If the Microsoft Store won’t open on Windows 10 or 11, the fastest first step is to run wsreset.exe to clear the Store cache — it takes under a minute and fixes most cases. If the Store still won’t open, uninstall it through PowerShell and reinstall it cleanly via the Xbox app. As a last resort, an in-place upgrade or using Winhance to reinstall the Store can bring it back without losing any files.

Applies to: Windows 10 (22H2) and Windows 11 (23H2, 24H2, 25H2) | Last updated: May 27, 2026

Key Takeaways

• Running wsreset.exe clears the Microsoft Store cache and resolves most “Store won’t open” issues in under a minute — try this first before anything else.
• If wsreset doesn’t help, resetting the Store through Settings > Apps > Installed apps > Microsoft Store > Advanced options > Reset wipes the app data without uninstalling it.
• The nuclear option is to uninstall Store via PowerShell with Get-AppxPackage -allusers *WindowsStore* | Remove-AppxPackage and reinstall through the Xbox app — this clears fully corrupted installations.
• If none of the above work, an in-place upgrade repairs core Windows components without wiping your files, and restores a working Microsoft Store in the process.
• Winhance has a built-in option to reinstall the Microsoft Store with one click, which is the easiest method if you already have it installed.

In This Guide

This guide covers four methods to fix the Microsoft Store not opening, starting with the quickest and least invasive:

• Method 1: Run wsreset.exe — Clears the Store cache in seconds. Try this first. (Recommended starting point)
• Method 2: Reset the Store via Settings — Wipes app data without uninstalling. Good middle step.
• Method 3: Reinstall Store via PowerShell + Xbox App — Full uninstall and clean reinstall for corrupted installations.
• Method 4: In-Place Upgrade or Winhance — Last resort options if everything else fails.

Quick Steps

1. Press Win + R, type wsreset.exe, press Enter — wait for Store to reopen automatically
2. If that fails: Settings > Apps > Installed apps > Microsoft Store > Advanced options > Reset
3. If that fails: Open PowerShell as Administrator and run Get-AppxPackage -allusers *WindowsStore* | Remove-AppxPackage
4. Download the Xbox app from Xbox.com, install it, click Browse the catalog
5. Click “Review now” on the missing components banner, find Microsoft Store, click Install
6. Restart your PC once installation completes

Why Microsoft Store Stops Opening

In my years running a computer repair shop, the Microsoft Store refusing to open was one of the most common app complaints I dealt with. It almost always came down to corrupted app files or a stuck cache. This can happen after a Windows update goes wrong, after an interrupted Store update, or after using certain debloating scripts that accidentally strip out files the Store depends on.

The good news is there are multiple fixes that escalate from a 30-second cache clear to a full reinstall. Work through them in order — most people only need the first or second method.

Method 1: Run wsreset.exe (Start Here)

The wsreset.exe tool is built into Windows specifically to clear the Microsoft Store cache. It runs silently, clears the cache files, then automatically relaunches the Store. On Windows 10 and 11, this fixes the “Store won’t open” issue roughly half the time.

Press Win + R to open the Run dialog, type the command below, and press Enter:

wsreset.exe

A blank Command Prompt window will appear and stay open for about 10-15 seconds while the cache clears. Don’t close it. When it’s done, the Microsoft Store will launch automatically. If the Store opens normally, you’re done — no further steps needed.

Tip: You can also search for “wsreset” in the Start menu and run it from there — same result.

Method 2: Reset the Store via Settings

If wsreset didn’t fix it, the next step is to reset the Microsoft Store app through Windows Settings. This wipes the app’s local data and resets it to defaults without fully uninstalling it — a deeper clean than wsreset but less drastic than a full reinstall.

Open Settings and navigate to Apps > Installed apps. Find Microsoft Store in the list (you can search for it), click the three-dot menu next to it, and select Advanced options. Scroll down to the Reset section and click Reset, then confirm. The reset takes a few seconds. Once it’s done, try opening the Microsoft Store again.

Note: On Windows 10, the path is Settings > Apps > Apps & features > Microsoft Store > Advanced options > Reset.

Method 3: Reinstall Store via PowerShell and Xbox App

When the Store’s installation is genuinely corrupted — not just cached data but the actual app files — resetting it won’t be enough. The fix is to fully uninstall the Microsoft Store via PowerShell, then reinstall a clean copy through the Xbox app. The Xbox app is the cleanest path because Microsoft Store is listed as one of its required dependencies, giving you a one-click reinstall option from inside the app.

Step 1: Uninstall Microsoft Store via PowerShell

Right-click the Start button and select PowerShell (Admin) or Terminal (Admin). If you don’t see either option, search for PowerShell in the Start menu, right-click it, and choose “Run as administrator.”

Once PowerShell is open, paste in this command and press Enter:

Get-AppxPackage -allusers *WindowsStore* | Remove-AppxPackage

Wait for the command to finish, then close PowerShell. The Microsoft Store is now uninstalled. You won’t be able to open it until you complete the reinstall steps below.

Step 2: Download and Install the Xbox App

Open your browser and go to Xbox.com (or search for “Xbox app for Windows”). Scroll down to find the “Download the app” button and click it. Once the installer downloads, run it, accept the terms, and click Install. When installation finishes, click “Let’s go” to open the Xbox app.

Step 3: Reinstall Microsoft Store Through the Xbox App

In the Xbox app, click Browse the catalog. Near the top of the screen, you should see a banner that says there are missing components for the Xbox app. Click Review now to see the full list of dependencies, which includes Microsoft Store. Click Install next to Microsoft Store.

If you don’t see the missing components banner, click the sign-in button in the top-right corner of the Xbox app, then go to Settings > General. The dependency list will be there even without the banner. Find Microsoft Store in the list and click Install. It may take a few minutes. When it’s done, you’ll get a notification confirming the Store was installed. Try opening it normally now.

Tip: If the Xbox app itself won’t install, make sure Windows is up to date via Settings > Windows Update. Missing system updates can occasionally block app installations.

Method 4: In-Place Upgrade or Winhance (Last Resort)

If the reinstall via Xbox app didn’t fix things, the issue likely goes deeper than just the Store files — something in the underlying Windows component infrastructure may be broken. At this point there are two solid options.

Option A: In-Place Upgrade

An in-place upgrade reinstalls Windows over itself, repairing all core system files and restoring default apps including the Microsoft Store — without wiping your personal files, apps, or settings. I have a full guide on how to perform an in-place upgrade on Windows that walks through the process step by step. It takes about 30 minutes and is one of the most thorough repair options available without doing a clean install.

Option B: Reinstall Store via Winhance

If you have Winhance installed, it includes a built-in option to reinstall the Microsoft Store with a single click. Open Winhance, go to the Apps section, find Microsoft Store under Windows Apps, and use the reinstall option. This handles the PowerShell commands in the background so you don’t have to do them manually. If you previously used Winhance to remove the Store and now want it back, this is the easiest restoration path.

You can also check the consolidated guide on reinstalling a missing Microsoft Store for additional methods and scenarios, including cases where the Store was removed intentionally through debloating and needs to be restored.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will uninstalling Microsoft Store delete my installed apps?

No. Uninstalling the Microsoft Store app itself does not remove any apps you already have installed on your PC. Your games, tools, and apps stay exactly where they are. You just lose access to the Store interface until you reinstall it.

Why did the Microsoft Store stop opening in the first place?

The most common causes are corrupted app files from a failed Windows update, an interrupted Store update, or third-party cleanup tools that accidentally removed files the Store depends on. It can also happen after using certain debloating scripts that strip out core app components without accounting for dependencies. Running Winhance instead of unverified scripts is a safer way to debloat because it tracks what’s removed and provides restore options.

Can I install apps while the Store is broken?

Yes. Most apps can be downloaded directly from the developer’s website or installed using WinGet from the command line. WinGet is a package manager built into Windows 10 and 11 that lets you install thousands of apps without needing the Store at all. If you need apps that are Store-exclusive, the reinstall steps above are the way to go.

What if the PowerShell uninstall command returns an error?

The most common cause is not running PowerShell as Administrator. Right-click the PowerShell or Terminal icon and confirm you selected “Run as administrator” before entering the command. If you see an access denied error even as admin, try restarting Windows first and then running the command again from a fresh admin terminal.

Does Microsoft Store not opening affect other Windows features?

In most cases, no. The rest of Windows continues working normally even when the Store is broken. However, some built-in Windows apps (like the Xbox Game Bar) do rely on Store infrastructure and may behave unexpectedly if the Store’s underlying components are corrupted. Fixing the Store usually resolves those secondary issues too.

This post How to Fix Microsoft Store Not Opening on Windows 10 & 11 (4 Methods) first appeared on Memory's Tech Tips and is written by memory

To prevent Dev Home from being automatically installed on Windows 11, open Registry Editor, navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\WindowsUpdate\Orchestrator\UScheduler_Oobe, right-click the DevHomeUpdate key, and delete it. Removing this key removes the installation instruction that Windows Update uses to force-install Dev Home on your PC.

Applies to: Windows 11 (22H2, 23H2, 24H2, 25H2) | Last updated: May 27, 2026

Key Takeaways

• Dev Home is force-installed via a registry key under HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\WindowsUpdate\Orchestrator\UScheduler_Oobe — deleting the DevHomeUpdate key stops the installation permanently
• The fix is permanent until a major Windows update — Microsoft occasionally re-adds these keys during feature updates, so you may need to delete it again after upgrading Windows
• If Dev Home is already installed, uninstall it from Settings > Apps first, then delete the registry key to prevent reinstallation
• Winhance handles this automatically — my free Winhance utility blocks unwanted app installations without any manual registry editing

Quick Steps

1. Press Windows + R, type regedit, and press Enter
2. Navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\WindowsUpdate\Orchestrator\UScheduler_Oobe
3. Right-click the DevHomeUpdate key and select Delete
4. Click Yes to confirm, then close Registry Editor
5. Restart your PC

Why Does Windows 11 Install Dev Home Without Permission?

