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Windows 11 Group Policy settings

3,621 settings · 25H2 · 1.0 · 29 Sep 2025

4 settingsCSV
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Windows Components › Search

Don't search the web or display web results in Search

ComputerNative Intune settingDoNotUseWebResults

Supported on Microsoft Windows 8.1 or later

25H2 · 1.0

What it does

This policy setting allows you to control whether or not Search can perform queries on the web, and if the web results are displayed in Search. If you enable this policy setting, queries won't be performed on the web and web results won't be displayed when a user performs a query in Search. If you disable this policy setting, queries will be performed on the web and web results will be displayed when a user performs a query in Search. If you don't configure this policy setting, a user can choose whether or not Search can perform queries on the web, and if the web results are displayed in Search.

What it writes

Hive
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE
Registry key
SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Windows Search
Value name
ConnectedSearchUseWeb
When enabled
DWORD 0
When disabled
DWORD 1

In Intune

Native Intune setting: Yes — Policy CSP

From Microsoft's Policy CSP DDF files (DDF v2 Files, February 2026), read 18 Oct 2026.

Configure and deploy

Choose a state; the output below is generated from the template for exactly that.

State

Enabled · Computer · template defaults

Registry file (.reg)

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Windows Search]
"ConnectedSearchUseWeb"=dword:00000001

PowerShell

$ErrorActionPreference = 'Stop'

function Set-RegistryValue {
    param(
        [Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string] $Path,
        [Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string] $Name,
        [Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string] $PropertyType,
        [Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][object] $Value
    )

    if (-not (Test-Path -LiteralPath $Path)) {
        New-Item -Path $Path -Force | Out-Null
    }

    New-ItemProperty -LiteralPath $Path -Name $Name -PropertyType $PropertyType -Value $Value -Force | Out-Null
}

function Remove-RegistryValue {
    param(
        [Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string] $Path,
        [Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string] $Name
    )

    if (Test-Path -LiteralPath $Path) {
        Remove-ItemProperty -LiteralPath $Path -Name $Name -Force -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue
    }
}

function Clear-RegistryKeyValues {
    param(
        [Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string] $Path
    )

    if (-not (Test-Path -LiteralPath $Path)) {
        return
    }

    foreach ($propertyName in (Get-Item -LiteralPath $Path).Property) {
        Remove-ItemProperty -LiteralPath $Path -Name $propertyName -Force -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue
    }
}

# Policy: Don't search the web or display web results in Search
# Name: DoNotUseWebResults
# Scope: Machine
# State: Enabled
# Source: Search.admx

Set-RegistryValue -Path 'Registry::HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Windows Search' -Name 'ConnectedSearchUseWeb' -PropertyType 'DWord' -Value 0

Set-RegistryValue -Path 'Registry::HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Windows Search' -Name 'ConnectedSearchUseWeb' -PropertyType 'DWord' -Value 1

These deployment candidates come from the ADMX template; they are separate from the native CSP mapping above.

  • The OMA-URI is an inferred ADMX-backed Policy CSP candidate derived from the source ADMX file name and policy name.
  • Some Microsoft policies use built-in Policy CSP pages whose area names don't match the ADMX file name, so verify the candidate against Microsoft Learn before deployment.

ADMX profile candidate (OMA-URI)

./Device/Vendor/MSFT/Policy/Config/ADMX_Search/DoNotUseWebResults

ADMX SyncML candidate

<SyncML xmlns="SYNCML:SYNCML1.2">
  <SyncBody>
    <Replace>
      <CmdID>1</CmdID>
      <Item>
        <Meta>
          <Format>chr</Format>
          <Type>text/plain</Type>
        </Meta>
        <Target>
          <LocURI>./Device/Vendor/MSFT/Policy/Config/ADMX_Search/DoNotUseWebResults</LocURI>
        </Target>
        <Data>&lt;enabled/&gt;</Data>
      </Item>
    </Replace>
    <Final/>
  </SyncBody>
</SyncML>
Intune remediation scripts

Detection

$ErrorActionPreference = 'Stop'
$reasons = [System.Collections.Generic.List[string]]::new()

function Test-RegistryValueExists {
    param(
        [Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string] $Path,
        [Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string] $Name
    )

    if (-not (Test-Path -LiteralPath $Path)) {
        return $false
    }

    return $null -ne (Get-ItemProperty -LiteralPath $Path -Name $Name -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue)
}

function Test-RegistryValueEquals {
    param(
        [Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string] $Path,
        [Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string] $Name,
        [Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string] $Kind,
        [Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][object] $Expected
    )

    if (-not (Test-Path -LiteralPath $Path)) {
        return $false
    }

    $valueObject = Get-ItemProperty -LiteralPath $Path -Name $Name -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue
    if ($null -eq $valueObject) {
        return $false
    }

