How To Turn Off News And Interests On Windows 10

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How to Turn Off News and Interests on Windows 10

Hey guys! Having that News and Interests feed popping up on your Windows 10 taskbar can be super handy for staying updated, but sometimes it can be a bit distracting or just not your cup of tea. If you're looking to declutter your screen and get rid of it, you've come to the right place. I'm going to walk you through a few simple ways to turn off or even customize this feature. Let's dive in!

Understanding News and Interests

Before we get started, let's quickly talk about what the News and Interests feature actually is. Introduced by Microsoft, it's designed to keep you in the loop with the latest news, weather updates, sports scores, and more, directly from your taskbar. It's meant to be a convenient way to stay informed without having to open a browser or check multiple apps. However, not everyone finds it useful, and that's perfectly okay. Customizing your Windows experience to suit your needs is what it’s all about.

Now, why might you want to turn it off? Well, there are a few common reasons. Some users find that it clutters their taskbar, making it harder to quickly access the apps they use most frequently. Others might be concerned about the data it uses, especially if they have a limited internet plan. And of course, some people just don’t want the distraction of constantly updated news headlines. Whatever your reason, turning off News and Interests is a straightforward process.

The News and Interests feature is more than just a simple news ticker; it’s a personalized feed that learns from your interactions. This means the more you click on articles and show interest in certain topics, the more relevant the content becomes. Microsoft uses your browsing history, location data, and other information to tailor the news to your preferences. While this can be great for discovering content you’re genuinely interested in, it also raises some privacy concerns for others.

For example, if you frequently read articles about technology, you’ll likely see more tech-related news in your feed. If you’re a sports fan, you’ll get updates on your favorite teams. The feature also provides local weather updates, which can be handy for planning your day. The goal is to provide a snapshot of the information that matters most to you, all in one convenient location. But again, if you’re not finding it useful or you’re concerned about privacy, turning it off is a simple solution.

So, whether you're looking to streamline your taskbar, save on data usage, or just reduce distractions, follow along, and I'll show you exactly how to disable News and Interests in Windows 10.

Method 1: Turning off News and Interests via Taskbar Menu

This is probably the easiest and quickest way to get rid of the News and Interests feed. Here’s how to do it:

  1. Right-click on an empty space on your taskbar. This will bring up a context menu with various options.
  2. Hover over the "News and interests" option in the menu. A submenu will appear with several choices.
  3. Click on "Turn off." That's it! The News and Interests feed should disappear from your taskbar immediately.

This method is super simple and effective for most users. If you ever want to bring the feed back, just repeat the steps and select "Show icon and text" or "Show icon only" from the submenu.

Now, let’s break down each of these steps in a bit more detail to make sure everything is crystal clear. First, finding an empty space on your taskbar is important because right-clicking on an icon will bring up options specific to that application. You want to right-click on the taskbar itself to access the general taskbar settings. This ensures that you see the “News and interests” option in the context menu.

Once you’ve right-clicked and found the “News and interests” option, hovering over it will reveal a submenu. This submenu gives you a few choices about how the feed is displayed. You can choose to show the icon and the text (which is the default), show only the icon (which takes up less space), or turn it off completely. By selecting “Turn off,” you’re telling Windows that you don’t want the feed to be displayed at all.

The beauty of this method is its simplicity and speed. It’s perfect for users who want a quick and easy solution without having to delve into deeper settings. Plus, it’s easily reversible. If you decide later that you miss having the News and Interests feed, you can simply repeat the steps and choose one of the display options to bring it back. This makes it a convenient and flexible way to manage your taskbar.

This approach is particularly useful if you're frequently switching between wanting to see the news and wanting a clean, distraction-free taskbar. With just a few clicks, you can toggle the feature on and off as needed. It's a simple yet effective way to customize your Windows 10 experience to suit your current needs.

Method 2: Disabling News and Interests via Group Policy Editor

If you’re using a professional or enterprise version of Windows 10, you can use the Group Policy Editor to disable News and Interests. This method is a bit more advanced, but it ensures that the feature is completely turned off and won’t reappear after updates. Keep in mind that the Group Policy Editor is not available on Windows 10 Home edition.

Here’s how to do it:

  1. Press Windows Key + R to open the Run dialog box. Type gpedit.msc and press Enter. This will open the Group Policy Editor.
  2. Navigate to Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > News and interests.
  3. In the right pane, double-click on "Enable News and interests on the taskbar."
  4. In the window that appears, select "Disabled" and click "Apply" then "OK."
  5. Restart your computer for the changes to take effect.

Using the Group Policy Editor provides a more permanent solution for disabling News and Interests. This is especially useful if you want to ensure that the feature remains disabled even after Windows updates, which can sometimes re-enable default settings. By configuring the Group Policy, you’re setting a system-wide rule that overrides the default behavior.

