alt Hacker NewsWindows Search requires a DNS lookup, and HTTP request to start your search, as a direct result if either one of those is slow the whole UI lags and hangs. It hasn't ever been fixed in Windows 11.
Also, there is a RegX way of disabling "bing" for-real in the search but they released an update that caused doing so to break search entirely if that was set (totally a coincidence I'm sure).
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I use this script here and it will remove the stupid bing search feature.
> Windows Search requires a DNS lookup
WHY? Why? Why. I’m seriously asking. Who thought that was a good idea? Who?! FIRE THEM.
NO USER ever in the history of Windows users ever said: “I want to search the contents of my computer, but windows search is too fast; can you please make windows search extremely slow, make it omit things that I know exist, and also make it search the internet? Also, I want you to index my laptop while it is sleeping in my bag, making my bag very hot, and using up all my battery trying to cool down so that I have no battery left when I open up the laptop.”
No one has ever asked for that, but we have it, we’ve had it for a long damn time.
I have resorted to installing my laptop with Ireland / English & later switching the region to US / English. That way it's considered part of the European Economic Area.
Which allows me to disable web search in start, disable widgets, etc.