How do I prevent Cortana/Search from searching the web.

I see from a web search (using my prefered browser and not Cortana/Edge) that searching the web could be disabled in 2015 versions of Windows 10.

How do I disable Cortana/Search from searching the web in my 2017 version of Windows 10?

Can this be done at all anymore? Does every search of local files/programs on my computer go to Bing and there is nothing I can do about it?

Is this Microsoft's way of claiming that more people are using Bing and Edge?

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Answer

So, turns out that this seems to be possible after all. Reddit user /u/bmorefunyall found a solution:

Group policy -> Computer Configuration -> Administrative Templates -> Windows Components -> Search -> Do not allow web search.

After setting this policy to enabled, for me Windows search no longer searches the web.

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Last updated July 31, 2023 Views 5,606 Applies to: