How to Remove News from Windows 11 (A Step-by-Step Guide)

If you’ve been using Windows 11, you’ve probably noticed the news and interests feed showing up on your taskbar or within the Widgets panel. While some users enjoy quick access to headlines, weather, and stock updates, others find it distracting, unnecessary, or even a little intrusive.

The good news? You don’t have to keep it if you don’t want it. In this guide, I’ll show you step by step how to remove news from Windows 11, whether from the taskbar or the widgets panel, so you can keep your desktop clean and focused.

Table of Contents

Why Remove News from Windows 11?

Everyone has their own reasons for removing the news feed. Here are the most common ones:

Distraction-free work – Avoid constant pop-ups and headlines.
Privacy concerns – Some don’t like personalized news suggestions.
Cleaner taskbar – Keep your taskbar minimal and organized.
Performance – Widgets and news feeds use background resources.

Think of it like decluttering your workspace—you’ll focus better when the extra noise is gone.

Step 1 – Remove News from the Taskbar

By default, Windows 11 shows a Widgets icon on the taskbar that includes news.

Right-click anywhere on the Taskbar.
Select Taskbar settings.
In the Taskbar items section, toggle off Widgets.

This instantly removes the news icon from your taskbar.

Step 2 – Disable Widgets Completely

Even if you remove the icon, the widget feature might still run in the background. To fully disable it:

Open Settings (Windows + I).
Go to Personalization > Taskbar.
Under Taskbar items, turn off Widgets.

Now the widget feature won’t show up or run in the background.

Step 3 – Turn Off News Updates Inside Widgets

If you want to keep widgets (like calendar or weather) but remove news:

Click the Widgets icon on the taskbar.
Hover over a news story you don’t want.
Click the three-dot menu (…).
Choose Hide story or Hide stories from this source.

Repeat this to train the feed, or simply remove all news cards.

Step 4 – Remove Individual News Cards

Within the widget panel, you can customize what appears:

Open the Widgets panel.
Click your profile picture at the top right.
Select Manage interests.
Deselect all categories like News, Sports, Entertainment, etc.

This leaves only functional widgets (like Weather or Calendar) and hides news completely.

Step 5 – Disable Widgets Using Group Policy Editor

For advanced users, Group Policy Editor can fully disable the feature.

Press Windows + R, type gpedit.msc, and press Enter.
Navigate to: Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > Widgets
Double-click Allow widgets.
Set it to Disabled.
Click Apply and restart your laptop.

This removes widgets—and news—from Windows 11 entirely.

Step 6 – Disable Widgets via Registry Editor

If you don’t have Group Policy Editor (like on Windows 11 Home), use the Registry.

⚠️ Warning: Be careful editing the registry. Back up before changes.

Press Windows + R, type regedit, and press Enter.
Navigate to: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced
Find the entry TaskbarDa.
Set its value to 0.
Restart your computer.

This disables the widget feature (and the news feed).

Step 7 – Block News via Microsoft Edge Settings

Some news comes through Microsoft Edge. You can reduce it here:

Open Microsoft Edge.
Go to Settings > New tab page > Customize.
Under Content, choose Content off.

Now Edge won’t show news every time you open a new tab.

Step 8 – Use a Third-Party Tool

If you want even more control:

StartAllBack – Lets you remove widgets and news while restoring classic taskbar styles.
TaskbarX – Customize taskbar looks with no news icon.

These apps offer more freedom than Windows’ built-in options.

Step 9 – Hide News Alerts and Notifications

Sometimes, news alerts can sneak in via notifications. To stop them:

Open Settings > System > Notifications.
Scroll and find apps like Microsoft News or Widgets.
Toggle them Off.

This prevents news notifications from appearing in the Action Center.

Step 10 – Remove Microsoft News App

If you never use the Microsoft News app:

Press Windows + I and go to Apps > Installed apps.
Scroll down to Microsoft News.
Click the three dots and choose Uninstall.

This deletes the app entirely, removing one source of news.

Extra Tips for a Cleaner Desktop

Use dark mode for a distraction-free look.
Hide unused icons in the taskbar.
Customize the Start menu to remove unnecessary apps.
Pin only your most important apps for quick access.

A clean desktop equals a clear mind.

Benefits of Removing News from Windows 11

Better focus – No random headlines while working.
Improved performance – Fewer background processes.
Privacy control – Less data collection from Microsoft’s feed.
Simpler desktop – Cleaner and easier to navigate.

Conclusion

The news and widget features in Windows 11 are great for some, but not for everyone. If you prefer a clean and minimal desktop, removing or disabling them is quick and easy. Whether you just hide the icon, turn off the widgets, or completely remove them through the registry or group policy, you’re in control.

Now your taskbar can be distraction-free, letting you focus on what truly matters—your work, gaming, or creativity.

FAQs

Q1: Can I bring back news after removing it?
Yes, just re-enable the Widgets option in Taskbar settings.

Q2: Does removing news speed up Windows 11?
Yes, disabling widgets reduces background processes, improving performance slightly.

Q3: Is it safe to use Registry Editor to disable news?
Yes, if done correctly. Just back up your registry before making changes.

Q4: Can I remove news from Edge browser too?
Yes, go to Edge settings > New tab page > Content off.

Q5: Will removing news also remove the weather widget?
Only if you disable all widgets. If you just customize, you can keep weather and remove news separately.