Dev Home is a developer-focused dashboard app that Microsoft started pushing through Windows Update as a force-installed package. It shows up on your PC after an update even if you never asked for it. The app is designed for developers who want to set up coding environments and monitor system performance — for most everyday users, it’s just unnecessary bloatware.

The mechanism behind this is a registry key under the UScheduler_Oobe path. This key acts as a scheduled installation instruction — Windows Update reads it and installs the corresponding app automatically. Deleting the key removes the instruction, so the installation never triggers. I’ve used this same method to prevent the New Outlook app from being force-installed on Windows 11 as well. Microsoft uses this pattern for several apps it pushes through updates, and the registry fix is the same approach each time.

How to Prevent Dev Home Installation on Windows 11 (Step-by-Step)

Step 1: Open Registry Editor

Press Windows + R to open the Run dialog. Type regedit and press Enter. If User Account Control prompts you, click Yes to allow Registry Editor to open.

Step 2: Navigate to the UScheduler_Oobe Path

In Registry Editor, navigate to the following path. You can paste it directly into the address bar at the top and press Enter — that’s much faster than clicking through each folder manually.

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\WindowsUpdate\Orchestrator\UScheduler_Oobe

Step 3: Delete the DevHomeUpdate Key

Once you’re at the UScheduler_Oobe path, look for a key called DevHomeUpdate in the left panel. Right-click it and select Delete. A confirmation dialog will appear — click Yes to confirm the deletion.

Prefer the command line? You can run this command in an elevated Command Prompt or PowerShell instead of using Registry Editor manually:

reg delete "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\WindowsUpdate\Orchestrator\UScheduler_Oobe\DevHomeUpdate" /f

Step 4: Close Registry Editor and Restart

Close Registry Editor and restart your PC. After the restart, Windows Update will no longer have the instruction to install Dev Home, and the app will not appear on your system.

What If Dev Home Is Already Installed?

If Dev Home has already been installed on your PC, you’ll need to uninstall it first before the registry fix will prevent it from coming back. Go to Settings > Apps > Installed apps, search for “Dev Home,” click the three-dot menu next to it, and select Uninstall. Once it’s removed, follow the registry steps above to delete the DevHomeUpdate key and stop it from being reinstalled.

Want an Easier Way to Stop Unwanted Windows Apps?

If you’re tired of hunting down registry keys every time Microsoft pushes a new app you don’t want, I built Winhance to handle exactly this kind of thing. It’s a free Windows enhancement utility that lets you remove bloatware, block unwanted app installations, and manage privacy settings through a clean interface — no manual registry editing needed. You can also use it alongside the official Windows method to remove bloatware for a more complete cleanup.

There’s also a broader pattern worth knowing about: Microsoft uses the UScheduler_Oobe registry mechanism for several apps beyond Dev Home. I’ve covered how to block the New Outlook force-installation using the same approach, and there are similar fixes for disabling Cortana and disabling the News and Interests widget via the registry as well.

Troubleshooting Common Problems

The DevHomeUpdate key doesn’t exist. If you don’t see the key at the UScheduler_Oobe path, Dev Home may have already been installed, or a previous Windows update already ran and removed the key on its own. Check whether Dev Home appears in Settings > Apps. If it’s there, uninstall it — you don’t need to delete a key that no longer exists.

Dev Home gets reinstalled after a Windows update. Microsoft occasionally re-adds these registry keys during major feature updates (like moving from 23H2 to 24H2). If Dev Home reappears after an update, just repeat the steps above to delete the key again. Using Winhance makes it easier to reapply these kinds of settings consistently after updates.

Can’t find the UScheduler_Oobe folder. Make sure you’re navigating under HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE, not HKEY_CURRENT_USER. The paths look similar but are entirely different branches. Paste the full path directly into the Registry Editor address bar to avoid any navigation mistakes.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Dev Home on Windows 11?

Dev Home is a developer dashboard app made by Microsoft. It’s designed to help developers set up coding environments, manage GitHub repositories, and monitor system performance during development. For most regular users who aren’t writing code or managing dev environments, it’s unnecessary software that Microsoft shouldn’t be installing without asking.

Is it safe to delete the DevHomeUpdate registry key?

Yes, this is safe. The DevHomeUpdate key is not a system file — it’s purely an installation instruction that Windows Update reads to trigger the Dev Home install. Deleting it does not affect Windows functionality, system stability, or any other software. You’re only removing Microsoft’s permission slip to install an app you don’t want.

Will this stop all unwanted apps from being installed?

This fix is specific to Dev Home. Microsoft uses similar registry keys to push other apps like New Outlook, and each one needs to be handled individually. If you want a broader solution that covers multiple unwanted apps at once, Winhance handles bloatware removal and blocks a wider range of these forced installations through a single interface.

Does this work on Windows 10?

Dev Home is a Windows 11 app, so this specific registry key only exists on Windows 11. Windows 10 users don’t have Dev Home pushed through Windows Update, so there’s nothing to block on that version.

Can I undo this if I change my mind?

If you deleted the key and later want Dev Home installed, you can get it from the Microsoft Store directly by searching for “Dev Home.” You can also install it via winget in PowerShell with winget install Microsoft.DevHome. Deleting the registry key doesn’t permanently block the app — it just stops the automatic force-installation via Windows Update.

This post How to Prevent Dev Home Installation on Windows 11 (Regedit) first appeared on Memory's Tech Tips and is written by memory

To prevent New Outlook from installing on Windows 11, delete the OutlookUpdate registry key at HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\WindowsUpdate\Orchestrator\UScheduler_Oobe. Removing that key strips out the Windows Update instruction that silently pushes New Outlook onto your PC. If New Outlook is already installed, you can remove it with a reg delete command as well.

Applies to: Windows 10 (22H2) and Windows 11 (23H2, 24H2, 25H2) | Last updated: May 27, 2026

Key Takeaways

• Windows 11 silently installs New Outlook through Windows Update using a registry key called OutlookUpdate under the UScheduler_Oobe path — deleting it removes the installation instruction.
• On Windows 10, the block works differently: instead of deleting the key, you create a BlockedOobeUpdaters string value inside OutlookUpdate and set it to ["MS_Outlook"].
• If New Outlook is already installed, a reg delete command targeting the OutlookUpdate key followed by uninstalling from Settings will cleanly remove it.
• Microsoft can recreate the OutlookUpdate key through future update packages — if New Outlook reinstalls, simply repeat the fix.
• Winhance can automate this block and handle other unwanted app installations in one place, without manual registry edits.

Quick Steps

1. Press Windows key + R, type regedit, and press Enter to open Registry Editor
2. Navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\WindowsUpdate\Orchestrator\UScheduler_Oobe
3. Right-click the OutlookUpdate subkey in the left panel and click Delete, then confirm with Yes
4. Close Registry Editor and restart your PC
5. Or run the one-liner below in an elevated Command Prompt to do it in one step

In This Guide

This guide covers two scenarios for stopping New Outlook:

• Method 1: Block New Outlook from Installing — Remove the Windows Update instruction key before New Outlook appears. (Most common case)
• Method 2: Remove New Outlook If Already Installed — Uninstall New Outlook and prevent it from coming back.

Why Does Windows 11 Keep Installing New Outlook?

Microsoft uses Windows Update to silently push certain apps onto your PC, and New Outlook is one of the most persistent examples of this. It gets bundled into regular update packages and installs itself in the background — no prompt, no choice, it just appears. I’ve seen this on dozens of machines, including fresh installations that hadn’t even been used yet.

The mechanism is a registry key called OutlookUpdate inside the Windows Update Orchestrator’s UScheduler_Oobe folder. This key acts as an instruction to Windows Update: install New Outlook next time updates run. Deleting the key removes the instruction entirely. It’s the same tactic Microsoft uses for Dev Home — I covered how to block Dev Home installation using an identical approach.

If you want a broader solution that blocks multiple unwanted apps and keeps your system clean after updates without digging through the registry each time, Winhance is a free tool I built that handles all of this in one place. But for just stopping New Outlook, the steps below are quick and reliable.

Method 1: Block New Outlook from Installing

Step 1: Open Registry Editor

Press Windows key + R on your keyboard to open the Run dialog. Type regedit and press Enter. If a User Account Control prompt appears, click Yes to open Registry Editor with administrator privileges.

Step 2: Navigate to the UScheduler_Oobe Path

Click in the address bar at the top of Registry Editor and paste the following path, then press Enter:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\WindowsUpdate\Orchestrator\UScheduler_Oobe

This takes you directly to the folder containing the OutlookUpdate key. Always paste rather than navigating manually — it’s faster and avoids the wrong branch.

Step 3: Delete the OutlookUpdate Key

In the left panel, look for the OutlookUpdate subkey. Right-click on it and click Delete. A confirmation dialog will appear — click Yes. Close Registry Editor and restart your PC. After the restart, Windows Update no longer has the instruction to install New Outlook.

One-Liner Alternative (Command Prompt)

If you prefer to skip the manual registry navigation, open Command Prompt as Administrator and run this single command to delete the key immediately:

reg delete "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\WindowsUpdate\Orchestrator\UScheduler_Oobe\OutlookUpdate" /f

Windows 10 Note: On Windows 10, deleting the key may not be enough. Instead, select the OutlookUpdate key (don’t delete it), right-click the empty right panel, and create a new String Value named BlockedOobeUpdaters. Set its value data to ["MS_Outlook"]. This explicitly tells Windows Update to skip the Outlook installer. The registry path is the same.

You can also use the reg add command to set the Windows 10 block in one step:

reg add "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\WindowsUpdate\Orchestrator\UScheduler_Oobe\OutlookUpdate" /v BlockedOobeUpdaters /t REG_SZ /d "[\"MS_Outlook\"]" /f

Method 2: Remove New Outlook If Already Installed

If New Outlook is already on your PC, the registry fix above won’t remove it — it only blocks future installations. Here’s how to fully remove it and prevent it from coming back.

