How to Enable or Disable Search Highlights in Windows 11

Windows 11’s search highlights feature displays rotating images, events, trends, and productivity suggestions within the search box. While it adds quality of life, some users find the feature too much and prefer a cleaner interface. This guide outlines the various methods for enabling or disabling search highlights using settings, Group Policy, or the Registry Editor.

Enabling or disabling search highlights in Windows 11

There are several methods you can use to enable or disable Windows 11 search highlights, including through settings, Group Policy, and the Registry Editor.

📌 Prerequisites:

• Administrator rights for policy or registry changes
• Build version that supports Search Highlights
• Optional RMM or scripting platform for automation

Method 1: Enable or disable search highlights through Settings

This method is the safest and easiest way to turn search highlights on or off, as it doesn’t modify any system settings.

📌 Use Case: You’re using your Windows 11 PC at home. You notice small pictures, events, or icons appearing in the search box on the taskbar, and you find them distracting.

1. Press Win + I.
2. Look for and click Privacy and security on the left side.
3. Scroll down until you see Search permissions and click on it.
4. Look for Search highlights, then toggle it on or off, depending on preference.

Method 2: Disable search highlights with Group Policy

This method is primarily intended for system administrators or individuals managing multiple computers.

📌 Use Case: You’re an IT admin in a small office. Some users are confused by the changing images in the search box. You want to turn Search Highlights off on all company PCs.

1. Press Win + R, type gpedit.msc, then press Enter.
2. Navigate:
   • Computer Configuration> Administrative Templates > Windows Components > Search
3. Look for and click Allow search highlights, then configure based on preference:
   • Not Configured
   • Enabled
   • Disabled
4. Press Win + R, type cmd, then press Enter.
5. Copy and paste the following prompt, then press Enter:
   • gpupdate /force

Method 3: Alter search highlights using the Registry Editor

This method lets you change the setting directly via the Registry Editor.

📌 Use Case: Your version of Windows doesn’t include the Group Policy Editor, or you’re managing settings via scripts or an RMM tool.

1. Press Win, type regedit, then press Enter.
2. Navigate:
   • HKEY_CURRENT_USER > Software > Microsoft > Windows > CurrentVersion > SearchSettings
3. Look for IsDynamicSearchBoxEnabled. If it doesn’t exist:
4. Right-click on any space > New > DWORD (32-bit) Value > name it IsDynamicSearchBoxEnabled, then press Enter.
5. Double-click IsDynamicSearchBoxEnabled, then set the value:
   • 0 to disable Search Highlights
   • 1 to enable Search Highlights

Method 4: Validate search appearance

This method is for verifying whether the changes were successful.

📌 Use Case: You have just changed Search Highlights using one of the earlier methods, and you want to ensure everything is working correctly.

1. Open Start and click the Search box
2. Check whether highlights appear or disappear
3. Toggle other search personalization settings if needed
4. Confirm the search UI remains consistent after reboot

Tailor results by enabling or disabling search highlights

Search highlights adds dynamic content in the Windows 11 search box. If you prefer a clean search interface or added contextual information, you can enable or disable search highlights through settings, Group Policy, and the Registry Editor.

Related topics:

• How to Show or Hide the Mini Menu on Text Selection for Chosen Sites in Microsoft Edge
• How to Add or Remove “Ask Copilot” and “Find results in Web” in Windows Search
• How to Enable or Disable Remote Assistance Connections in Windows 11
• How to Disable Search on the Taskbar and in the Start Menu in Windows 11
• Resetting Windows Search in Windows 11