microsoft is trying new windows 11 Search toggles that allow users to turn off Bing web results and Microsoft Store app suggestions. These controls, which were previously only available in the European Economic Area, are now being extended to all markets.
The setting appears in Windows 11 Insider Experimental build 26300.8697 for the Windows 11 version 26H2. The setting is currently hidden in the build and requires ViveTool feature flags to be enabled. They are not yet accessible to the general user base.
What the new Windows 11 search buttons do
Windows 11’s search feature has traditionally combined results from local files, apps, and settings with web suggestions, often showing results from Bing even when users were searching only on their device.
The latest updates include new options in the Settings menu under Privacy & Security, Search, that address this issue directly:
- A “Web Searches” toggle under “Show suggested search results” allows users to disable Bing web results in Search.
- A separate “Microsoft Store” switch prevents Store apps from appearing in search results.
These switches give users more control over their search experience, allowing them to limit results to local files, apps, and settings without web or Store content appearing next to them.
Users in the European Economic Area have been subject to these controls for some time as part of Microsoft’s compliance with the EU Digital Markets Act.
The new version indicates that Microsoft plans to extend similar controls to users around the world. A separate Bing disable option was shown in previous Windows Insider builds.
The current version at 26300.8697 includes a web search switcher and a separate Store app switcher, offering more granular control than previous previews.
Reorganizing security settings and how to test the feature before
The latest preview version also includes a revamped Privacy and Security page. Microsoft reorganized settings into clearer categories and introduced a new header that provides quick access to Windows Security, offering visible information about location, camera, and microphone permissions.
Additionally, new entry points are being added for features like access keys and the custom dictionary. Web Search and Microsoft Store options are not officially available in the current version and cannot be enabled through the standard Feature Indicators page.
This feature was spotted by @PhantomOfEarth within the Insider build and can only be enabled using ViveTool feature IDs. For users running Windows 11 Insider Experimental build 26300.8697 and want to try the feature now:
- Download ViveTool from its official GitHub repository.
- Open the command prompt as administrator.
- Navigate to the ViveTool folder.
- Enable relevant feature IDs, which have been documented by community testers as noted in the original article.
- Restart Windows.
Microsoft does not support enabling experimental features through ViveTool and may cause unexpected behavior. Users should only try this on test devices.
Availability
The feature is currently under active development and Microsoft has not committed to including the switches in a future general release.
If testing goes as planned, the company may refine the feature through upcoming 26H2 preview builds before deciding whether to roll it out more widely.
Users running stable builds of Windows 11 should expect the options to become available via a future Windows update once Microsoft enables them by default. The exact timing has not been announced.
This change follows a broader pattern of Microsoft responding to long-standing user feedback on Windows 11. Recent updates have introduced features like a movable taskbar, extended Windows Update pause options, and other changes based on user input, rather than simply adding new bundled features.
