To disable News and Interests on Windows 11 using Registry Editor, navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Dsh, create a new DWORD 32-bit value named AllowNewsAndInterests, and set its value data to 0. Restart your PC and the feature will be fully disabled.
Quick Steps:
- Press Windows + R to open the Run dialog
- Type
regeditand press Enter to open Registry Editor - Navigate to
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Dsh - If the
Dshkey doesn’t exist, right-click theMicrosoftfolder, select New > Key, and name itDsh - Right-click in the empty space on the right panel and select New > DWORD (32-bit) Value
- Name the value
AllowNewsAndInterestsand press Enter - Double-click the value, set the value data to
0, and click OK - Close Registry Editor and restart your PC
Why Disable News and Interests on Windows 11?
News and Interests is a Windows 11 feature that displays a feed of news, weather, and other content through the Widgets panel. It runs in the background and regularly connects to Microsoft’s servers to pull in that content. If you’re not using it, it’s just consuming resources and sending data to Microsoft for no benefit.
From my years running a computer repair and support business, cleaning up Windows after a fresh install was part of my daily routine. Turning off features like this was standard practice — especially on lower-spec machines where every bit of background activity adds up. It’s the same reason I’d suggest you look at disabling unnecessary background apps on Windows 11 via the registry while you’re at it.
The registry method is more effective than just hiding the Widgets button on the taskbar. By setting a policy-level registry key, you’re telling Windows to fully disable the feature rather than just making the button invisible. This approach is more persistent and holds up better across Windows updates.
Detailed Step-by-Step Guide
Step 1: Open Registry Editor
Press Windows + R on your keyboard to open the Run dialog box. Type regedit and press Enter. If Windows prompts you with a User Account Control popup, click Yes to allow the Registry Editor to open.
Step 2: Navigate to the Registry Path
In the Registry Editor, navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Dsh. You can click through the folders in the left panel one by one, or paste the path directly into the address bar at the top of the window and press Enter to jump straight to it.
Step 3: Create the Dsh Key If It Doesn’t Exist
On most Windows 11 installations, the Dsh key won’t be there by default. If you don’t see it under HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft, right-click the Microsoft folder in the left panel and select New > Key. Name it Dsh exactly as shown and press Enter.
Step 4: Create a New DWORD Value
Click on the Dsh key to select it, then right-click anywhere in the empty white space on the right side of the Registry Editor. Select New > DWORD (32-bit) Value from the menu. Name the new entry AllowNewsAndInterests and press Enter.
Step 5: Set the Value Data to 0
Double-click the AllowNewsAndInterests value to open its properties. Change the value data to 0 and click OK. Setting this to 0 instructs Windows to disable the News and Interests feature entirely at the policy level.
Step 6: Restart Your PC
Close the Registry Editor and do a full restart of your PC. The change won’t kick in until after a restart — simply signing out and back in isn’t always enough. After rebooting, News and Interests will no longer be active on your system.
Want to Skip the Registry Editing?
If you’d rather not go digging around in the registry, I created a free tool called Winhance — a Windows Enhancement Utility that handles tweaks like this and many others through a clean, simple interface. It was built specifically so you can apply these kinds of changes without having to touch the registry manually.
How to Re-enable News and Interests
Changed your mind? Head back to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Dsh in Registry Editor. Double-click AllowNewsAndInterests and change the value data back to 1, then restart your PC. You can also just delete the AllowNewsAndInterests DWORD value entirely to restore the default behavior.
Common Issues & Solutions
Problem: The Dsh key doesn’t exist in the registry
Solution: You need to create it. Right-click the Microsoft folder under HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies, select New > Key, and name it Dsh. Then continue with the remaining steps.
Problem: Access denied when editing the registry
Solution: You need to open Registry Editor as an administrator. Close it, then search for regedit in the Start menu, right-click it, and select Run as administrator.
Problem: News and Interests is still showing after making the change
Solution: Make sure you did a full restart, not just a sign-out. The policy change requires a complete reboot to take effect. If it still shows after a restart, double-check that the value data is set to 0 and not 1.
FAQ
Is it safe to edit the registry to disable News and Interests?
Yes, this is a safe change. You’re creating a policy-level registry key that Windows uses to control features — the exact same type of change IT administrators make on business computers. It won’t affect Windows stability or any other functionality on your system.
Will this change survive Windows updates?
In most cases, yes. Policy-level registry keys like this one are generally respected by Windows updates. That said, major version updates can occasionally reset things, so it’s worth checking after a big update to make sure it’s still in place.
Does disabling News and Interests also stop Windows from tracking me?
Disabling this feature stops it from running and sending content requests, but Windows still collects other types of data in the background. If you want to reduce data collection more broadly, you can also disable Windows telemetry via the registry and turn off the Windows Advertising ID to limit personalized tracking across the system.
Can I disable News and Interests without using the registry?
You can hide the Widgets button by right-clicking the taskbar and toggling off Widgets in Taskbar settings. However, this only hides the button — the feature itself is still running in the background. The registry method in this guide actually disables it at the policy level, which is a more complete solution.
Does this method work on Windows 10 as well?
Windows 10 had its own version of News and Interests that appeared in the taskbar. The registry path used in this guide is specific to Windows 11. The method for Windows 10 is different, so this guide is focused on Windows 11 only.