Step 1: Uninstall from Settings

Go to Settings > Apps > Installed apps, search for Outlook (new), click the three-dot menu next to it, and select Uninstall. Confirm when prompted.

Step 2: Delete the Registry Key to Block Reinstallation

After uninstalling, delete the OutlookUpdate registry key as described in Method 1 above. If you skip this step, Windows Update will reinstall New Outlook the next time it runs. The reg delete one-liner below handles both removal confirmation and key cleanup in sequence:

reg delete "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\WindowsUpdate\Orchestrator\UScheduler_Oobe\OutlookUpdate" /f

Run this in an elevated Command Prompt after uninstalling from Settings. The key may not exist if Windows Update hasn’t queued the next installation yet — that’s fine, the command will report a not-found error which you can ignore.

Tip: If you’re dealing with multiple unwanted apps — Dev Home, New Outlook, Cortana, and others — the Windows 11 bloatware removal guide covers how to remove them all cleanly. You can also use Winhance to manage all of this in one interface.

Common Issues & Solutions

The OutlookUpdate key doesn’t exist. This key only appears when Windows has queued New Outlook for installation but hasn’t installed it yet. If it’s absent, New Outlook may already be installed — uninstall it from Settings and then check back after the next Windows update cycle to see if the key reappears.

New Outlook came back after a Windows update. Microsoft can recreate the OutlookUpdate key through update packages. If it returns, just repeat the deletion. It’s an ongoing issue with how Microsoft pushes these apps — the fix itself is quick each time.

Registry Editor shows “Access Denied.” You need administrator rights. Right-click the Start button, open Terminal (Admin), type regedit, and press Enter to launch Registry Editor with the right permissions.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does this method work on Windows 10?

The registry path is the same on Windows 10, but the fix works slightly differently. On Windows 10, you should not delete the OutlookUpdate key — instead, create a new String value inside it called BlockedOobeUpdaters and set its data to ["MS_Outlook"]. This explicitly flags the Outlook installer as blocked. See the Windows 10 note in Method 1 above for the reg add one-liner.

Will this affect my existing Outlook or Microsoft 365 installation?

No. This only blocks the new standalone Outlook app that Microsoft pushes through Windows Update. Classic Outlook installed via Microsoft 365 or Office is completely separate and will not be affected by this registry change.

Can I undo this change later?

Yes. If you want New Outlook back, you can reinstall it from the Microsoft Store, or simply let Windows Update run — Microsoft will recreate the OutlookUpdate key through future update packages, and New Outlook will install again. To restore the Windows 10 block, just delete the BlockedOobeUpdaters value you created.

Is it safe to delete registry keys like this?

Yes, as long as you only delete exactly what’s described. Before making any registry changes, it’s a good habit to export a backup first — in Registry Editor, go to File > Export to save a copy. The specific key being deleted here is a Windows Update installer instruction, not a system-critical key.

Can I block other unwanted apps from being pushed by Windows Update?

Yes — the Windows Update Orchestrator uses the same UScheduler_Oobe folder for other apps too. I used the same approach to block Dev Home from installing automatically. For a more comprehensive solution that manages multiple apps and Windows settings at once, Winhance handles all of this through a clean interface without manual registry work.

This post How to Prevent New Outlook from Installing on Windows 11 (2 Methods) first appeared on Memory's Tech Tips and is written by memory

To enable long file paths in Windows 10 or 11, open the Registry Editor, navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\FileSystem, and set the LongPathsEnabled value to 1. This removes the 260-character MAX_PATH limit that Windows has enforced since its early days, letting you work with deeply nested folder structures without hitting path-too-long errors.

Applies to: Windows 10 (1607 and later, including 22H2) and Windows 11 (23H2, 24H2, 25H2) | Last updated: May 27, 2026

Key Takeaways

• Windows caps file paths at 260 characters by default — this is the MAX_PATH limit that dates back to early Windows versions and causes errors when working with deeply nested folders
• The fix is a single registry value: set LongPathsEnabled to 1 at HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\FileSystem
• Works on Windows 10 version 1607 and all Windows 11 versions — once enabled, paths up to 32,767 characters are supported
• Windows Home users must use the registry method — Group Policy Editor is only available on Pro, Enterprise, and Education editions
• A full restart is required after making the change — signing out and back in is not enough

In This Guide

This guide covers two methods to enable long file paths on Windows 10 and 11:

• Method 1: Registry Editor — Works on all Windows editions including Home. One DWORD value change.
• Method 2: Group Policy Editor — Available on Windows 10/11 Pro, Enterprise, and Education only.

Quick Steps

1. Press Windows + R, type regedit, and press Enter
2. Navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\FileSystem
3. Double-click LongPathsEnabled and set the value to 1
4. Click OK, close Registry Editor, and restart your PC

Why Does Windows Limit File Path Length?

Windows has enforced a 260-character file path limit — known as MAX_PATH — since the early versions of the OS. At the time it was a reasonable design constraint, but today it causes real problems. If you work with deeply nested folder structures, long project names, or tools that automatically generate complex directory hierarchies (Node.js projects, Python packages, Git repositories), you’ve probably run into “path too long” errors.

One of the most common places I used to see this was when extracting compressed archives. If you’ve ever tried to unzip a file on Windows and got an error saying the path is too long, that 260-character limit is exactly what’s causing it. The fix is straightforward — you just need to tell Windows to lift that restriction.

This setting is available on Windows 10 version 1607 and all versions of Windows 11. Once enabled, Windows supports file paths up to 32,767 characters, which is more than enough for any real-world use case.

Method 1: Enable Long Paths via Registry Editor

This method works on all editions of Windows 10 and 11, including Home. It requires changing a single DWORD value in the registry.

Step 1: Open Registry Editor

Press Windows + R to open the Run dialog, type regedit, and press Enter. If a UAC prompt appears, click Yes to allow the change.

Step 2: Navigate to the FileSystem Key

Navigate to the following path. The fastest way is to click in the address bar at the top of Registry Editor, paste the path, and press Enter:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\FileSystem

Step 3: Set LongPathsEnabled to 1

On the right side of the Registry Editor, look for a DWORD value called LongPathsEnabled. Double-click it, change the value data from 0 to 1, and click OK.

If the value doesn’t exist, right-click in the empty area on the right panel, select New > DWORD (32-bit) Value, name it LongPathsEnabled exactly as written, and then set it to 1.

Step 4: Restart Your PC

Close Registry Editor and restart your PC. The change won’t take effect until you do a full reboot — signing out and back in isn’t enough. After the restart, Windows will support long file paths for any application that has been updated to use them.

One-Line Command Alternative

You can apply the same registry change with a single command. Open Command Prompt or PowerShell as Administrator and run:

reg add "HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\FileSystem" /v LongPathsEnabled /t REG_DWORD /d 1 /f

Restart your PC after running it. To reverse the change, run the same command with /d 0 instead of /d 1.

Method 2: Enable Long Paths via Group Policy Editor

If you’re on Windows 10 or 11 Pro, Enterprise, or Education, you can make this change through the Group Policy Editor. This does exactly the same thing as the registry edit — it’s just a different interface for the same underlying setting.

Press Windows + R, type gpedit.msc, and press Enter. Navigate to:

Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > System > Filesystem

Double-click Enable Win32 long paths, set it to Enabled, and click OK. Restart your PC for the change to take effect.

Note: Windows Home does not include the Group Policy Editor. If you’re on Home edition, use the registry method above instead.

Want to Skip the Registry Entirely?

If you find yourself making a lot of registry tweaks like this and want a simpler way to manage Windows settings, Winhance is a free open-source tool I built that lets you apply many of these changes through a clean interface — no registry editing required. Enabling long file paths is one of the settings it covers.

For related file-handling tips, I also have guides on how to zip and unzip files on Windows, force-delete files that won’t delete, and password-protect folders on Windows 10 and 11.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does enabling long file paths affect all apps on my PC?

Not automatically. The registry change enables long path support at the system level, but each application also needs to be built to take advantage of it. Most modern software and development tools already support long paths. Older or legacy apps may still enforce the 260-character limit on their end even after you’ve made this change.

Is it safe to make this registry change?

Yes, this is one of the safer registry edits you can make. You’re modifying a single DWORD value that Microsoft specifically designed to be toggled by users and administrators. There’s no risk of breaking Windows by setting this to 1.

Does this work on Windows 10 Home?

Yes, the registry method works on all editions of Windows 10 (version 1607 and later) and all editions of Windows 11. The Group Policy method is the only approach restricted to Pro, Enterprise, and Education editions.

Do I have to restart after enabling long file paths?

Yes, a full restart is required. Closing Registry Editor or restarting an individual application won’t apply the change — Windows needs to reboot for the new path limit to take effect system-wide.

Can I undo this change?

Yes. Go back to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\FileSystem in Registry Editor, double-click LongPathsEnabled, and change the value back to 0. Restart your PC and the default 260-character limit will be restored. You can also run reg add "HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\FileSystem" /v LongPathsEnabled /t REG_DWORD /d 0 /f from an elevated prompt.

This post How to Enable Long File Paths in Windows 10/11 (2 Methods) first appeared on Memory's Tech Tips and is written by memory

To disable News and Interests on Windows 11, open Registry Editor and navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Dsh. Create a new DWORD (32-bit) value named AllowNewsAndInterests, set the value data to 0, and restart your PC. This applies a policy-level block that fully disables the feature instead of just hiding the Widgets button.

Applies to: Windows 11 (23H2, 24H2, 25H2) | Last updated: May 18, 2026

Key Takeaways

• News and Interests runs through the Widgets panel on Windows 11 and pulls content from Microsoft’s servers in the background, even when you never open it.
• The fix is a single DWORD — AllowNewsAndInterests set to 0 under HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Dsh. This is a policy-level disable, not just a UI toggle.
• You need to restart after applying the change. A sign-out is not enough — the policy is read at boot.
• One-line reg add command works too — you can paste a single line into an admin Terminal instead of clicking through Registry Editor.
• To skip the registry entirely, Winhance applies this tweak (and many others) with a single toggle.

