Microsoft has released an optional Windows 11 update that lets users turn off Bing web results and Microsoft Store suggestions inside the built-in Search tool, addressing years of complaints about clutter in the feature, according to BetaNews and PCWorld.
New Toggles in Privacy Settings
The update, designated KB5120998, adds a new section under Settings, Privacy and Security, and Search. It gives users two separate controls, one for web search results and one for Microsoft Store suggestions, so either can be turned off independently, according to Digital Trends.
With both toggles disabled, Windows Search relies only on content stored locally on the device, no longer sending queries to Bing servers in the background.
A Cleaner, Faster Search Experience
Beyond the new controls, the update simplifies the Search home screen by removing trending searches and other promotional content that previously appeared alongside local results, PCWorld reported. Search results are now more clearly labeled to show whether they come from an app, a system setting, a local file, a web page, or a Store suggestion.
Turning off web results can also make Search feel faster, since the tool no longer waits on an online request before displaying files, apps, and settings already stored on the computer.
A Response to Years of Criticism
Microsoft has faced repeated criticism for using Windows Search as a promotional channel for its own products and services. The company had already been required to offer similar controls to users in Europe, and this update extends that option worldwide, according to BetaNews.
The update also improves how Windows handles typos and incomplete search terms, and now automatically indexes a user’s most frequently used folders so relevant files surface more easily in future searches.
Gradual Rollout Underway
KB5120998 applies to Windows 11 versions 24H2 and 25H2, moving devices to builds 26100.9278 and 26200.9278 respectively. As a non-security preview release, it is optional rather than something most home users need to install right away.
Microsoft is distributing the feature gradually through its Controlled Feature Rollout system, meaning installing the update does not guarantee the new Search experience appears immediately on every device. Users eager to try it early can enable it manually using the ViVeTool utility, though Microsoft has not published an official timeline for when the feature will reach all eligible devices.
