Policy

Remove Search button from File Explorer

Windows 11 25H2

Back to categoryOpen picker

Policy overview

Key metadata and intent for this policy.

ClassUser
CategoryWindows Components > File Explorer
Supported onWindows Server 2003, Windows XP, and Windows 2000 only

Supported OS tags: Windows2000, WindowsServer2003, WindowsXP

This policy setting allows you to remove the Search button from the File Explorer toolbar. If you enable this policy setting, the Search button is removed from the Standard Buttons toolbar that appears in File Explorer and other programs that use the File Explorer window, such as My Computer and Network Locations. Enabling this policy setting does not remove the Search button or affect any search features of Internet browser windows, such as the Internet Explorer window. If you disable or do not configure this policy setting, the Search button is available from the File Explorer toolbar. This policy setting does not affect the Search items on the File Explorer context menu or on the Start menu. To remove Search from the Start menu, use the "Remove Search menu from Start menu" policy setting (in User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Start Menu and Taskbar). To hide all context menus, use the "Remove File Explorer's default context menu" policy setting.

Internal name
NoShellSearchButton
Policy ID
18983472fa76
Elements
0

Registry values

How enabled and disabled states update the registry.

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

Policy elements

Inputs and configuration options exposed by this policy.

This policy has no additional user input fields.

Other policies in this category

Explore related policies at the same level.

View all policies in this category