Disable Windows 10 Taskbar ‘News and Interests’ Feature Easily

Key Notes

  • Disable the News and Interests widget via Taskbar settings.
  • Use Registry Editor to manage the widget settings.
  • Restart your PC to apply changes effectively.

Customize Your Windows 10: How to Disable ‘News and Interests’

Discover effective methods for disabling the unintuitive News and Interests widget on your Windows 10 Taskbar. This guide provides both options: using the Taskbar settings and editing the registry for a tailored experience.

Step 1: Disable the News and Interests Widget via Taskbar Settings

Follow these steps to remove the News and Interests widget directly from your Taskbar:

  1. Begin by right-clicking on the Taskbar on your Windows 10 desktop.

  2. From the dropdown menu, select the “News and interests” option and click on Turn off.

  3. (Optional) If you prefer, you can choose the “Show icon only” option to reduce space on your Taskbar while keeping the widget.

Upon completing these steps, the News and Interests widget will be effectively removed from your Taskbar.

Step 2: Disabling News and Interests Using Registry Editor

To perform this configuration from the Registry, follow these carefully planned steps:

  1. Open the Start menu.

  2. Type regedit in the search bar and select the top result to launch the Registry Editor.

  3. Navigate to the following key:

    HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Feeds

  4. In the Feeds directory, right-click, hover over New, and select DWORD (32-bit) Value.

  5. Name this new value ShellFeedsTaskbarViewMode and hit Enter.

  6. Double-click the newly created value and change its data from 0 to 2 to disable the News and Interests feature.

  7. Finally, click OK and restart your computer to apply changes.

Your News and Interests widget should now be disabled.

Step 3: How to Re-enable the Widget via Registry Editor

If you decide to re-enable the News and Interests widget, perform the following steps:

  1. Launch the Start menu.

  2. Type regedit and open the Registry Editor.

  3. Access the same path:

    HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Feeds

  4. Right-click on the Feeds key, select New, and then DWORD (32-bit) Value.

  5. Label the key ShellFeedsTaskbarViewMode and hit Enter.

  6. Double-click on this key and adjust the value from 2 back to 0 to re-enable the News and Interests widget with Show icon and text.

  7. (Optional) Change the value from 2 to 1 to enable it with the Show icon only option.

  8. Press OK and restart your computer.

After these steps, the News and Interests widget will reappear in your Windows 10 Taskbar.

Summary

In this guide, we’ve outlined two simple yet effective methods to disable the News and Interests widget on your Windows 10 Taskbar, utilizing both the Taskbar settings and the Registry Editor for greater flexibility.

Conclusion

By following the outlined steps for disabling the News and Interests widget, you can significantly enhance your Workflow on Windows 10. Whether through the Taskbar settings or the Registry, customization is key to a more personal experience on your machine.

FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)

Is disabling the News and Interests widget reversible?

Yes, you can easily re-enable the widget at any time using the same methods provided in this guide.

Will I lose any features by disabling this widget?

Disabling the News and Interests widget will not affect the general functioning of your Windows 10 system. You can still access news and weather through other applications and websites.

Can I customize the News and Interests widget instead of disabling it?

Yes, you can adjust the settings of the News and Interests widget to show fewer notifications or choose specific interests if you prefer not to disable it entirely.