Quick Steps

1. Press Windows + R, type regedit, and press Enter.
2. Navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Dsh. Create the Dsh key if it does not exist.
3. Right-click in the right pane and choose New > DWORD (32-bit) Value.
4. Name it AllowNewsAndInterests and set the value data to 0.
5. Restart your PC. News and Interests will no longer load.

Why Disable News and Interests on Windows 11?

News and Interests is the feed of news, weather, stocks, and sports content that Windows 11 surfaces through the Widgets panel. Even if you never click the Widgets icon, the feature is still running in the background, contacting Microsoft’s servers to refresh that content on a schedule.

In my computer repair shop, cleaning this up after a fresh Windows install was part of the standard routine — especially on lower-spec machines where every bit of background activity matters. If you are already trimming the system, it pairs well with disabling background apps on Windows 11 via the registry and turning off Windows Spotlight.

The registry method matters because it is more thorough than simply hiding the Widgets button on the taskbar. The taskbar toggle removes the icon, but the underlying service keeps running. Setting the AllowNewsAndInterests policy to 0 tells Windows to disable the feature itself, and the change holds up across most Windows updates.

How to Disable News and Interests Using Registry Editor

Follow these steps exactly. The registry path used here is a policy key, so it does not exist on a fresh Windows 11 install — you will create it as part of the process.

Step 1: Open Registry Editor

Press Windows + R to open the Run dialog. Type regedit and press Enter. If User Account Control prompts you, click Yes to allow Registry Editor to open with administrator rights.

Step 2: Navigate to the Policy Path

Paste the following path into the Registry Editor address bar at the top of the window and press Enter:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Dsh

If the Dsh key does not exist, that is normal — most Windows 11 installations do not have it by default. Right-click the Microsoft folder in the left panel, choose New > Key, and name the new key Dsh exactly as shown.

Step 3: Create the AllowNewsAndInterests DWORD

Click the Dsh key on the left so it is selected. Right-click anywhere in the empty white space on the right pane and choose New > DWORD (32-bit) Value. Name the new entry AllowNewsAndInterests and press Enter.

Step 4: Set the Value Data to 0

Double-click AllowNewsAndInterests to open its properties. Change the value data from 1 (or blank) to 0 and click OK. A value of 0 instructs Windows to disable News and Interests at the policy level, which is the strongest form of disable short of removing the Widgets app entirely.

Step 5: Restart Your PC

Close Registry Editor and do a full restart — not just a sign-out. The Widgets process reads this policy at boot, and a sign-out alone will not always pick up the change. After the reboot, News and Interests will be inactive on your system.

One-Line Command to Disable News and Interests

If you would rather skip the manual clicks, you can apply the exact same registry change with a single command. Right-click the Start button, open Terminal (Admin) or Command Prompt (Admin), and run:

reg add "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Dsh" /v AllowNewsAndInterests /t REG_DWORD /d 0 /f

The /f flag forces the change without a confirmation prompt, and reg add automatically creates the Dsh key if it is missing. This command works in both Command Prompt and PowerShell. After it completes, restart your PC for the policy to take effect.

Tip: If you manage multiple PCs, save the reg add command in a .bat file and run it as administrator on each machine. It is faster than walking through Registry Editor and the result is identical.

Skip the Registry With Winhance

If you would rather avoid the registry entirely, I built a free tool called Winhance that applies this kind of tweak with a single toggle. Winhance handles the same policy-level changes covered here — News and Interests, background apps, telemetry, Advertising ID, and many more — through a clean interface, with everything reversible if you change your mind.

If you are setting up a fresh Windows install and want these tweaks applied automatically before you ever reach the desktop, take a look at UnattendedWinstall — it bakes the registry changes into the answer file so the system arrives pre-configured.

How to Re-Enable News and Interests

If you want the feature back, you have two options. The first is to flip the value: go back to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Dsh in Registry Editor, double-click AllowNewsAndInterests, change the value data to 1, and restart.

The second option is to delete the AllowNewsAndInterests DWORD entirely, which restores the Windows default behavior. To do that with one command, run this in an admin Terminal:

reg delete "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Dsh" /v AllowNewsAndInterests /f

Restart your PC and News and Interests will run normally again.

Troubleshooting Common Issues

The Dsh key does not exist in the registry. That is expected on a clean Windows 11 install — the key is created the first time a policy targets it. Right-click the Microsoft folder under HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies, choose New > Key, and name it Dsh. Alternatively, the reg add command above creates the key for you automatically.

Access denied when editing the registry. Registry Editor needs administrator rights to write to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE. Close Registry Editor, search for regedit in the Start menu, right-click the result, and choose Run as administrator.

News and Interests still appears after the change. Confirm you did a full restart and not just a sign-out. Then double-check that the value data on AllowNewsAndInterests is exactly 0 — a typo that leaves it at 1 means the policy is explicitly allowing the feature instead of blocking it.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it safe to edit the registry to disable News and Interests?

Yes. You are creating a policy-level registry key under HKLM\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Dsh, which is the exact same kind of key IT administrators use to manage business PCs. It only affects the News and Interests feature — it does not touch Windows stability, other features, or your data.

Will this change survive Windows feature updates?

In most cases, yes. Policy keys like AllowNewsAndInterests are generally preserved across cumulative and feature updates. That said, major version upgrades (for example, moving from 23H2 to 25H2) can occasionally reset policy keys, so it is worth checking the value after a big update and reapplying it if needed.

Does disabling News and Interests also stop Windows from tracking me?

No, it only stops the News and Interests feed from pulling content. Windows still collects telemetry and other diagnostic data in the background. To reduce data collection more broadly, also disable Windows telemetry via the registry and turn off the Windows Advertising ID. Winhance applies all of these together with one click.

Can I disable News and Interests without using the registry?

You can hide the Widgets button by right-clicking the taskbar, choosing Taskbar settings, and toggling Widgets off. That only hides the icon, though — the underlying service still runs and continues to fetch content. The registry method in this guide (or the equivalent Winhance toggle) is the only way to disable the feature itself.

Does this method work on Windows 10?

No. Windows 10 had its own version of News and Interests that lived directly on the taskbar and used a different registry path. The Dsh policy key is specific to Windows 11’s Widgets-based implementation, so this guide is Windows 11 only.

Can I deploy this to multiple PCs at once?

Yes. Save the reg add command from earlier in this guide into a .bat file and run it as administrator on each PC. For unattended Windows installs, the same registry change can be baked directly into the answer file using UnattendedWinstall, so the policy is in place from the first boot.

This post How to Disable News and Interests on Windows 11 (Registry) first appeared on Memory's Tech Tips and is written by memory

To disable Cortana from running in the background on Windows 10 or 11, open Registry Editor, navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Windows Search, create a new DWORD (32-bit) value named AllowCortana, and set it to 0. Restart your PC and Cortana will no longer run as a background process.

Applies to: Windows 10 (22H2) and Windows 11 (23H2, 24H2, 25H2) | Last updated: May 27, 2026

Key Takeaways

• The registry method is the most reliable way to stop Cortana from running in the background — Settings-based options can revert after Windows updates
• The registry path is HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Windows Search — if the Windows Search key doesn’t exist, you need to create it first
• Windows Search still works normally after this change — you’re only stopping Cortana’s background process, not the core search functionality
• A full restart is required after making the registry edit — signing out and back in is not enough
• Winhance can handle this change and dozens of other Windows tweaks without ever touching the registry manually

Quick Steps

1. Press Windows key + R, type regedit, and press Enter
2. Navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Windows Search
3. If the Windows Search key doesn’t exist, right-click the Windows folder, select New > Key, and name it Windows Search
4. Right-click in the empty white space on the right and select New > DWORD (32-bit) Value
5. Name the value AllowCortana and press Enter
6. Double-click AllowCortana, set the value data to 0, and click OK
7. Close Registry Editor and restart your PC

Why Disable Cortana from Running in the Background?

Even if you never use Cortana, it runs as a background process by default on Windows 10 and some Windows 11 setups. That means it’s sitting there using CPU and RAM without giving you anything in return.

In my computer repair work, background processes like Cortana were almost always part of the performance problem — especially on lower-spec systems. Disabling them was one of the first things I’d do during a setup or cleanup. The registry method I’m covering here is more permanent than anything in the Settings app, which can sometimes revert after a Windows update.

If you want to stop other unnecessary background apps from running too, my guide on how to disable background apps on Windows 10 and 11 using Regedit covers that with the same approach.

How to Disable Cortana Using the Registry Editor

Step 1: Open Registry Editor

Press Windows key + R to open the Run box. Type regedit and press Enter. If a User Account Control prompt appears, click Yes to allow it.

Tip: You can also search for “Registry Editor” in the Start menu, then right-click the result and select Run as administrator to make sure you have the necessary permissions.

Step 2: Navigate to the Registry Path

Navigate to the following path in the registry. You can expand the folders one by one in the left panel, or paste the path directly into the address bar at the top of Registry Editor and press Enter:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Windows Search

If you don’t have a Windows Search key at this location, right-click the Windows folder in the left panel, select New > Key, and name the new key Windows Search. Then click into it before moving to the next step.

Step 3: Create the AllowCortana DWORD Value

With the Windows Search key selected, right-click anywhere in the empty white space on the right side of the window. Select New > DWORD (32-bit) Value. Name the new entry AllowCortana and press Enter.

Step 4: Set the Value to 0 and Restart

Double-click the AllowCortana value. In the edit window that opens, change the value data to 0 and click OK. Close Registry Editor and restart your PC — the change won’t take effect until you do a full restart.

