Policy

Pin Internet search sites to the "Search again" links and the Start menu

Windows 11 25H2

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Policy overview

Key metadata and intent for this policy.

ClassUser
CategoryWindows Components > File Explorer
Supported onAt least Windows Server 2008 R2 or Windows 7

Supported OS tags: Windows10, Windows10RT, Windows11, Windows7, Windows8, Windows81, WindowsRT, WindowsRT81, WindowsServer2008, WindowsServer2012, WindowsServer2012R2, WindowsServer2016

This policy setting allows you to add Internet or intranet sites to the "Search again" links located at the bottom of search results in File Explorer and the Start menu links. The "Search again" links at the bottom of the Search Results view allow the user to reconduct a search but in a different location. The Internet search site will be searched with the text in the search box. To add an Internet search site, specify the URL of the search site in OpenSearch format with {searchTerms} for the query string (for example, http://www.example.com/results.aspx?q={searchTerms}). You can add up to five additional links to the "Search again" links at the bottom of results returned in File Explorer after a search is executed. These links will be shared between Internet search sites and Search Connectors/Libraries. Search Connector/Library links take precedence over Internet search links. The first several links will also be pinned to the Start menu. A total of four links can be pinned on the Start menu. The "See more results" link will be pinned first by default, unless it is disabled via Group Policy. The "Search the Internet" link is pinned second, if it is pinned via Group Policy (though this link is disabled by default). If a custom Internet search link is pinned using the "Custom Internet search provider" Group Policy, this link will be pinned third on the Start menu. The remaining link(s) will be shared between pinned Internet/intranet links and pinned Search Connectors/Libraries. Search Connector/Library links take precedence over Internet/intranet search links. If you enable this policy setting, the specified Internet sites will appear in the "Search again" links and the Start menu links. If you disable or do not configure this policy setting, no custom Internet search sites will be added to the "Search again" links or the Start menu links.

Internal name
TryHarderPinnedOpenSearch
Policy ID
34b13033071a
Elements
10

Registry values

How enabled and disabled states update the registry.

Registry locationTypeEnabled valueDisabled value
HKCU\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Explorer\TryHarderPinnedOpenSearchREG_DWORD
1
0

Policy elements

Inputs and configuration options exposed by this policy.

ElementTypeRegistry mappingConstraints & behavior
Site URL 1
ID OpenSearch0
text
HKCU\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Explorer\OpenSearch0
Type REG_SZ
None
Site Name 1
ID OpenSearchLabel0
text
HKCU\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Explorer\OpenSearchLabel0
Type REG_SZ
None
Site URL 2
ID OpenSearch1
text
HKCU\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Explorer\OpenSearch1
Type REG_SZ
None
Site Name 2
ID OpenSearchLabel1
text
HKCU\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Explorer\OpenSearchLabel1
Type REG_SZ
None
Site URL 3
ID OpenSearch2
text
HKCU\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Explorer\OpenSearch2
Type REG_SZ
None
Site Name 3
ID OpenSearchLabel2
text
HKCU\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Explorer\OpenSearchLabel2
Type REG_SZ
None
Site URL 4
ID OpenSearch3
text
HKCU\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Explorer\OpenSearch3
Type REG_SZ
None
Site Name 4
ID OpenSearchLabel3
text
HKCU\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Explorer\OpenSearchLabel3
Type REG_SZ
None
Site URL 5
ID OpenSearch4
text
HKCU\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Explorer\OpenSearch4
Type REG_SZ
None
Site Name 5
ID OpenSearchLabel4
text
HKCU\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Explorer\OpenSearchLabel4
Type REG_SZ
None

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