Enable or Disable Search and Service Improvement in Microsoft Edge

The Search and service improvement feature in Microsoft Edge allows Microsoft to collect de-identified data from users’ web searches. Its primary purpose is to improve the overall search experience across Microsoft products, especially regarding search accuracy and personalization.

Although the goal is to provide more relevant search results, some organizations and users who are concerned about their privacy may turn this feature off. This guide outlines several methods to enable or disable Search and service improvement in Microsoft Edge.

📌 Recommended deployment strategies:

Click to Choose a Method	💻 Best for Individual Users	💻💻💻 Best for Enterprises
Method 1: Configure via Microsoft Edge settings	✓
Method 2: Modify Registry settings	✓	✓
Method 3: Use PowerShell to configure the setting		✓
Method 4: Configure via Group Policy		✓

How to enable or disable “send results from searches on the web” in Microsoft Edge

Ensure you’re running Microsoft Edge version 104 or later to use any of the methods below. If you’re managing system-wide changes, it’s also recommended that you’re familiar with tools like Registry Editor (regedit), PowerShell, and Group Policy Editor (gpedit.msc).

Method 1: Configure via Microsoft Edge settings

This method is the easiest for most users. It applies per user and does not require administrative privileges.

📌 Use Cases: Suitable for personal devices or non-admin users who want to control privacy settings manually.

Steps:

Open Microsoft Edge.
Click the three-dot menu (⋯) in the top-right corner.
Select Settings.
Navigate to Privacy, search, and services > Privacy.
Scroll to the Search and service improvement section.
Toggle the option for Help improve Microsoft products by sending the results from search on the web:
- On to enable
- Off to disable

Method 2: Modify Registry settings

This approach applies system-wide and is suitable for IT administrators or advanced users.

📌 Use Cases: Use this if you need to enforce the setting for all users on the system.

📌 Prerequisites: You must be signed in as an administrator.

⚠️ Warning: Editing the registry can cause system issues. Create a backup before proceeding.

Steps:

Press Win + R to open the Run dialog.
Type regedit and press Enter to launch the Registry Editor.
Navigate to: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Edge (Refer to #1 in ⚠️Things to look out for.)
- If the Edge key doesn’t exist:
  1. Right-click Microsoft.
  2. Select New > Key.
  3. Name it: Edge
Right-click in the right pane of the Edge key.
Select New > DWORD (32-bit) Value.
Name it: SearchSuggestEnabled.
Set its value to:
- 1 – Enable the feature.
- 0 – Disable the feature.
Close the Registry Editor.
Restart Microsoft Edge or your computer to apply the change. (Refer to #4 in ⚠️Things to look out for.)

(Refer to #2 in ⚠️Things to look out for.)

Method 3: Use PowerShell to configure the setting

This method allows you to automate the configuration process, which is especially useful for scripted deployments.

📌 Use Cases: Use this if you integrate configuration into provisioning, compliance scripts, or mass configuration across devices.

📌 Prerequisites: Run PowerShell as an administrator.

Steps:

Press Win + S and search for PowerShell.
Right-click Windows PowerShell from the result, then select Run as administrator.
Use this command to enable the setting:
Set-ItemProperty -Path “HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Edge” -Name “SearchSuggestEnabled” -Value 1 -Type DWord
Use this command to disable the setting:
Set-ItemProperty -Path “HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Edge” -Name “SearchSuggestEnabled” -Value 0 -Type DWord
Restart Microsoft Edge to apply the changes. (Refer to #4 in ⚠️Things to look out for.)

This script modifies the settings for all system users. (Refer to #2 in ⚠️Things to look out for.)

Method 4: Configure via Group Policy

This is the most scalable method for enterprise environments. It allows IT administrators to enforce settings across all domain-joined devices.

📌 Use Cases: Use this if you manage policies on Active Directory-joined machines and want to prevent end users from manually changing the setting.

📌 Prerequisites:

Requires the latest Microsoft Edge ADMX templates installed. (Refer to #3 in ⚠️ Things to look out for.)
Requires Windows Pro, Enterprise, or Education edition.
Requires administrative privileges.

Steps:

Press Win + R to open the Run dialog.
Type gpedit.msc and click Enter to launch the Group Policy Editor.
Navigate to: Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Microsoft Edge
Find and double-click the policy: Enable search suggestions.
Set it to:
- Enabled – Allow the feature.
- Disabled – Block the feature.
Click OK and close the editor.
To enforce the new policy immediately, open Command Prompt and run: gpupdate /force
Restart Microsoft Edge to apply the changes. (Refer to #4 in ⚠️ Things to look out for.)

Verification

Once done applying changes via Registry, PowerShell, or Group Policy, verify if the policy has been correctly enforced by following the steps below:

Open Microsoft Edge.
In the address bar, go to: edge://policy
Click Reload policies if the option appears.
Confirm that the SearchSuggestEnabled policy reflects your desired configuration:
- 1 – Enabled
- 0 – Disabled

⚠️ Things to look out for

Risks	Potential Consequences	Reversals
1. Editing the wrong registry key or value.	The policy may not apply correctly, or Edge may behave unpredictably.	Delete or correct the SearchSuggestEnabled key, then restart Edge.
2. Overriding local changes with Group Policy.	Group Policy updates may silently override Registry or PowerShell configurations.	Open gpedit.msc, navigate to Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Microsoft Edge, and adjust the relevant policy.
3. Missing ADMX templates for Group Policy.	The policy setting may not appear in the Group Policy Editor.	Download and install the latest Microsoft Edge ADMX templates from Microsoft’s official site.
4. Failing to restart Edge or the system.	Changes may not take effect immediately.	Close and reopen Edge, or restart the device to apply all settings fully.

Additional considerations for Microsoft Edge browser privacy settings

Here are additional points to consider when configuring Microsoft Edge browsing data and privacy settings:

Impact on privacy

Disabling the Search and Service Improvement feature may enhance user privacy by preventing Microsoft Edge from collecting de-identified search data.

Enterprise enforcement

Organizations can enforce this setting across multiple systems using Group Policy or configuration scripts. This maintains consistency and prevents end users from changing compliance-critical settings.

Policy compliance

Before deploying changes, ensure they align with your organizational policies and compliance requirements. This will avoid any non-compliance or audit issues.

Troubleshooting common issues

You may encounter this common issue when configuring the Microsoft Edge Search and Service Improvement feature. Here’s what you can do:

Setting not applying

If the feature remains enabled after attempting to disable it:

Double-check that the registry key (SearchSuggestEnabled) or Group Policy setting is correctly applied.
Check for any conflicting policies that may be overriding the setting. Ensure there’s none.
Confirm that Microsoft Edge is updated to version 104 or later.
Restart the system to ensure all changes take effect.

Configure Search and service improvement to meet user or organizational needs

The methods outlined above allow both individual users and IT administrators to tailor the Microsoft Edge browsing experience to match personal preferences or organizational requirements.

With options to modify from Microsoft Edge settings, Registry Editor, PowerShell, and Group Policy Editor, you have flexible control to enable or disable the Search and Service Improvement feature as needed.

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