One-Line Command Method (Run as Admin)

If you’d rather skip the manual registry steps, you can apply the same change with a single command. Open Command Prompt or PowerShell as Administrator (right-click the Start button and choose Terminal (Admin) or Windows PowerShell (Admin)), then run:

reg add "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Windows Search" /v AllowCortana /t REG_DWORD /d 0 /f

This does the exact same thing as the manual steps above. Restart your PC after running it. To reverse the change later, run the same command but with /d 1 instead of /d 0.

Want to Skip the Registry Entirely?

If you’d rather not touch the registry at all, I built a free tool called Winhance that handles tweaks like this through a simple interface. It lets you manage Cortana, privacy settings, background apps, bloatware removal, and a lot more — without ever opening regedit. You can download it free at winhance.net.

While you’re at it, if you’re trying to reduce what Windows sends back to Microsoft, my guide on how to disable Windows telemetry using Regedit pairs well with this one. It’s the same type of registry change and takes just a few minutes.

Troubleshooting Common Issues

The Windows Search key doesn’t exist in the registry. Navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows, right-click the Windows folder, and select New > Key. Name it Windows Search, then create the AllowCortana DWORD inside it.

Registry Editor shows an access denied error. Close Registry Editor, search for “regedit” in the Start menu, right-click the result, and select Run as administrator. You need admin rights to make changes under HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE.

Cortana is still running after the change. Make sure you did a full restart — not just sign out and back in. The registry policy change requires a complete reboot to take effect.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does this registry method work on both Windows 10 and Windows 11?

Yes, it works on both. Cortana is more tightly integrated in Windows 10, but it can still run in the background on certain Windows 11 setups. The same registry path and DWORD value applies to both versions.

Will disabling Cortana break Windows Search?

No. Windows Search — searching your files, apps, and settings from the Start menu or taskbar — continues to work normally after this change. You’re only stopping Cortana’s background process. If you do run into search issues later, check out my guide on fixing Windows Search not working.

How do I re-enable Cortana if I want it back?

Go back to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Windows Search, double-click the AllowCortana value, and change the data from 0 to 1. Restart your PC and Cortana will be re-enabled. You can also delete the value entirely rather than changing it to 1 — the result is the same.

Will this improve my PC’s performance?

It can, particularly on older or budget machines. Cortana uses CPU and RAM as a background process, and freeing those resources makes a difference when you’re running on limited hardware. On a high-end system the gain is smaller, but it’s still one less unnecessary process running at all times.

Is it safe to edit the registry?

Yes, as long as you follow the steps exactly and only change what’s specified. Before making any registry edits, it’s good practice to export a backup — in Registry Editor, go to File > Export to save a copy you can restore if anything goes wrong. The change described here is a standard policy key that Microsoft supports — it’s not a hack or workaround.

This post How to Disable Cortana in the Background on Windows 10/11 (Regedit) first appeared on Memory's Tech Tips and is written by memory

To disable Activity History on Windows 10 and 11, open Settings > Privacy & security > Activity history, turn off Store my activity history on this device, and click Clear history. To make the change permanent across Windows updates, also add the registry value PublishUserActivities (DWORD, set to 0) under HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\System. After restarting, Windows will no longer record the apps you open, the files you work on, or the sites you visit.

Applies to: Windows 10 (22H2) and Windows 11 (23H2, 24H2, 25H2) | Last updated: May 18, 2026

Key Takeaways

• Activity History tracks the apps you open, files you work on, and sites you browse — it powers Windows Timeline and the “Pick up where you left off” feature.
• The Settings app turns it off instantly via Privacy & security > Activity history, but Windows updates have been known to flip this back on.
• The Registry method is permanent — setting PublishUserActivities to 0 under HKLM\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\System applies it as a system policy that survives updates.
• Group Policy is the cleanest option on Pro/Enterprise editions, but Home editions need the Registry method since gpedit.msc is not available.
• Winhance disables this automatically alongside other privacy settings like the Windows Advertising ID and telemetry, with no manual registry edits required.

Quick Steps

1. Open Settings > Privacy & security > Activity history.
2. Turn off Store my activity history on this device.
3. Click Clear history to wipe what Windows already collected.
4. For a permanent policy that survives updates, open Registry Editor and navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\System.
5. Create three DWORD (32-bit) values — EnableActivityFeed, PublishUserActivities, and UploadUserActivities — all set to 0.
6. Restart your PC.

What Is Activity History and Why Disable It?

Activity History is a Windows feature that quietly tracks what you do on your PC — the apps you open, the files you work on, and the websites you browse — and stores that information locally. Depending on your settings, it can also sync the data to Microsoft’s servers through your Microsoft account. It was introduced to power features like Windows Timeline and the “Pick up where you left off” prompts in the Start menu.

Most people have no idea this is even running. Back when I was doing computer repairs and setups every day, activity tracking was one of those features that was on by default and almost never discussed. If you value your privacy and you do not want Windows logging your daily activity, turning it off makes sense — and it fits into the same category as disabling Windows telemetry or disabling the Windows Advertising ID.

Turning it off via the Settings app is the quickest option, but Windows updates have been known to flip that toggle back on. The Registry method applies the change as a system policy, which means Windows respects it even after major feature updates.

In This Guide

This guide covers three different methods to disable Activity History on Windows 10 and 11:

• Method 1: Settings App — Quickest way to turn it off and clear existing data. Works on every edition.
• Method 2: Group Policy Editor — Clean UI for Windows Pro, Enterprise, and Education. Not available on Home.
• Method 3: Registry Editor — Permanent policy that survives Windows updates. Works on every edition, including Home. (Recommended for long-term privacy.)

Method 1: Disable Activity History in the Settings App

The Settings app is the fastest way to turn Activity History off and wipe what Windows has already collected. It works on every edition of Windows 10 and Windows 11, but the toggle can be reset by a Windows feature update — so use this as a first pass, then back it up with the Registry method below.

1. Press Win + I to open Settings.
2. Go to Privacy & security > Activity history. On Windows 10 this lives under Privacy > Activity history.
3. Turn off Store my activity history on this device.
4. Under Clear activity history for this account, click Clear history. This removes the data Windows already stored locally.
5. If you sign in with a Microsoft account, also visit the Microsoft account privacy dashboard and clear the activity data stored on Microsoft’s servers.

Note: The Settings toggle and the Registry policy are independent. If you only use the Settings toggle and a Windows update later re-enables the feature, Activity History will start collecting again. Applying the Registry method as well makes sure the off-state sticks.

Method 2: Disable Activity History with Group Policy Editor

Group Policy gives you a clean UI for the same registry changes covered in Method 3. It is available on Windows 10 and 11 Pro, Enterprise, and Education editions. If you are on Windows Home, skip to Method 3 — gpedit.msc is not included on Home editions, and trying to install it manually can cause more problems than it solves.

1. Press Win + R, type gpedit.msc, and press Enter.
2. Navigate to Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > System > OS Policies.
3. Double-click Enables Activity Feed, set it to Disabled, and click OK.
4. Double-click Allow publishing of User Activities, set it to Disabled, and click OK.
5. Double-click Allow upload of User Activities, set it to Disabled, and click OK.
6. Close Group Policy Editor and restart your PC.

After the restart, Activity History will be disabled at the system-policy level and the toggle in the Settings app will be greyed out with a message saying the setting is managed by your organization. That is expected — it confirms the policy is in effect.

Method 3: Disable Activity History with Registry Editor

The Registry method applies the same three policies as Group Policy, but works on every edition of Windows including Home. Because the values live under the Policies key, Windows treats them as system-managed settings — they survive Windows updates that would otherwise reset preferences in the Settings app.

Tip: Editing the registry incorrectly can cause issues. Before you start, consider exporting the HKLM\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows key to a .reg file (File > Export) so you can restore it if anything goes wrong.

Step 1: Open Registry Editor

Press Win + R to open the Run dialog, type regedit, and press Enter. If a User Account Control prompt appears asking for permission to make changes, click Yes.

Step 2: Navigate to the Policies Key

Copy the path below, paste it into the Registry Editor address bar at the top of the window, and press Enter to jump directly to the key:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\System

If the System key does not exist under Windows, right-click the Windows folder, select New > Key, and name it System. Then click into the new key.

Step 3: Create the Three DWORD Values

With the System key selected, right-click on any empty space in the right panel and choose New > DWORD (32-bit) Value. Create each of the following values, leaving each one set to 0 (which is the default for a new DWORD):

• EnableActivityFeed — set to 0
• PublishUserActivities — set to 0
• UploadUserActivities — set to 0

To verify a value, double-click it — the Value data field should show 0 and the Base should be Hexadecimal. Click OK to confirm.

Step 4 (Optional): Apply All Three with One Command

If you would rather skip the manual edits, open Command Prompt or Terminal as Administrator (right-click the Start button) and paste the command below. It creates all three DWORD values in one go and overwrites them if they already exist:

reg add "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\System" /v EnableActivityFeed /t REG_DWORD /d 0 /f && reg add "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\System" /v PublishUserActivities /t REG_DWORD /d 0 /f && reg add "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\System" /v UploadUserActivities /t REG_DWORD /d 0 /f

You should see The operation completed successfully. printed three times. If you get Access is denied, you opened the terminal as a normal user — close it and reopen as Administrator.

Step 5: Restart Your PC

Restart your computer for all three policies to take effect. After the restart, Windows will no longer record Activity History locally and will not upload it to Microsoft’s servers. The toggle in Settings > Privacy & security > Activity history will be greyed out, confirming the policy is being enforced.

The Easier Way: Use Winhance

If you would rather not touch the registry at all, Winhance is the free open-source Windows enhancement utility I built. It disables Activity History automatically as part of its privacy presets, alongside other common Windows data-collection features like Windows telemetry, the Advertising ID, and News and Interests. One click flips the same registry policies covered here, and you can revert every change from the same screen.

If you are also rethinking your sign-in setup, my guide on the differences between a Windows local account and a Microsoft account covers what each account type syncs and which is the better choice for privacy.

