Enable or Disable File Explorer Search History in Windows 10

Windows 10 offers a powerful and convenient search feature within File Explorer, allowing you to quickly locate files and folders on your computer. However, this feature also keeps a history of your search queries by default, which can be helpful for future reference but might not be ideal for everyone. If you’re looking to manage your File Explorer search history by either enabling or disabling it, this guide will walk you through the steps. We’ll explore how to control your search history settings in Windows 10, giving you more control over your file searching experience.

Enable or Disable File Explorer Search History in Windows 10

How to Enable or Disable File Explorer Search History in Windows 10

Make sure to create a restore point just in case something goes wrong.

Method 1: Enable or Disable File Explorer Search History in Registry Editor

1.Press Windows Key + R then type regedit and hit Enter to open Registry Editor.

Run command regedit

2.Navigate to the following registry key:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Explorer

Note: This will enable or disable the search history of file explorer for only the current user if you need it to work for all users then follow the exact same steps as below for HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Explorer

Enable or Disable File Explorer Search History in Registry Editor

3.Right-click on the Explorer then select New > DWORD (32-bit) Value. Name this newly created DWORD as DisableSearchBoxSuggestions and hit Enter.

Name this newly created DWORD as DisableSearchBoxSuggestions and hit Enter

4.Double-click on DisableSearchBoxSuggestions DWORD and change it’s value to:

Enable File Explorer Search History in Windows 10: 0
Disable File Explorer Search History in Windows 10: 1

To Enable File Explorer Search History in Windows 10 set the value to 0

Note: In case you need to enable the search history of File Explorer then delete the DisableSearchBoxSuggestions DWORD.

5.Once finished, click OK and reboot your PC to save changes.

Method 2: Enable or Disable File Explorer Search History in Group Policy Editor

Note: This method won’t work for Windows 10 Home edition users, it only works for Windows 10 Pro, Education, and Enterprise Edition.

1.Press Windows Key + R then type gpedit.msc and hit Enter.

gpedit.msc in run

2.Navigate to the following policy:

User Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > File Explorer

3.Make sure to select File Explorer than in right window pane double-click on “Turn off display of recent search entries in the File Explorer search box” policy.

Double-click on Turn off display of recent search entries in the File Explorer search box

4.Now change the settings of the above policy according to:

To Enable File Explorer Search History in Windows 10: Not Configured or Disabled
To Disable File Explorer Search History in Windows 10: Enabled

To Disable File Explorer Search History in Windows 10 set the policy to Enabled

5.Once done, click Apply followed by OK.

6.Restart your PC to save changes.

Recommended:

That’s it, you successfully learned How to Enable or Disable File Explorer Search History in Windows 10 but if you still have any queries regarding this tutorial then feel free to ask them in the comment’s section.

2 thoughts on “Enable or Disable File Explorer Search History in Windows 10”

  1. I don’t suppose you know how to stop windows 10 annoying pop up info tips that appear above everything the mouse pointer passes over, do you, please, please, please?

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