How to Disable News Feed in Windows 11 Widgets

The Windows 11 Widgets panel is a convenient tool for checking the weather, calendar events, and system performance, but its default inclusion of the Microsoft Start news feed often creates unwanted clutter and distractions. Microsoft allows users to completely disable this news feed while keeping essential productivity widgets active. This guide provides the exact steps to turn off the news feed natively in Windows 11, along with administrative methods for complete control.

Method 1: Turn Off Feeds in Widget Settings

Recent updates to Windows 11 allow you to disable the news feed directly through the Widgets interface without modifying system files.

  1. Open the Widgets board by clicking the Widgets icon on the taskbar or by pressing Windows Key + W.
  2. Click the Settings (gear) icon located in the top-right corner of the Widgets window.
  3. In the Settings menu, select Show or hide feeds.
  4. Locate the Microsoft Start feed toggle.
  5. Switch the toggle to Off.
  6. Close the settings menu. The Widgets panel will refresh and display only your pinned utility widgets.

Method 2: Disable the News Feed via Group Policy (Pro & Enterprise)

If you are using Windows 11 Pro, Enterprise, or Education editions, you can prevent the news feed from loading using the Local Group Policy Editor.

  1. Press Windows Key + R, type gpedit.msc, and press Enter.
  2. Navigate to the following path in the left sidebar: Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > Widgets
  3. In the right pane, double-click on the policy named Turn off feeds.
  4. Select the Enabled option to disable the feed.
  5. Click Apply, then click OK.
  6. Restart your computer or sign out and sign back in for the changes to take effect.

Method 3: Disable the News Feed via Windows Registry (Home Edition)

Windows 11 Home users without access to the Group Policy Editor can disable the feed using the Registry Editor.

  1. Press Windows Key + R, type regedit, and press Enter.
  2. Navigate to the following key: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft
  3. Right-click the Microsoft folder, select New > Key, and name it Dsh.
  4. Select the new Dsh key, right-click in the empty space on the right, and choose New > DWORD (32-bit) Value.
  5. Name the value AllowNewsAndInterests.
  6. Double-click AllowNewsAndInterests and ensure its Value data is set to 0.
  7. Click OK and restart your PC.

Once configured, the Windows 11 Widgets panel will function solely as a dashboard for your selected tools and utilities without consuming bandwidth or displaying unwanted articles.