Getting Bing out of the search bar in Windows 11 can be a bit of a hassle, especially if you’re not used to fiddling with system settings or the registry. But yeah, it’s doable with a few tweaks, mainly in the Registry. Just be careful—messing around in there can cause issues if you don’t do it right. Once it’s sorted, Bing won’t be cluttering up your search results anymore, which is a real bonus if you prefer other search engines or just want a tidier setup.
How to Remove Bing from Search Bar in Windows 11
This method involves editing some registry keys because, honestly, Windows makes it pretty tricky to turn off Bing completely through settings alone, especially if you’re running the Home edition. So, here’s the plan: tweak some registry entries to tell Windows to just give Bing a miss when you search. Expect a reboot to make everything stick.
Step 1: Open Registry Editor
Press Windows + R, type regedit, and hit Enter. Bam, Registry Editor opens up. If you get a User Account Control prompt, click Yes. Be careful—this is where system settings get altered. If you’re not confident, back up your registry first. On some setups, you might need to run as administrator—right-click the Registry Editor icon and choose “Run as administrator.”
Step 2: Find the Registry Path
Navigate to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Search. In the left pane, expand the folders: HKEY_CURRENT_USER, then Software, Microsoft, Windows, CurrentVersion, and finally Search. That’s where most of the relevant settings live.
Step 3: Change BingSearchEnabled Value
Look for a DWORD named BingSearchEnabled. If it’s not there, right-click in the right pane, select New > DWORD (32-bit) Value, and name it BingSearchEnabled. Double-click it, then set its value to 0. That tells Windows to ignore Bing in search results. Sometimes this DWORD might be missing—creating it can do the trick, and a restart might be needed for the change to take effect.
Step 4: Adjust CortanaConsent Value
Same deal. Find CortanaConsent. Double-click and change its value to 0. This stops Cortana from interfering and also prevents Bing from sneaking into your search thanks to Cortana integration. If it’s not there, just create a new DWORD called CortanaConsent.
Step 5: Restart Your PC
Yeah, it’s a no-brainer, but a reboot’s necessary. Restart your system to let the registry tweaks kick in. Sometimes changes show immediately; other times, a clean restart does the trick. On some setups, you might need to do it twice for everything to settle down.
And that’s pretty much it. Once your PC fires back up, your search bar should be Bing-free. No more auto-suggestions from Bing, no more clutter.
Tips for Removing Bing from Search Bar in Windows 11
- It’s a good idea to back up your registry before making any changes—export a copy just in case. Better safe than sorry.
- If you’re not into fiddling with registries, some third-party tools or scripts can do this automatically. Just search for “disable Bing in Windows 11 registry script”.
- Keep Windows up to date. Weirdly, updates sometimes reset these tweaks or change settings, so you might need to redo things after a major update.
- If you’re running Windows 11 Pro or Enterprise, you can also tweak Group Policy settings, but for Home editions, registry edits are your main option.
- Just so you know, this only affects the Windows search bar — Bing might still pop up in Edge or other apps if you use them.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I undo these changes if I want to go back?
Absolutely. Just revisit the registry, find BingSearchEnabled and CortanaConsent, and set their values back to 1. That’ll re-enable Bing in your search.
Will this make my search faster?
Chances are it might even speed things up a bit since your PC won’t be querying Bing online every time you search. Win-win.
Does this remove Bing from my web browsers?
Nah. These tweaks only mess with the Windows search bar. If Bing is your default in Chrome or Edge, you’ll need to change that separately in their settings.
Is editing the registry safe?
If you follow the instructions, it’s usually fine. But Windows makes it tricky on purpose, so don’t go editing stuff blindly. Always back up just in case something goes sideways.
Can I do this on Windows 11 Home?
Yep. Since Group Policy isn’t available on Home, registry tweaks are your best bet.
Summary
- Open Registry Editor (
regedit) - Navigate to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Search
- Create or set BingSearchEnabled to 0
- Create or set CortanaConsent to 0
- Reboot and enjoy a Bing-free search bar
Conclusion
Seeing Bing vanish from your search bar can feel like a win. It’s not perfect, and Windows might try to sneak it back, but a quick registry tweak gives you control over your search experience. Just remember, messing with system files isn’t risk-free, so double-check what you’re doing and back things up first. Once it’s done, your search box will be cleaner, faster, and more your style. Hope this helps someone save a bit of time or stop the frustration before it starts.