Privacy and Security Enable or Disable Search Cloud Content from Apps in Windows 11

This tutorial will show you how to turn on or off searching for content saved in the cloud by Windows Search for your account or all users on a Windows 11 Copilot+ PC.

Starting with Windows 11 build 26100.3624 (24H2) and build 26100.3902 (RP), locating your photos stored and saved in the cloud is getting simpler on Copilot+ PCs You can use your own words in the search box at the upper-right corner of File Explorer like “summer picnics”. In addition to photos stored locally on your Copilot+ PC, photos from the cloud will now show up in the search results together. Exact matches for your keywords within the text of your cloud files will also show in the search results. You can try this experience out today with your personal OneDrive when signed in with your Microsoft account and connected to the internet.

Starting with Windows 11 build 26120.3872 (Beta 24H2) and build 26200.5562 (Dev), Windows Insiders in the European Economic Area can now find photos saved in the cloud with improved Windows Search to the Windows search box on the taskbar. Just use your own words to find photos stored and saved in the cloud by describing what they are about like “European castles” or “summer picnics” in the search box on your taskbar. In addition to photos stored locally on your Copilot+ PC, photos from the cloud will now show up in the search results together. In addition to searching for photos, exact matches for your keywords within the text of your cloud files will show in the search results. Improved Windows Search experiences in the Windows search box on the taskbar continue to gradually roll out to Windows Insiders on Snapdragon-powered Copilot+ PCs, including finding photos saved in the cloud, so you may not see these experiences right away. Support for AMD and Intel-powered Copilot+ PCs is coming soon.

Starting with Windows 11 build 26120.3872 (Beta 24H2) and build 26200.5562 (Dev), you can now turn off searching for content saved in the cloud on your Copilot+ PC. Please note this currently works only for the Windows search box on the taskbar. However, in a future update this setting will also apply to search in File Explorer.




EXAMPLE: Results including dog on beach photos from cloud in Windows search box on taskbar with improved Windows Search







1 Open Settings (Win+I).

2 Click/tap on Privacy & security on the left side, and click/tap on Search permissions on the right side. (see screenshot below)



3 Under Search Apps, turn On (default) or Off Enable deep content search of cloud content for what you want. (see screenshot below)


4 You can now close Settings if you like.





1 Do step 2 (on) or step 3 (off) below for what you want.

This is the default setting.

(Contents of REG file for reference)





(Contents of REG file for reference)

4 Save the .reg file to your desktop.

5 Double click/tap on the downloaded .reg file to merge it.

6 When prompted, click/tap on Run, Yes (UAC), Yes, and OK to approve the merge.

7 You can now delete the downloaded .reg file if you like.





1 Open Settings (Win+I).

2 Click/tap on Privacy & security on the left side, and click/tap on Search permissions on the right side. (see screenshot below)



3 Under Search Apps, turn On (default) or Off apps (ex: "OneDrive") you want for Enable deep content search of cloud content. (see screenshot below)

Each app (ex: "OneDrive") for this setting is located as a subkey of the HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\SearchSettings\FileSearchProviders registry key for the current user.

You can modify the IsFileProviderEnabled DWORD per app to either 1 (on - default) or 0 (off).

4 You can now close Settings if you like.

You must be signed in as an administrator to use this option.

The Local Group Policy Editor is only available in the Windows 11 Pro, Enterprise, and Education editions.

All editions can use Option Five for the same policy.

1 Open the Local Group Policy Editor (gpedit.msc).

2 Navigate to the policy location below in the left pane of the Local Group Policy Editor. (see screenshot below)



3 In the right pane of Search in the Local Group Policy Editor, double click/tap on the Allow Cloud Search policy to edit it. (see screenshot above)

4 Do step 5 (force enable), step 6 (disable), or step 7 (default) below for what you would like to do.

This will prevent using Option One, Option Two, and Option Three.

This will prevent using Option One, Option Two, and Option Three.

This is the default setting to allow using Option One, Option Two, and Option Three.

8 You can now close the Local Group Policy Editor if you like.

You must be signed in as an administrator to use this option.

1 Do step 2 (Force enable), step 3 (disable), or step 4 (default) below for what you want.

This will prevent using Option One, Option Two, and Option Three.

(Contents of REG file for reference)

This will prevent using Option One, Option Two, and Option Three.

(Contents of REG file for reference)

This is the default setting to allow using Option One, Option Two, and Option Three.

(Contents of REG file for reference)

5 Save the REG file to your desktop.

6 Double click/tap on the downloaded REG file to merge it.

7 When prompted, click/tap on Run, Yes (UAC), Yes, and OK to approve the merge.

8 You can now delete the downloaded REG file if you like.


That's it,
Shawn Brink