Let’s go through each step in detail to ensure you understand the process. First, opening the Run dialog box with Windows Key + R is a quick way to access various system tools. Typing gpedit.msc and pressing Enter launches the Group Policy Editor, which allows you to configure various settings that control how Windows behaves.

Once the Group Policy Editor is open, navigating to the correct folder is crucial. The path Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > News and interests leads you to the specific setting that controls the News and Interests feature. Administrative Templates contain policy settings that administrators can use to manage the operating system.

In the right pane, you’ll find the "Enable News and interests on the taskbar" setting. Double-clicking on this setting opens a new window where you can configure its behavior. By default, this setting is usually set to “Not Configured,” which means that Windows uses its default settings for the feature. To disable News and Interests, you need to select the "Disabled" option.

After selecting "Disabled," click "Apply" and then "OK" to save the changes. This tells the Group Policy Editor to enforce the new setting. However, the changes won’t take effect immediately. You need to restart your computer to ensure that the new policy is applied correctly.

Restarting your computer is an important step because it allows Windows to reload the Group Policy settings and apply the changes you’ve made. Once your computer restarts, the News and Interests feature should be completely disabled, and it won’t reappear unless you change the Group Policy setting back to “Not Configured” or “Enabled.”

This method is particularly useful for system administrators who want to manage the settings of multiple computers in a domain. By configuring the Group Policy, they can ensure that all users have the same settings, which can help to maintain a consistent and standardized environment.

Method 3: Editing the Registry (Advanced Users)

Warning: Editing the registry can be risky if not done correctly. Incorrect changes can cause system instability. Make sure to back up your registry before proceeding.

If you’re comfortable with editing the registry, you can disable News and Interests this way. This method is similar to using the Group Policy Editor but is applicable even on Windows 10 Home edition.

Here’s how:

  1. Press Windows Key + R to open the Run dialog box. Type regedit and press Enter. This will open the Registry Editor.
  2. Navigate to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Feeds
  3. Right-click in the right pane, select "New", and then click "DWORD (32-bit) Value."
  4. Name the new value ShellFeedsTaskbarViewMode
  5. Double-click on ShellFeedsTaskbarViewMode and set the value data to 2. Click "OK."
  6. Restart your computer for the changes to take effect.

Editing the registry is a more direct way to modify system settings, but it also comes with greater risks. Incorrect changes can lead to system instability or even prevent Windows from starting. Therefore, it’s crucial to back up your registry before making any changes. This allows you to restore the registry to its previous state if something goes wrong.

Let's break down each step of this method. Opening the Run dialog box with Windows Key + R and typing regedit is the standard way to launch the Registry Editor. The Registry Editor allows you to view and modify the Windows registry, which is a hierarchical database that stores configuration settings for the operating system and applications.

Navigating to the correct key in the registry is essential. The path HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Feeds leads you to the specific location where the settings for the News and Interests feature are stored. HKEY_CURRENT_USER contains settings that are specific to the currently logged-in user.

If the Feeds key doesn't exist, you may need to create it. To do this, right-click on the CurrentVersion key, select "New", and then click "Key." Name the new key Feeds. Then, navigate into the Feeds key.

In the right pane, you need to create a new DWORD (32-bit) value. Right-clicking in the right pane, selecting "New", and then clicking "DWORD (32-bit) Value" creates a new registry entry. Naming the new value ShellFeedsTaskbarViewMode is important because this is the specific value that controls the visibility of the News and Interests feature.

Double-clicking on ShellFeedsTaskbarViewMode opens a window where you can set the value data. Setting the value data to 2 disables the News and Interests feature. The value data determines how the feature is displayed: 0 means it’s enabled, 1 means only the icon is shown, and 2 means it’s disabled.

After setting the value data to 2, click "OK" to save the changes. As with the Group Policy Editor, the changes won’t take effect immediately. You need to restart your computer to ensure that the new registry settings are applied correctly.

Restarting your computer allows Windows to reload the registry settings and apply the changes you’ve made. Once your computer restarts, the News and Interests feature should be disabled. If you ever want to re-enable the feature, you can either delete the ShellFeedsTaskbarViewMode value or set its value data to 0.

This method is useful for users who are comfortable with editing the registry and want a more permanent solution for disabling News and Interests, especially on Windows 10 Home edition where the Group Policy Editor is not available.

Conclusion

So, there you have it! Three easy methods to turn off News and Interests on Windows 10. Whether you prefer the simple taskbar menu option, the more permanent Group Policy Editor (for Pro and Enterprise users), or the registry edit for advanced users, you can now customize your Windows 10 experience to better suit your needs. I hope this guide was helpful, and now you can enjoy a cleaner, less distracting taskbar! Happy computing!