Common Issues and Fixes

Registry Editor says “Access Denied” when creating values. The HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE hive requires administrator permissions. Close Registry Editor, search for it in the Start menu, right-click the result, and choose Run as administrator.

The Settings toggle is greyed out and shows “Some of these settings are managed by your organization.” That is expected after applying the Group Policy or Registry method — Windows is honouring the policy you set. It is not a sign that something is wrong.

The values disappeared after a Windows feature update. Because the values live under the Policies key, they should survive feature updates. If they do get cleared, re-run the single reg add command from Method 3, Step 4 to put them back.

I want Windows Timeline back. Either delete the three DWORD values (or set them to 1) and turn the Settings toggle back on. Timeline data will rebuild as you use your PC.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does disabling Activity History affect PC performance?

No. There is no negative performance impact. Disabling Activity History actually removes a small amount of background processing, since Windows is no longer logging the apps you open and uploading activity records to Microsoft’s servers.

Will any Windows features stop working after I turn this off?

Windows Timeline and the “Pick up where you left off” suggestions in the Start menu will no longer surface previous apps or documents, because those features depend on Activity History data. Everything else — file history, recently opened files in individual apps, Microsoft Edge browsing history — continues to work normally.

Does the Registry method work on Windows 10 and 11 Home?

Yes. The Registry Editor method works on every edition of Windows 10 and 11, including Home. The Group Policy Editor is not available on Home editions, but the three DWORD values applied via Registry Editor achieve exactly the same result.

Can I re-enable Activity History later if I change my mind?

Yes. Open Registry Editor, navigate back to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\System, and either delete the three DWORD values or change their data from 0 to 1. Restart your PC, then turn the toggle back on under Settings > Privacy & security > Activity history.

Does this also delete activity data already stored on Microsoft’s servers?

No. The registry policy only stops Windows from uploading new activity data — it does not touch what is already on Microsoft’s side. To clear that, sign into the Microsoft account privacy dashboard, open the Activity history section, and clear the data for each device tied to your account.

This post How to Disable Activity History on Windows 11 & 10 (3 Methods) first appeared on Memory's Tech Tips and is written by memory

To disable hibernation on Windows 10 or 11, the fastest method is to open an elevated Command Prompt and run powercfg /hibernate off. This one command disables hibernation and deletes the hiberfil.sys file, reclaiming roughly 75% of your RAM’s worth of disk space. If you prefer a registry-only approach, you can set HibernateEnabledDefault to 0 under HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Power instead.

Applies to: Windows 10 (22H2) and Windows 11 (23H2, 24H2, 25H2) | Last updated: May 27, 2026

Key Takeaways

• The fastest way to disable hibernation is powercfg /hibernate off in an elevated Command Prompt — it disables hibernation and removes hiberfil.sys immediately.
• The hiberfil.sys file reserves roughly 75% of your total RAM — on a 16 GB system that’s about 12 GB of disk space reclaimed, which matters especially on smaller SSDs.
• The registry method sets HibernateEnabledDefault to 0 under HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Power — use this if you need a Group Policy-style approach or want to automate via scripts.
• Both methods work on Windows 10 and Windows 11 — the paths and commands are identical on both versions.
• Re-enabling hibernation is just as easy: run powercfg /hibernate on or set the registry value back to 1.

Quick Steps

1. Right-click the Start button and select Terminal (Admin) or Command Prompt (Admin)
2. Run powercfg /hibernate off and press Enter
3. Hibernation is now disabled and hiberfil.sys is removed — no restart required
4. For the registry method: open Registry Editor, navigate to HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Power, and set HibernateEnabledDefault to 0

In This Guide

There are two ways to disable hibernation on Windows 10 and 11:

• Method 1: powercfg /hibernate off — The canonical one-command method. Fastest, removes hiberfil.sys immediately. (Recommended)
• Method 2: Registry Editor — Manual DWORD edits for those who prefer a registry-based approach or need to script it.

Why Disable Hibernation?

Hibernation saves your entire RAM contents to disk and fully shuts down the PC, so when you power back on, Windows restores your session from where you left off. It’s useful in theory — but for a lot of users, particularly desktop PC owners, it’s mostly wasting disk space.

Windows creates a file called hiberfil.sys to store that hibernation data, and it’s sized at roughly 75% of your total RAM. On a 16 GB system, that’s about 12 GB gone. On a 32 GB system, closer to 24 GB. If you’re running a smaller SSD — say 256 GB or 512 GB — that’s a meaningful chunk of storage for a feature you probably never use. I always recommend disabling it on the shop machines I built; sleep mode handles short breaks just fine without the overhead.

Back in the repair shop, I also saw hibernation cause occasional session-restore failures — Windows coming out of hibernate in a weird state, apps not responding correctly, or the system hanging on resume. Disabling it and sticking with sleep or clean shutdowns solved those problems every time. If you’re running an SSD and want to check its health while you’re at it, I have a guide on checking SSD health on Windows.

Method 1: Disable Hibernation with powercfg (Recommended)

This is the cleanest and fastest way to disable hibernation on Windows 10 and 11. The powercfg command is built into Windows and handles everything — it disables the feature, removes hiberfil.sys, and updates the power settings in one step.

Step 1: Open an Elevated Command Prompt or Terminal

Right-click the Start button and select Terminal (Admin) on Windows 11, or Command Prompt (Admin) on Windows 10. Click Yes if User Account Control prompts for permission.

Step 2: Run the powercfg Command

Type or paste the following command and press Enter:

powercfg /hibernate off

The command runs silently with no output on success. Hibernation is now disabled and hiberfil.sys is deleted from your system drive. You do not need to restart your PC — the change takes effect immediately. You can verify by checking whether the Hibernate option has disappeared from the Start menu power options.

To re-enable hibernation: Run powercfg /hibernate on in the same elevated terminal. Windows will re-enable the feature and recreate hiberfil.sys.

Method 2: Disable Hibernation via Registry Editor

If you prefer managing Windows settings through the registry — or need to include this in a deployment script — you can disable hibernation by setting a DWORD value under the Power key. This method works on both Windows 10 and Windows 11.

Step 1: Open Registry Editor

Press Windows key + R, type regedit, and press Enter. Click Yes if User Account Control prompts for permission.

Step 2: Navigate to the Power Key

Click in the address bar at the top of Registry Editor and paste the following path, then press Enter:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Power

Step 3: Set HibernateEnabledDefault to 0

In the right panel, look for a DWORD value called HibernateEnabledDefault. If it exists, double-click it and set the value data to 0. If it doesn’t exist, right-click the empty right panel, select New > DWORD (32-bit) Value, name it HibernateEnabledDefault, and set its value to 0.

Note: Some older guides refer to a value called HibernateEnabled at this same path. HibernateEnabledDefault is the current correct value name on modern Windows 10/11 builds. Use that one.

One-Liner Alternative

You can apply the registry change from an elevated Command Prompt without opening Registry Editor at all:

reg add "HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Power" /v HibernateEnabledDefault /t REG_DWORD /d 0 /f

After setting the registry value, close Registry Editor and restart your PC. The hiberfil.sys file should be removed after the restart. If it’s still present, run powercfg /hibernate off from an elevated Command Prompt to force its deletion.

Step 4: Remove Hibernate from the Power Menu (Optional)

Disabling hibernation via the registry doesn’t always remove the Hibernate option from the Start menu’s power options. To hide it, navigate to:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\FlyoutMenuSettings

If the FlyoutMenuSettings key doesn’t exist, right-click the Explorer folder, select New > Key, and name it FlyoutMenuSettings. Then create a DWORD value called ShowHibernateOption and set it to 0. Or use the one-liner:

reg add "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\FlyoutMenuSettings" /v ShowHibernateOption /t REG_DWORD /d 0 /f

Other Power Settings Worth Knowing

If you’re optimizing power-related settings, a few other guides might be useful. If you leave your PC running for downloads or use it as a light home server and don’t want the monitors switching off automatically, check out the guide on preventing monitors from turning off in Windows 11. And if you ever need your PC to shut down on a schedule after finishing a task, there’s a guide on scheduling a shutdown in Windows 10 and 11.

If you want a single tool that manages hibernation, sleep settings, power plans, and dozens of other Windows tweaks without manual registry work, Winhance covers all of it through a clean interface. And if you’re building or reinstalling Windows from scratch and want power settings pre-configured from day one, UnattendedWinstall lets you bake these into your Windows answer file.

Common Issues & Solutions

hiberfil.sys is still on the drive after restarting. The file should be removed automatically after disabling hibernation and restarting. If it’s still there, open Command Prompt as Administrator and run powercfg /hibernate off — this forces the file to be cleaned up regardless of which method you used.

Hibernate still shows in the Start menu power options. Double-check that the ShowHibernateOption DWORD in FlyoutMenuSettings is set to 0 and that you did a full restart. If you used powercfg /hibernate off, the option should disappear automatically without needing the registry edit.

Registry Editor says “Access is denied.” Close Registry Editor, search for regedit in the Start menu, right-click it, and select Run as administrator. You need elevated privileges to modify keys under HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it safe to disable hibernation on Windows 10 and 11?

Yes, completely safe. Hibernation is an optional power feature and disabling it has no negative impact on your system. You still have sleep mode available for short breaks, and a clean shutdown for longer periods. You can re-enable hibernation at any time by running powercfg /hibernate on in an elevated Command Prompt.

How much disk space will I get back?

The hiberfil.sys file is sized at roughly 75% of your total RAM. On a 16 GB system, that’s approximately 12 GB reclaimed. On a 32 GB system, around 24 GB. This is particularly worthwhile if you’re running a smaller SSD — say 256 GB or 512 GB — where every gigabyte counts.

What’s the difference between sleep and hibernation?

Sleep keeps your session in RAM while using a small amount of power, so your PC wakes up in seconds. Hibernation writes everything to disk and fully powers off — no power use at all, but it takes longer to resume since it’s reading from storage instead of RAM. For most desktop PC users who are on AC power, sleep is the better choice: it’s faster, more convenient, and avoids the disk overhead of hibernation.

Can I re-enable hibernation after turning it off?

Yes. Run powercfg /hibernate on in an elevated Command Prompt, or set HibernateEnabledDefault back to 1 in the registry. Windows will re-enable hibernation and recreate the hiberfil.sys file automatically.

Does disabling hibernation affect the Fast Startup feature?

Yes — Fast Startup relies on hibernation to save a partial system state to disk at shutdown, which speeds up the next boot. Disabling hibernation also disables Fast Startup. For most users on modern SSDs, cold boot times are fast enough that this difference is barely noticeable. If Fast Startup is important to you, keep hibernation enabled or disable only the hibernate power option from the power menu instead.

This post How to Disable Hibernation on Windows 10 and 11 (2 Methods) first appeared on Memory's Tech Tips and is written by memory

To disable Windows telemetry on Windows 10 and 11, open Registry Editor and set the AllowTelemetry DWORD value to 0 at HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\DataCollection, then create the same DWORD at HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\DataCollection and set it to 0 as well. Restart your PC and Windows will be locked to the Security telemetry level.

Applies to: Windows 10 (22H2) and Windows 11 (23H2, 24H2, 25H2) | Last updated: May 25, 2026

Key Takeaways

• Telemetry is set by a single DWORD called AllowTelemetry — value 0 locks Windows to the Security level (minimum data collection)
• You need to set it at two registry paths: the standard policy key under SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\DataCollection and the policy-override key under SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\DataCollection
• The change is non-destructive — Windows and every installed app keep working exactly the same way, only the background data collection stops
• Works on every edition of Windows 10 and 11, including Home — the Group Policy method is Pro/Enterprise only, but the registry edit is universal
• Two reg add one-liners apply both keys in seconds — useful if you set up multiple PCs or want to script the change

Quick Steps

1. Press Windows + R, type regedit, and press Enter
2. Navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\DataCollection
3. Double-click AllowTelemetry and set the Value Data to 0 (create the DWORD if it doesn’t exist)
4. Navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\DataCollection
5. Right-click the empty space, create a new DWORD (32-bit) Value named AllowTelemetry, and set it to 0
6. Close Registry Editor and restart your PC

What Is Windows Telemetry and Why Disable It?

Windows telemetry is the background data that Microsoft collects from your PC and sends back to their servers. The payload includes hardware configuration, app usage, driver versions, crash reports, and general system behaviour. Microsoft uses it to improve Windows, but the exact contents are not transparent to the user, which is why a lot of people prefer to keep it dialled down.

Back when I was running my computer repair business, clients regularly asked me to set up their new PC as privately as possible. Disabling telemetry was always one of the first items on that list. It doesn’t break anything in Windows — every app keeps working the same way — it just stops the background data collection from running.

Windows uses four telemetry levels: Security (0), Basic (1), Enhanced (2), and Full (3). Most installs default to Basic or higher. Setting AllowTelemetry to 0 in the registry pins Windows to the Security level, which is the minimum amount of diagnostic data the OS will send.

Note: On Windows 10/11 Home and Pro, the Security level (0) is technically reserved for Enterprise/Education editions, so Windows treats 0 on consumer editions as “Basic”. The policy key still works — it’s just the floor that differs by edition. Either way, this is the lowest the OS will go.

How to Disable Windows Telemetry With Registry Editor

Step 1: Open Registry Editor

Press Windows + R to open the Run dialog. Type regedit and press Enter. Click Yes on the User Account Control prompt to open Registry Editor with administrator rights.

Step 2: Modify AllowTelemetry at the First Path

Paste the following path into the Registry Editor address bar at the top of the window and press Enter:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\DataCollection

Double-click the AllowTelemetry entry in the right pane, set the Value Data to 0, and click OK. If the entry doesn’t exist, right-click the empty space, choose New > DWORD (32-bit) Value, name it AllowTelemetry, then set it to 0.

Step 3: Create the DWORD at the Second Path

Now navigate to the policy-override path:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\DataCollection

Right-click anywhere in the empty space on the right side and select New > DWORD (32-bit) Value. Name it AllowTelemetry, press Enter, double-click it, and set the Value Data to 0. If the DataCollection key itself doesn’t exist, right-click the Windows folder in the left pane, choose New > Key, and name it DataCollection before adding the DWORD inside it.

Step 4: Restart Your PC

Close Registry Editor and restart Windows. After the reboot, both telemetry keys are in effect and Windows will collect only the minimum diagnostic data going forward.

Disable Telemetry With Two reg add Commands (Faster)

If you prefer to skip Registry Editor entirely, you can apply both keys in seconds with a pair of reg add commands. Open Command Prompt or PowerShell as Administrator and run both lines:

reg add "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\DataCollection" /v AllowTelemetry /t REG_DWORD /d 0 /f
reg add "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\DataCollection" /v AllowTelemetry /t REG_DWORD /d 0 /f

Both keys are created if they don’t exist and overwritten if they do — the /f flag suppresses the confirmation prompt. Restart your PC afterwards for the change to take effect. This is the same syntax I use when scripting a fresh Windows setup for clients or building an unattended install with UnattendedWinstall.

A Faster Way: Use Winhance Instead

If you’d rather not edit the registry manually every time you set up a new PC, I built a free tool called Winhance that handles telemetry, the Advertising ID, feedback sampling, and dozens of other privacy and performance tweaks from one interface. It writes the same registry values this guide covers — you just toggle them on or off and Winhance applies the change.

Winhance also tells you exactly which tweaks are currently applied to your system, so you can audit a PC at a glance instead of opening regedit and checking values manually. It’s the tool I now use on every machine I set up.

Other Privacy Tweaks Worth Doing Alongside This

Disabling telemetry is a solid first step, but it’s not the only background process running on a default Windows install. Windows also runs automatic feedback sampling, which collects similar diagnostic data and sends it to Microsoft — disabling that is the natural follow-up. The Advertising ID is another one I always turn off; it’s a unique identifier Windows uses to serve personalised ads across apps.

If you want to go a step further, consider turning off Activity History, Location Services, and Windows Error Reporting. Each one is a small registry change on its own, but together they meaningfully reduce how much data Windows sends out in the background.

Common Issues & Solutions

Problem: The AllowTelemetry entry doesn’t exist at the first path.
Solution: Create it. Right-click the empty space on the right side of Registry Editor, choose New > DWORD (32-bit) Value, name it AllowTelemetry, and set the Value Data to 0.

Problem: The DataCollection key doesn’t exist at either path.
Solution: Create the key. Right-click the parent folder in the left panel, select New > Key, name it DataCollection, then create the AllowTelemetry DWORD inside it. The reg add one-liners above handle this automatically.

Problem: “Access is denied” when modifying a registry value.
Solution: Confirm you opened Registry Editor as an administrator. If a specific key still refuses to change, right-click it, choose Permissions, and verify your user account has Full Control.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does disabling telemetry break anything in Windows?

No, nothing breaks. Windows and every installed app keep working exactly the same way — you are only stopping the background data collection. I applied this tweak on hundreds of repair-shop PCs over the years and never saw it cause a problem.

Does this work on Windows 10 Home and Windows 11 Home?

Yes. The registry edits in this guide apply to every edition of Windows 10 and 11, including Home. The Group Policy method for disabling telemetry is only available on Pro and Enterprise editions, but the registry path is universal.

Will Windows reset the telemetry settings after an update?

Major Windows feature updates (the once-a-year ones like 24H2) can occasionally reset privacy settings. Cumulative updates almost never touch these keys, but it’s worth re-checking AllowTelemetry after a feature update. Winhance makes this a one-click audit instead of a manual registry check.

Why do I need to set two different registry paths?

The first path (SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\DataCollection) is the standard Windows telemetry key. The second (SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\DataCollection) is the policy-override key, which takes priority over the first when both are present. Setting both to 0 makes sure the change holds regardless of which key Windows checks.

Can I undo this change later?

Yes. Open Registry Editor, change AllowTelemetry back to 1 (Basic) or 3 (Full) at both paths, and restart. You can also delete the DWORD value entirely and Windows will fall back to its default telemetry level. Or you can run the same two reg add commands with /d 1 in place of /d 0.

That’s the full registry method for disabling Windows telemetry on Windows 10 and 11. If you found this useful, the next two privacy tweaks I’d recommend are disabling the Advertising ID and turning off automatic feedback sampling — both follow the same pattern and take a couple of minutes each. And if you’d rather automate the whole privacy and debloat process across a fresh install, Winhance is the tool I built for exactly that.

This post How to Disable Windows Telemetry on Windows 10 & 11 (Regedit) first appeared on Memory's Tech Tips and is written by memory

To disable Windows Ink Workspace on Windows 10 or 11, open Registry Editor, navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\WindowsInkWorkspace, create a DWORD (32-bit) value named AllowWindowsInkWorkspace, set it to 0, and restart your PC. This removes the pen icon from the taskbar and disables the workspace system-wide, including on Windows 11 where it has been rebranded as the Pen menu.

Applies to: Windows 11 & Windows 10 | Last updated: May 18, 2026

Key Takeaways

• Windows Ink Workspace is the pen/stylus hub — it launches Sticky Notes, the Snipping Tool, and Whiteboard from a taskbar pen icon. On Windows 11 it has been rebranded as the Pen menu.
• Disabling it does not break your stylus — pen input, handwriting recognition, and pressure sensitivity all keep working. Only the workspace launcher and its taskbar icon are removed.
• The registry tweak is the most reliable method — set HKLM\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\WindowsInkWorkspace > AllowWindowsInkWorkspace DWORD to 0 and the workspace is disabled system-wide for every user.
• Group Policy works on Pro and Enterprise — Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > Windows Ink Workspace > Allow Windows Ink Workspace set to Disabled applies the same change with a UI.
• Winhance disables this as part of its debloat profile — if you want this tweak plus dozens of other Windows optimizations applied at once, use Winhance instead of editing the registry by hand.

