Question How do I get rid of this search bar?

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alphacoyle

alphacoyle

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Dec 20, 2011
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I can't find a way to download a screenshot but this search bar in the middle of the screen is what I'm wanting to remove. It shows up on every new tab I open.

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New tabs as in Edge, or new Task View?

My bet would be this would be under the Copilot settings and/or something to do with the sidebar and other associated things within the browser settings, according to where it is (browser/desktop).

Unfortunately, I have worked very hard to rid myself of all that AI/Copilot/Assistant crap and I am not going to click checkbox settings to try and find it. Apologies.
 
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punkncat said:
New tabs as in Edge, or new Task View?

My bet would be this would be under the Copilot settings and/or something to do with the sidebar and other associated things within the browser settings, according to where it is (browser/desktop).

Unfortunately, I have worked very hard to rid myself of all that AI/Copilot/Assistant crap and I am not going to click checkbox settings to try and find it. Apologies.
Click to expand...
Not Copilot, but the standard "search bar" that has existed in Edge forever.
 
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I'm not super confident in my answer but to say that in stead of having the new tab open to where it is now to pick a page that is appealing to you. I don't see a way to get rid of that bar in any of the options in Edge itself for that particular landing page aside from adding news feed, weather, widgets and so on.

Alternately you might look to see if there are other browsers which this can be personalized or perhaps some "mod" that allows for a skin that doesn't show it?
 
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Thanks.

Interesting.

I have been trying to duplicate the presented screen with the Gear icon and Sign in shown in the upper right.

Edge "New Window" does indeed show the Gear icon. Clicking the Gear icon reveals quite a number of options along with an elevator bar that reveals even more options.

Near the bottom I found "Custom Theme" > "Manage". Even more options.

Using "edge://settings/appearance" also leads to those settings.

Have not found a matching setup.

OP just upgraded to Windows 11 - maybe some new "feature" involved that I might not be seeing?
 
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Found something.

If I open a new window in Edge and click the "..." icon, go down to "More tools", there is an option "Launch search bar."

Clicking that puts a search bar right at the top middle of the display.

At the right end of that search bar is the Rewards icon and another "...." that opens choices to close and to auto-launch search bar.
 
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Ralston18 said:
Found something.

If I open a new window in Edge and click the "..." icon, go down to "More tools", there is an option "Launch search bar."

Clicking that puts a search bar right at the top middle of the display.

At the right end of that search bar is the Rewards icon and another "...." that opens choices to close and to auto-launch search bar.
Click to expand...
That's a different/additional search bar, closing it doesn't affect the other one.
Do you not have the search bar on edge's home screen/new tabs?
 
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I stay with very basic screens/windows: no backgrounds, etc..

When I open Edge I have a plain grey screen with the search bar (oval) in mid screen just below the four colored "Windows" squares/panes preceding the word "Microsoft".

However, I can make an additional search bar appear or close as described in Post #13.

Actually, taking another look that search bar is presented on the upper boundry of the Edge Window. When I drag away the Edge window the search box remains in place on the desktop. Magnifying glass icon on left end and Rewards icon plus Menu icon ("....") on the right end.

Its' interior color is a light blue on my normal full blue desktop screen. When clicked, the search box interior turns white.

Question about the newly installed Windows 11:

What Edition, Version, Installed On, and OS Build?

(WIN + I > System > About)

I have:

Edition Windows 11 Pro
Version 24H2
Installed on ‎12/‎29/‎2024
OS build 26100.4349
Experience Windows Feature Experience Pack 1000.26100.107.0

If the objective is to remove the search bar where will search criteria/URL's etc. be entered?
 
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Ralston18 said:
When I open Edge I have a plain grey screen with the search bar (oval) in mid screen just below the four colored "Windows" squares/panes preceding the word "Microsoft".
Click to expand...
Same.

I have not found a way to make that central "search bar" not appear.
Indeed, that would be counterintuitive to what a web browser actually is.

Either you're opening an already designated URL, or going to "search" for something to open.

A web browser (Edge) with neither would be pretty useless.
 
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Ralston18 said:
I stay with very basic screens/windows: no backgrounds, etc..

When I open Edge I have a plain grey screen with the search bar (oval) in mid screen just below the four colored "Windows" squares/panes preceding the word "Microsoft".

However, I can make an additional search bar appear or close as described in Post #13.

Actually, taking another look that search bar is presented on the upper boundry of the Edge Window. When I drag away the Edge window the search box remains in place on the desktop. Magnifying glass icon on left end and Rewards icon plus Menu icon ("....") on the right end.

Its' interior color is a light blue on my normal full blue desktop screen. When clicked, the search box interior turns white.

Question about the newly installed Windows 11:

What Edition, Version, Installed On, and OS Build?

(WIN + I > System > About)

I have:

Edition Windows 11 Pro
Version 24H2
Installed on ‎12/‎29/‎2024
OS build 26100.4349
Experience Windows Feature Experience Pack 1000.26100.107.0

If the objective is to remove the search bar where will search criteria/URL's etc. be entered?
Click to expand...
I just use the address bar for everything.
 
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Not sure what to suggest. I do not use the Address bar and some brief experimental attempts to add the Address bar to my Taskbar did not appear to work.

My thought is that your system has some combination of Personalization configuration settings etc. that could be getting in the "way of things".

Too many "bars" and configuration options.... :)

Microsoft's software, like many other programs, wants to have things done in certain ways regardless of end user expectations and requirements.

Not uncommon to configure "X" and discover that the software is also now doing (or no longer doing) "Y".

Intentionally or just some buggy code that was not really thought through or tested.

I use browser search bars for online requirements and the Taskbar's Search "Oval" for system related purposes.

My general practice being to learn to work with the system as is - lots of tinkering and custom configurations often undone by some update, some conflict, or simple end user error on my part.

Hopefully someone will be able to specifically identify what needs to be done with respect to the question/problem at hand.

Do be very cautious about any solutions that involve registry editing and/or installing third party utilities.
 
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