    $actual = $valueObject.$Name
    switch ($Kind) {
        'String' { return [string]$actual -ceq [string]$Expected }
        'ExpandString' { return [string]$actual -ceq [string]$Expected }
        'DWord' { return [uint32]$actual -eq [uint32]$Expected }
        'QWord' { return [uint64]$actual -eq [uint64]$Expected }
        'MultiString' {
            $actualArray = @($actual)
            $expectedArray = @($Expected)
            if ($actualArray.Count -ne $expectedArray.Count) { return $false }
            for ($index = 0; $index -lt $actualArray.Count; $index++) {
                if ([string]$actualArray[$index] -cne [string]$expectedArray[$index]) { return $false }
            }
            return $true
        }
        'Binary' {
            $actualArray = [byte[]]$actual
            $expectedArray = [byte[]]$Expected
            if ($actualArray.Length -ne $expectedArray.Length) { return $false }
            for ($index = 0; $index -lt $actualArray.Length; $index++) {
                if ($actualArray[$index] -ne $expectedArray[$index]) { return $false }
            }
            return $true
        }
        default { return [string]$actual -ceq [string]$Expected }
    }
}

# Policy: Don't search the web or display web results in Search
# Name: DoNotUseWebResults
# Scope: Machine
# State: Enabled
# Source: Search.admx

$isMatch = Test-RegistryValueEquals -Path 'Registry::HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Windows Search' -Name 'ConnectedSearchUseWeb' -Kind 'DWord' -Expected 0
if (-not $isMatch) {
    $reasons.Add('Value mismatch: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Windows Search\ConnectedSearchUseWeb') | Out-Null
}

$isMatch = Test-RegistryValueEquals -Path 'Registry::HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Windows Search' -Name 'ConnectedSearchUseWeb' -Kind 'DWord' -Expected 1
if (-not $isMatch) {
    $reasons.Add('Value mismatch: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Windows Search\ConnectedSearchUseWeb') | Out-Null
}

if ($reasons.Count -eq 0) {
    Write-Output 'Compliant'
    exit 0
}

$reasons | ForEach-Object { Write-Output $_ }
exit 1

Remediation

$ErrorActionPreference = 'Stop'

function Set-RegistryValue {
    param(
        [Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string] $Path,
        [Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string] $Name,
        [Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string] $PropertyType,
        [Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][object] $Value
    )

    if (-not (Test-Path -LiteralPath $Path)) {
        New-Item -Path $Path -Force | Out-Null
    }

    New-ItemProperty -LiteralPath $Path -Name $Name -PropertyType $PropertyType -Value $Value -Force | Out-Null
}

function Remove-RegistryValue {
    param(
        [Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string] $Path,
        [Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string] $Name
    )

    if (Test-Path -LiteralPath $Path) {
        Remove-ItemProperty -LiteralPath $Path -Name $Name -Force -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue
    }
}

function Clear-RegistryKeyValues {
    param(
        [Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string] $Path
    )

    if (-not (Test-Path -LiteralPath $Path)) {
        return
    }

    foreach ($propertyName in (Get-Item -LiteralPath $Path).Property) {
        Remove-ItemProperty -LiteralPath $Path -Name $propertyName -Force -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue
    }
}

# Policy: Don't search the web or display web results in Search
# Name: DoNotUseWebResults
# Scope: Machine
# State: Enabled
# Source: Search.admx

Set-RegistryValue -Path 'Registry::HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Windows Search' -Name 'ConnectedSearchUseWeb' -PropertyType 'DWord' -Value 0

Set-RegistryValue -Path 'Registry::HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Windows Search' -Name 'ConnectedSearchUseWeb' -PropertyType 'DWord' -Value 1

History 5 retained releases

  1. 24H2 · 1.030 Sep 2024
    • Description … to control whether or not Search can…[added: and ]if [added: the ]web results are displayed in [removed: Search, and if search highlights are shown in the…][added: Search.] If you enable this policy setting, queries won't be …[removed: web,][added: web and] web results won't be displayed when a user performs a query in [removed: Search, and search highlights will not be shown in the search box and in …][added: Search.] If you disable this policy setting, queries will be performed on the [removed: web,][added: web and]…
      Whole description, marked

      This policy setting allows you to control whether or not Search can perform queries on the web, [added: and ]if [added: the ]web results are displayed in [removed: Search, and if search highlights are shown in the search box and in search home.][added: Search.] If you enable this policy setting, queries won't be performed on the [removed: web,][added: web and] web results won't be displayed when a user performs a query in [removed: Search, and search highlights will not be shown in the search box and in search home.][added: Search.] If you disable this policy setting, queries will be performed on the [removed: web,][added: web and] web results will be displayed when a user performs a query in [removed: Search, and search highlights will be shown in the search box and in search home.][added: Search.] If you don't configure this policy setting, a user can choose whether or not Search can perform queries on the web, and if the web results are displayed in [removed: Search, and if search highlights are shown in the search box and in search home.][added: Search.]

