Microsoft is testing a new Windows 11 Search toggle that allows users to turn off Bing web results and Microsoft Store app suggestions. These controls, previously available only in the European Economic Area, are now being extended to all markets.
The settings appear in Windows 11 Insider Experimental Build 26300.8697 for Windows 11 version 26H2. Currently, the settings are hidden in builds and require the ViveTool feature flag to be enabled. They are not yet accessible to the general user base.
What does the new Windows 11 Search toggle do?
The Windows 11 Search feature traditionally combines results for local files, apps, and settings with web suggestions, often showing Bing results even when users are searching only on their device.
The latest update includes new toggles in the Settings menu under Privacy & Security, Search, that directly address this issue:
- A “Web Search” toggle under “Show suggested search results” allows users to turn off Bing web results in Search.
- A separate “Microsoft Store” toggle prevents Store apps from appearing in search results.
These toggles give users more control over their search experience, allowing them to limit results to local files, apps, and settings without appearing alongside web or store content.
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 build indicates that Microsoft plans to extend similar controls to users around the world. Earlier Windows Insider builds featured a separate Bing disable option.
The current version of 26300.8697 includes both a web search toggle and a separate Store app toggle, providing more detailed controls than the previous preview.
How to reorganize security settings and try the feature quickly
The latest preview build also includes a revised privacy and security page. Microsoft has reorganized Settings into clear categories and introduced a new header that provides quick access to Windows Security, providing at-a-glance information on location, camera, and microphone permissions.
Additionally, new entry points are being added for features like passkeys and custom dictionaries. Web Search and the Microsoft Store toggle are not officially available in the current build and cannot be enabled through the standard Feature Flags page.
This feature was spotted by @PhantomOfEarth inside an Insider build and can only be enabled using the ViveTool feature ID. For users running Windows 11 Insider Experimental Build 26300.8697 who want to try out the feature right now:
- Download ViveTool from its official GitHub repository.
- Open command prompt as administrator.
- Navigate to the ViveTool folder.
- Enable relevant feature IDs, which have been documented by community testers as described in the original article.
- Restart Windows.
Enabling experimental features through ViveTool is not supported by Microsoft and may cause unexpected behavior. Users should try it on test devices only.
Availability
This feature is currently being actively developed, and Microsoft has not committed to including the toggle in a future general release.
If testing goes as planned, the company may refine the feature through the upcoming 26H2 preview release before deciding to implement it more widely.
Users running stable versions of Windows 11 should expect the toggles to be available through a future Windows update after Microsoft enables them by default. The exact time has not been announced.
This change follows a broader pattern of Microsoft responding to long-standing user feedback about Windows 11. Recent updates have introduced features like a movable taskbar, expanded Windows Update pause options, and other changes based on user input, rather than simply adding new bundled features.
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