>

  • StevenLayton

    01 June, 2020 - 8:23 am

    <p>Genuine question, whats the harm with Microsoft knowing I opened Word, Excel, Steam and Chrome today? I feel like I'm missing something.</p>

    • lvthunder

      Premium Member
      01 June, 2020 - 10:25 am

      <blockquote><em><a href="#544290">In reply to anderb:</a></em></blockquote><p>You mean ant doesn't bring it up. Generally when I use start search it only takes 3 or 4 characters to bring up what I'm looking for.</p>

  • robinwilson16

    01 June, 2020 - 6:12 pm

    <p>Thanks for the useful tip. It can be quite a pain when you are trying to run a program on your PC and it either doesn't find it or you misspell so end up doing a web search instead.</p>

  • Alastair Cooper

    02 June, 2020 - 8:30 am

    <p>You can still do it on Enterprise using Group Policy.</p><p><br></p><p>That's not good enough though. It should be possible to disable it in every edition. If it were possible to customise the search provider I might even consider using it, though I guess that would defeat Microsoft's purpose in driving traffic to Bing.</p>

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