This tutorial will show you how to change the SafeSearch filters for your account in Windows 11.
Windows Search lets you search from your taskbar to find what you’re looking for, whether it’s on your device, in the cloud, or on the web.
SafeSearch helps keep adult content out of your web previews. Windows Search relies on Bing technology to determine if search results include sensitive content before presenting them in web previews. If Bing determines results are deemed to include adult content, the preview pane will instead display a See web results button so you can open results in your web browser instead.
| SafeSearch filters | Description |
|---|---|
| Strict | Filters adult text, images, and videos out of your search results. If you select Strict, your setting will be shared with Bing in your browser. Bing will respect the Strict setting on the device regardless of your Bing SafeSearch setting on the Bing.com Settings page. |
| Moderate | Filters adult images and videos, but not text, out of your search results. This is the default setting. Bing search will default to using your Bing SafeSearch setting on the Bing.com Settings page. |
| Off | Doesn't filter adult content. Bing search will default to using your Bing SafeSearch setting on the Bing.com Settings page. |
References:
Windows Search and privacy - Microsoft Support
Learn how to connect Windows Search with your accounts in the cloud, manage your Windows Search and SafeSearch settings, clear search history, and more.
support.microsoft.com
Blocking adult content with SafeSearch or blocking Chat - Microsoft Support
support.microsoft.com
Contents
- Option One: Change SafeSearch Filters in Settings
- Option Two: Change SafeSearch Filters using REG file
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)
Open Search permissions settings
3 Under SafeSearch, select (dot) Strict, Moderate (default), or Off for the filters you want.
4 You can now close Settings if you like.
1 Do step 2 (Strict), step 3 (Moderate), or step 4 (Off) below for what you want.
2 Change SafeSearch filters to Strict
A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the file below you want to use, and go to step 5 below.
Set_SafeSearch_filters_to_Strict.reg
Download
(Contents of REG file for reference)
Code:
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\SearchSettings]
"SafeSearchMode"=dword:000000023 Change SafeSearch filters to Moderate
This is the default setting.
A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the file below, and go to step 5 below.
Set_SafeSearch_filters_to_Moderate.reg
Download
(Contents of REG file for reference)
Code:
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\SearchSettings]
"SafeSearchMode"=dword:000000014 Change SafeSearch filters to Off
A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the file below you want to use, and go to step 5 below.
Turn_off_SafeSearch_filters.reg
Download
(Contents of REG file for reference)
Code:
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\SearchSettings]
"SafeSearchMode"=dword:000000005 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
Last edited:
