Custom Instant Search Internet search provider

Verified with Windows 11 25H2 — updated on July 30, 2026

Supported on: At least Windows Vista

Path in the GPO console

User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Instant Search

Description

Set up the menu name and URL for the custom Internet search provider. If you enable this setting, the specified menu name and URL will be used for Internet searches. If you disable or not configure this setting, the default Internet search provider will be used.

Registry

HKCU Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer\SearchExtensions

More options available

Options

The string or DLL resource from which to load the string shown in the Instant Search menu.

InternetExtensionName text

The URL to use when invoking the custom Internet search, with the search term indicated by "%w".

InternetExtensionAction text

MDM / Intune (CSP)

./User/Vendor/MSFT/Policy/Config/ADMX_WordWheel/CustomSearch

User Since Windows 10, version 2004 with KB5005101 [10.0.19041.1202] and later | Windows 10, version 20H2 with KB5005101 [10.0.19042.1202] and later | Windows 10, version 21H1 with KB5005101 [10.0.19043.1202] and later | Windows 11, version 21H2 [10.0.22000] and later Official mapping (Microsoft Learn)

Microsoft Learn documentation Mapping data: Microsoft Learn (CC BY 4.0)

Export Builder

BETA

Configure 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. ⓘ

Not configured Enabled Disabled

The string or DLL resource from which to load the string shown in the Instant Search menu.

The URL to use when invoking the custom Internet search, with the search term indicated by "%w".

.reg file

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

; Exported from gporais.com
; Policy: Custom Instant Search Internet search provider
; State: Enabled
; Supported on: At least Windows Vista

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer\SearchExtensions]
"InternetExtensionName"=""
"InternetExtensionAction"=""

More formats (PowerShell, Intune, SCCM)

PowerShell

# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Custom Instant Search Internet search provider
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Windows Vista
# Warning: In SYSTEM context (the Intune default), HKCU targets the SYSTEM profile. Run this script using the logged-on credentials.

$path = 'HKCU:\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer\SearchExtensions'
New-Item -Path $path -Force | Out-Null
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'InternetExtensionName' -Value '' -Type String
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'InternetExtensionAction' -Value '' -Type String

Intune XML

OMA-URI: ./User/Vendor/MSFT/Policy/Config/ADMX_WordWheel/CustomSearch
Data type: String
Value:
<enabled/>
<data id="CustomSearch_NamePrompt" value=""/>
<data id="CustomSearch_URLPrompt" value=""/>

Intune Remediation

# === Detection script ===
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Custom Instant Search Internet search provider
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Windows Vista
# Warning: In SYSTEM context (the Intune default), HKCU targets the SYSTEM profile. Run this script using the logged-on credentials.

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 'HKCU:\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer\SearchExtensions' -Name 'InternetExtensionName' -Expected '' -Kind String)
  (Test-RegistryValue -Path 'HKCU:\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer\SearchExtensions' -Name 'InternetExtensionAction' -Expected '' -Kind String)
)

if ($checks -notcontains $false) {
  Write-Output 'Compliant'
  exit 0
}

Write-Output 'Non-compliant'
exit 1

# === Remediation script ===
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Custom Instant Search Internet search provider
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Windows Vista
# Warning: In SYSTEM context (the Intune default), HKCU targets the SYSTEM profile. Run this script using the logged-on credentials.

$path = 'HKCU:\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer\SearchExtensions'
New-Item -Path $path -Force | Out-Null
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'InternetExtensionName' -Value '' -Type String
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'InternetExtensionAction' -Value '' -Type String

SCCM scripts

# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Custom Instant Search Internet search provider
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Windows Vista
# 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: Custom Instant Search Internet search provider
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Windows Vista
# Warning: In SYSTEM context (the Intune default), HKCU targets the SYSTEM profile. Run this script using the logged-on credentials.

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 'HKCU:\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer\SearchExtensions' -Name 'InternetExtensionName' -Expected '' -Kind String)
  (Test-RegistryValue -Path 'HKCU:\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer\SearchExtensions' -Name 'InternetExtensionAction' -Expected '' -Kind String)
)

if ($checks -notcontains $false) {
  Write-Output 'Compliant'
  exit 0
}

Write-Output 'Non-compliant'
exit 1

# === Remediation script ===
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Custom Instant Search Internet search provider
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Windows Vista
# Warning: In SYSTEM context (the Intune default), HKCU targets the SYSTEM profile. Run this script using the logged-on credentials.

$path = 'HKCU:\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer\SearchExtensions'
New-Item -Path $path -Force | Out-Null
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'InternetExtensionName' -Value '' -Type String
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'InternetExtensionAction' -Value '' -Type String

Building a multi-setting collection? Add this setting and generate combined .reg / PowerShell / GPO scripts.

Open the Builder

Search GPORais