How to Turn Microsoft Store Suggested Search Results on or off in Windows 11

Option 1Turn Suggestions On or Off in Settings

Microsoft’s release notes for KB5120998 describe this setting as “Web and Microsoft Store suggestions in Search”. It lets you choose whether those suggestions appear alongside local search results. Microsoft lists its location as Settings › Privacy & Security › Search.

1. Press Win+I to open Settings. The Settings⚙️ window opens with a list of categories on the left.
2. On the left side, click Privacy & security. The privacy options appear on the right.
3. On the right side, click Search. On some Windows 11 builds this page is labelled Search permissions. It is the same page.
4. Find the Show suggested search results🔍 section. Set the Microsoft Store suggestions option to On to see app suggestions, or Off to hide them. On a PC with KB5120998, this is where you choose whether web and Microsoft Store suggestions show next to local results.

   💡If the Microsoft Store suggestions option is missing

   If you don't see the Microsoft Store suggestions option on the Search🔍 page, try these checks:

   1. Scroll down the Search🔍 page. The option may be lower in the list than you expect.
   2. Look for the note "Some of these settings are managed by your organization." If you see it, this is probably a work or school PC, and IT controls the setting. Ask them before making changes.
   3. Check for Windows updates in Settings, then look again. Microsoft has moved these options between builds.

   If it still isn't there, use Option Two (Registry Editor) after you export a backup.

5. Close the Settings⚙️ window. The change applies right away. Open the search🔍 box and type a few letters to check.

That’s it. Windows Search now shows or hides Microsoft Store suggestions, depending on the position you chose. To undo the change, return to the same page and flip the switch back.

If you can’t find this option, your PC may not have KB5120998 yet. Microsoft has also moved and renamed these settings between updates. Check Windows Update for the latest update. If the option is still missing, use the Registry Editor method below.

Search itself is also changing. Microsoft’s release notes of October 7, 2026 (“From searching to doing: Building a faster, more streamlined Windows Search”) describe a single-list layout for search results. Results appear in one list that is quick to scan, instead of a results list on the left with a large preview pane on the right. Microsoft says this reduces visual clutter.

Microsoft is rolling this layout out gradually, so some PCs will get it later than others. Those layout notes do not mention the suggestion setting. The steps above stay the same with either layout.

Option 2Turn Suggestions On or Off Using the Registry Editor

You can also control Microsoft Store suggestions from the Registry Editor. It does the same thing as the Settings app. It helps if the setting is missing from Settings, or if you want to apply the change across several computers. Administrator permissions are required.

Microsoft Store suggested search results control whether the Microsoft Store offers app suggestions while you type in Windows Search. Leaving them on helps you discover new apps and content. Turning them off reduces clutter and keeps results focused on your personal files and general web searches.

What happens when done? Restart the computer so the change takes full effect. If a restart isn’t convenient, signing out and back in may be enough, but a restart is the sure way.

Turn On Microsoft Store Suggested Search Results

Use these steps to turn suggestions back on.

1. Press Win+R to open the Run box. Type regedit and press Enter. Click Yes if User Account Control asks for permission. Registry Editor opens.
2. Go to the following key: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\SearchSettings. You can paste the path into the address bar at the top of Registry Editor. If part of the path is missing, right-click the parent key, choose New › Key, and create it.
3. Right-click an empty area in the right-hand pane, select New, and then choose DWORD (32-bit) Value. A new value appears with its name ready to edit.
4. Name the new value IsDynamicSearchBoxEnabled. If the value already exists, skip the creation and edit the existing one.
5. Double-click IsDynamicSearchBoxEnabled. In the dialog, set Value data to 1 and click OK. The new data now shows in the Data column.
6. Close Registry Editor and restart the🔄 computer. After the restart, type a few letters in the search🔍 box to check for app suggestions.

That’s it. Microsoft Store suggestions are back on in Windows Search, and the search box shows app ideas as you type.

Turn Off Microsoft Store Suggested Search Results

Use these steps to turn suggestions off.

1. Press Win+R to open the Run box. Type regedit and press Enter. Click Yes if User Account Control asks for permission. Registry Editor opens.
2. Go to the following key: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\SearchSettings. If part of the path is missing, right-click the parent key, choose New › Key, and create it.
3. Right-click an empty area in the right-hand pane, select New, and then choose DWORD (32-bit) Value. A new value appears with its name ready to edit.
4. Name the new value IsDynamicSearchBoxEnabled. If it already exists, edit that one instead.
5. Double-click IsDynamicSearchBoxEnabled. In the dialog, set Value data to 0 and click OK.
6. Close Registry Editor and restart the🔄 computer. Search should now show only your files, apps, settings, and web results.

That’s it. Microsoft Store suggestions are now off, and the search box no longer promotes apps while you type.

To undo either change, repeat the steps with the other set of value data, or restore the registry backup you exported earlier.

Reference:

https://support.microsoft.com/en-US/Office/foundations-experiences/find-what-you-need-with-microsoft-search

Summary

You can manage Microsoft Store search suggestions from the Settings app or the Registry Editor. Settings is quicker and safer, and on PCs with KB5120998 it has a setting for web and Microsoft Store suggestions. The registry is the fallback when the option is missing or you need to repeat the change on several PCs. Either way, you decide whether the search box suggests apps.