tl:dr — The Computer Peeps recommend disabling Start Menu Web Search in Windows.
By default, when you start typing in the Windows Start Menu, it is doing a web search. In our experience, this can lead to the following issues:
- Start Menu lock-ups when trying to access the web.
- Search results that are not protected by an adblocker, leading to phishing and/or phone scams.
This is something we disable by default on all of our MiniPeep systems and any system we configure for stores.
How To Disable Start Menu Web Search
We consider this to be an advanced setting for most users, so I would not attempt to make this change to your own system unless you are extremely comfortable with the Windows Registry Editor and managing Windows workstations in general.
- Navigate to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Explorer in the Windows Registry
- Add or edit the DWORD value for DisableSearchBoxSuggestions
- Set the value to 1
- Restart the computer
This can also be done via the Group Policy Editor @ User Configuration > Administrative Templates > Start Menu and Taskbar > Do not search the Internet:
Before:
After:
Image Credit: Claude AI
Dean
I am a Software Developer, System Administrator, and consignment software specialist. I currently manage hundreds of consignment workstations, point of sale systems, and database servers all across North America and I am the developer of Peeps' Software, Peeps2Go, and Peeps' Consignor Login for iOS and Android. I've been helping consignment & resale store-owners since 2003. I started The Computer Peeps in February of 2010. Peeps' Software launched in 2016 and is now on hundreds of systems all across North America. I have successfully converted hundreds of stores from all of the major consignment software systems. After 20+ years of working with consignment stores, I understand the unique challenges consignment & resale store-owners face. From electrical issues in old buildings or strip malls, to advocating for them when their old consignment software keeps crashing.