  2. 22H2 · 3.015 Jul 2024
    • Description … to control whether or not Search can…[removed: and ]if [removed: the ]web results are displayed in [removed: Search.][added: Search, and if search highlights are shown in the sear…] If you enable this policy setting, queries won't be …web[removed: and][added: ,] web results won't be displayed when a user performs a query in [removed: Search.][added: Search, and search highlights will not be shown in the search box and in search home.] If you disable this policy setting, queries will be performed on the web[removed: and][added: ,] …
      Whole description, marked

      This policy setting allows you to control whether or not Search can perform queries on the web, [removed: and ]if [removed: the ]web results are displayed in [removed: Search.][added: Search, and if search highlights are shown in the search box and in search home.] If you enable this policy setting, queries won't be performed on the web[removed: and][added: ,] web results won't be displayed when a user performs a query in [removed: Search.][added: Search, and search highlights will not be shown in the search box and in search home.] If you disable this policy setting, queries will be performed on the web[removed: and][added: ,] web results will be displayed when a user performs a query in [removed: Search.][added: Search, and search highlights will be shown in the search box and in search home.] If you don't configure this policy setting, a user can choose whether or not Search can perform queries on the web, and if the web results are displayed in [removed: Search.][added: Search, and if search highlights are shown in the search box and in search home.]

  3. 22H2 · 1.015 Jul 2024
    • Already present in the first release ChangeIntel keeps.

2 later releases left it unchanged.

Template

Internal name
DoNotUseWebResults
Namespace
FullArmor.Policies.3B9EA2B5_A1D1_4CD5_9EDE_75B22990BC21
Template file
Search.admx
Release
Windows 11 25H2 · 1.0 · file set de4e49983ebd651f…
Definition, editor controls and support

Definition

<policy class="Machine" displayName="$(string.DoNotUseWebResults)" explainText="$(string.ExplainDoNotUseWebResults)" key="SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Windows Search" name="DoNotUseWebResults" valueName="ConnectedSearchUseWeb" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/GroupPolicy/2006/07/PolicyDefinitions">
      <parentCategory ref="FullArmor.Policies.3B9EA2B5_A1D1_4CD5_9EDE_75B22990BC21:Search" />
      <supportedOn ref="FullArmor.Policies.3B9EA2B5_A1D1_4CD5_9EDE_75B22990BC21:WinBlueOnly" />
      <enabledValue>
        <decimal value="0" />
      </enabledValue>
      <disabledValue>
        <decimal value="1" />
      </disabledValue>
    </policy>

Editor controls

Supported platforms and category

FullArmor.Policies.3B9EA2B5_A1D1_4CD5_9EDE_75B22990BC21:category:Search
<category displayName="$(string.Search)" name="Search" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/GroupPolicy/2006/07/PolicyDefinitions">
      <parentCategory ref="Microsoft.Policies.Windows:WindowsComponents" />
    </category>
FullArmor.Policies.3B9EA2B5_A1D1_4CD5_9EDE_75B22990BC21:definition:WinBlueOnly
<definition displayName="$(string.WinBlueOnly)" name="WinBlueOnly" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/GroupPolicy/2006/07/PolicyDefinitions" />
Microsoft.Policies.Windows:category:WindowsComponents
<category displayName="$(string.WindowsComponents)" explainText="$(string.WindowsComponents_Help)" name="WindowsComponents" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/GroupPolicy/2006/07/PolicyDefinitions" />
FullArmor.Policies.3B9EA2B5_A1D1_4CD5_9EDE_75B22990BC21:category:Search
<category displayName="$(string.Search)" name="Search" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/GroupPolicy/2006/07/PolicyDefinitions">
      <parentCategory ref="Microsoft.Policies.Windows:WindowsComponents" />
    </category>
<strings><string id="FullArmor.Policies.3B9EA2B5_A1D1_4CD5_9EDE_75B22990BC21:Search">Search</string></strings>
FullArmor.Policies.3B9EA2B5_A1D1_4CD5_9EDE_75B22990BC21:definition:WinBlueOnly
<definition displayName="$(string.WinBlueOnly)" name="WinBlueOnly" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/GroupPolicy/2006/07/PolicyDefinitions" />
<strings><string id="FullArmor.Policies.3B9EA2B5_A1D1_4CD5_9EDE_75B22990BC21:WinBlueOnly">Microsoft Windows 8.1 or later</string></strings>
Microsoft.Policies.Windows:category:WindowsComponents
<category displayName="$(string.WindowsComponents)" explainText="$(string.WindowsComponents_Help)" name="WindowsComponents" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/GroupPolicy/2006/07/PolicyDefinitions" />
<strings><string id="Microsoft.Policies.Windows:WindowsComponents">Windows Components</string><string id="Microsoft.Policies.Windows:WindowsComponents_Help">Contains settings for operating system components.</string></strings>
ChangeIntel

An IT change radar: releases, security, known issues, retirements, documentation changes, and service status from public sources. Every item links to supporting evidence; dates and statuses can change after they are read.

Sources read 18 Oct 20:26 UTC · 253 of 255 readable · 252 fully read · documentation 0/410 current

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