Fully disable Search UI
Verified with Windows 11 25H2 — updated on July 30, 2026
Supported on: Windows 11 SE
Path in the GPO console
Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Search Description
If you enable this policy, the Search UI will be disabled along with all its entry points, such as keyboard shortcuts, touchpad gestures, and type-to-search in the Start menu. The Start menu's search box and Search Taskbar button will also be hidden. If you disable or don't configure this policy setting, the user will be able to open the Search UI and its different entry points will be shown.
Registry
HKLM
SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Windows Search Value name: DisableSearch
Enabled: DisableSearch = 1
Disabled: DisableSearch = 0
MDM / Intune (CSP)
./Device/Vendor/MSFT/Policy/Config/Search/DisableSearch Microsoft Learn documentation Mapping data: Microsoft Learn (CC BY 4.0)
CSP values
-
0 (Default)- Don't disable. -
1- Disable.
Export Builder
BETAConfigure the state, scope and options, then generate .reg, PowerShell, Intune and SCCM outputs — or add the setting to a multi-setting collection.
These exports write the registry — this is not a managed GPO. ⓘ
.reg file
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00
; Exported from gporais.com
; Policy: Fully disable Search UI
; State: Enabled
; Supported on: Windows 11 SE
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Windows Search]
"DisableSearch"=dword:00000001More formats (PowerShell, Intune, SCCM)
PowerShell
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Fully disable Search UI
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: Windows 11 SE
$path = 'HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Windows Search'
New-Item -Path $path -Force | Out-Null
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'DisableSearch' -Value 1 -Type DWordIntune XML
OMA-URI: ./Device/Vendor/MSFT/Policy/Config/Search/DisableSearch
Data type: String
Value:
<enabled/>Intune Remediation
# === Detection script ===
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Fully disable Search UI
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: Windows 11 SE
function Test-RegistryValue {
param(
[Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string]$Path,
[Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string]$Name,
[object]$Expected,
[ValidateSet('String', 'DWord', 'MultiString')][string]$Kind = 'String',
[switch]$Absent
)
try {
$item = Get-ItemProperty -LiteralPath $Path -Name $Name -ErrorAction Stop
} catch {
return $Absent.IsPresent
}
if ($Absent.IsPresent) { return $false }
$actual = $item.$Name
if ($Kind -eq 'DWord') { return ([int64]$actual) -eq ([int64]$Expected) }
if ($Kind -eq 'MultiString') {
$actualValues = @($actual)
$expectedValues = @($Expected)
if ($actualValues.Count -ne $expectedValues.Count) { return $false }
for ($i = 0; $i -lt $expectedValues.Count; $i++) {
if ([string]$actualValues[$i] -ne [string]$expectedValues[$i]) { return $false }
}
return $true
}
return [string]$actual -eq [string]$Expected
}
$checks = @(
(Test-RegistryValue -Path 'HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Windows Search' -Name 'DisableSearch' -Expected 1 -Kind DWord)
)
if ($checks -notcontains $false) {
Write-Output 'Compliant'
exit 0
}
Write-Output 'Non-compliant'
exit 1
# === Remediation script ===
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Fully disable Search UI
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: Windows 11 SE
$path = 'HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Windows Search'
New-Item -Path $path -Force | Out-Null
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'DisableSearch' -Value 1 -Type DWordSCCM scripts
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Fully disable Search UI
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: Windows 11 SE
# SCCM Configuration Item guidance:
# Create a Configuration Item of type "Setting: Script".
# Discovery script: use the Detection script below.
# Remediation script: use the Remediation script below.
# Compliance rule: the Discovery script output equals 'Compliant'.
# === Detection script ===
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Fully disable Search UI
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: Windows 11 SE
function Test-RegistryValue {
param(
[Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string]$Path,
[Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string]$Name,
[object]$Expected,
[ValidateSet('String', 'DWord', 'MultiString')][string]$Kind = 'String',
[switch]$Absent
)
try {
$item = Get-ItemProperty -LiteralPath $Path -Name $Name -ErrorAction Stop
} catch {
return $Absent.IsPresent
}
if ($Absent.IsPresent) { return $false }
$actual = $item.$Name
if ($Kind -eq 'DWord') { return ([int64]$actual) -eq ([int64]$Expected) }
if ($Kind -eq 'MultiString') {
$actualValues = @($actual)
$expectedValues = @($Expected)
if ($actualValues.Count -ne $expectedValues.Count) { return $false }
for ($i = 0; $i -lt $expectedValues.Count; $i++) {
if ([string]$actualValues[$i] -ne [string]$expectedValues[$i]) { return $false }
}
return $true
}
return [string]$actual -eq [string]$Expected
}
$checks = @(
(Test-RegistryValue -Path 'HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Windows Search' -Name 'DisableSearch' -Expected 1 -Kind DWord)
)
if ($checks -notcontains $false) {
Write-Output 'Compliant'
exit 0
}
Write-Output 'Non-compliant'
exit 1
# === Remediation script ===
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Fully disable Search UI
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: Windows 11 SE
$path = 'HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Windows Search'
New-Item -Path $path -Force | Out-Null
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'DisableSearch' -Value 1 -Type DWordBuilding a multi-setting collection? Add this setting and generate combined .reg / PowerShell / GPO scripts.