Quick Steps:

1. Right-click the taskbar (Windows 10) or open Settings > Personalization > Taskbar (Windows 11) and turn off the Pen menu icon for a quick UI-only hide.
2. For a permanent fix, press Windows + R, type regedit, and press Enter.
3. Navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\WindowsInkWorkspace. Create the WindowsInkWorkspace key if it does not exist.
4. Create a DWORD (32-bit) value named AllowWindowsInkWorkspace and set it to 0.
5. Restart your PC. The pen icon disappears and the workspace is disabled for all users.

In This Guide

This guide covers three different methods to disable Windows Ink Workspace, ordered from quickest to most thorough:

• Method 1: Hide the Pen Icon from the Taskbar — Fastest fix if you only want the icon gone. Per-user, UI-only.
• Method 2: Disable It with Group Policy — Clean GUI method for Windows 10/11 Pro and Enterprise users.
• Method 3: Disable It with the Registry — Works on every edition including Home. The most reliable, system-wide approach. (Recommended)

What Is Windows Ink Workspace?

Windows Ink Workspace is the pen and stylus utility hub Microsoft introduced in Windows 10. It surfaces touch-friendly apps like Sticky Notes, the Snipping Tool (previously Snip & Sketch), and the Whiteboard launcher from a single pen icon in the taskbar. On Windows 11, Microsoft renamed it the Pen menu, but it is the same feature under the hood and the same registry policy controls it.

The workspace is genuinely useful if you own a Surface, a 2-in-1, or any device with an active stylus. On a regular desktop with a mouse and keyboard, it is just another icon eating space in the taskbar. Disabling it through the registry makes the change permanent and applies it system-wide for every user account on the PC, which is more reliable than hiding the icon from Settings — Windows tends to bring the icon back after major updates.

Note: Disabling Windows Ink Workspace does not disable pen input itself. Your stylus will still write, draw, and respond to pressure in any app that supports it. Handwriting recognition and the touch keyboard’s handwriting panel also keep working.

Method 1: Hide the Pen Icon from the Taskbar

If you just want the icon gone and do not care about disabling the workspace itself, the taskbar UI handles this in seconds. This change is per-user and only hides the icon — the feature still loads in the background. Use this if you might want the workspace back later.

On Windows 11:

1. Right-click an empty spot on the taskbar and choose Taskbar settings, or open Settings > Personalization > Taskbar.
2. Under System tray icons, find Pen menu and toggle it off.

On Windows 10:

1. Right-click any empty spot on the taskbar.
2. Click Show Windows Ink Workspace button to remove the check mark.

The icon disappears immediately. If you want the feature itself disabled — not just the icon — keep reading. Method 2 and Method 3 are the proper system-wide approaches.

Method 2: Disable It with Group Policy

If you are on Windows 10 Pro, Windows 11 Pro, or any Enterprise/Education edition, the Local Group Policy Editor gives you a GUI for the same policy the registry tweak sets. Windows Home does not include this tool — skip to Method 3 if you are on Home.

1. Press Windows + R, type gpedit.msc, and press Enter.
2. In the left panel, navigate to Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > Windows Ink Workspace.
3. Double-click Allow Windows Ink Workspace.
4. Select Disabled, click Apply, then OK.
5. Restart your PC for the change to take effect.

Group Policy writes the exact same registry value Method 3 sets manually — AllowWindowsInkWorkspace = 0 under the Policies key — so the outcome is identical. The advantage is that the GUI documents what changed and you can flip it back to Not Configured just as easily.

Method 3: Disable It with the Registry (Recommended)

The registry method works on every edition of Windows 10 and 11, including Home, and produces a permanent, system-wide change. This is the method I recommend in every situation where you do not need the workspace back.

Step 1: Open Registry Editor

Press Windows + R to open the Run dialog. Type regedit and press Enter. If User Account Control prompts you, click Yes.

Step 2: Navigate to the WindowsInkWorkspace Path

Copy the path below and paste it into the Registry Editor address bar at the top of the window, then press Enter:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\WindowsInkWorkspace

If the WindowsInkWorkspace key does not exist, you will need to create it. Right-click the Microsoft folder in the left panel, hover over New, and select Key. Name it exactly WindowsInkWorkspace (capitalization matters) and press Enter. Click on the new key to select it.

Step 3: Create the AllowWindowsInkWorkspace DWORD

With the WindowsInkWorkspace key selected, right-click anywhere in the empty white area on the right side of the window. Hover over New and select DWORD (32-bit) Value. Name the new entry AllowWindowsInkWorkspace and press Enter.

Step 4: Set the Value Data to 0

Double-click the AllowWindowsInkWorkspace value you just created. In the Value data box, type 0 and click OK. A value of 0 disables the workspace entirely; 1 would allow it without the Suggested Apps feature, and 2 is the default “fully enabled” state.

Step 5: Restart Your PC

Close the Registry Editor and restart Windows. After the restart, the pen icon (Windows 10) or Pen menu (Windows 11) is gone and the workspace is disabled for every user on the PC.

One-Line Command Alternative

If you would rather skip the manual steps entirely, this single reg add command does the same thing. Right-click the Start button, open Terminal (Admin) or Command Prompt (Admin), paste the command, and press Enter:

reg add "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\WindowsInkWorkspace" /v AllowWindowsInkWorkspace /t REG_DWORD /d 0 /f

This works in both Command Prompt and PowerShell. The /f flag forces the value to be written without prompting for confirmation, and the command creates the WindowsInkWorkspace key automatically if it does not exist yet. Restart your PC after running it.

Tip: To undo this later, run the same command with /d 1 instead of /d 0, or delete the AllowWindowsInkWorkspace value from the registry. Either way, restart your PC for the change to apply.

Disable This and More with Winhance

If you find yourself making registry tweaks like this one every time you set up a new PC, that is exactly the workflow Winhance automates. Winhance is my free, open-source Windows Enhancement Utility, and disabling Windows Ink Workspace is one of the registry changes it applies as part of its debloat profile — alongside dozens of other privacy, performance, and bloat-removal tweaks.

It is especially useful if you do clean Windows installs regularly and want every tweak applied with a single click instead of opening Registry Editor for each one. Pair it with UnattendedWinstall if you want the same tweaks baked into the install image itself.

Common Issues & Solutions

The pen icon is still showing after restart. Double-check the path is exactly HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\WindowsInkWorkspace — not HKEY_CURRENT_USER, which is a different hive entirely. Confirm the value name is AllowWindowsInkWorkspace spelled exactly as shown and the data is 0, not 0x0000 shown as 1.

The WindowsInkWorkspace key cannot be created. Make sure you are right-clicking the Microsoft folder itself in the left panel, not the empty space inside it. The new key needs to be a child of Microsoft. If you accidentally created it elsewhere, right-click the misplaced key and choose Delete, then start again.

Registry Editor will not open or is blocked. Run it with administrator privileges by typing regedit into the Start menu, right-clicking the result, and choosing Run as administrator. If a workplace or school policy blocks regedit entirely, the policy is likely also enforcing or overriding this setting on a Domain or Intune-managed device.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will disabling Windows Ink Workspace break my stylus or pen?

No. The stylus itself, pen input, pressure sensitivity, and tilt support all keep working in apps that use them (OneNote, Photoshop, Krita, Edge annotations). The AllowWindowsInkWorkspace policy only controls the workspace launcher — the small panel that lets you open Sticky Notes, the Snipping Tool, and Whiteboard from a single icon — and the taskbar pen icon itself.

Does this disable the Snipping Tool?

No. The Snipping Tool is a standalone app and is unaffected. You can still launch it from the Start menu or with the Windows + Shift + S shortcut, and screenshots saved to %UserProfile%\Pictures\Screenshots still work as expected. This tweak only removes the Snipping Tool entry from the Pen menu launcher, not the app itself.

Will Sticky Notes still work?

Yes. Sticky Notes is a separate Microsoft Store app and runs independently of Windows Ink Workspace. You can open it from the Start menu, pin it to the taskbar, or set it to launch at startup. Your existing notes and any synced notes from your Microsoft account are not touched by this change.

Does this affect handwriting recognition or the touch keyboard?

No. Handwriting recognition, the touch keyboard’s handwriting input panel, and Windows’ input method editor (IME) are all separate features. They keep working exactly as before. The policy only governs the Windows Ink Workspace launcher, which is purely a shortcut UI.

How do I re-enable Windows Ink Workspace later?

Open Registry Editor, return to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\WindowsInkWorkspace, and either change AllowWindowsInkWorkspace to 1 (allowed without Suggested Apps) or delete the value entirely to return to Windows’ default 2 state. Or run reg add "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\WindowsInkWorkspace" /v AllowWindowsInkWorkspace /t REG_DWORD /d 1 /f in an admin terminal. Restart your PC and the workspace comes back.

Will this change survive a Windows feature update?

In nearly all cases, yes. Values under the Policies registry hive are treated as managed configuration by Windows and persist across feature updates like 23H2, 24H2, and 25H2. After a major upgrade it is still worth verifying the value is intact — Microsoft has occasionally renamed the policy folder on rebrand releases, though WindowsInkWorkspace has been stable since Windows 10 1607.

Other Registry Tweaks Worth Knowing

If you liked this one, I have a full series of similar Registry Editor guides for cleaning up Windows 10 and 11:

• How to disable News and Interests in Windows 11 (Regedit)
• How to customize the Windows 11 context menu
• How to remove the Xbox Game Bar in Windows 10 and 11
• How to disable Activity History in Windows 10 and 11 (Regedit)
• How to disable Windows telemetry (Regedit)

This post How to Disable Windows Ink Workspace on Windows 10 & 11 (3 Methods) first appeared on Memory's Tech Tips and is written by memory