---
title: "Turn off Widgets, News and Interests and Copilot in Windows 11: the registry values"
description: "Widgets, News and Interests and the Copilot button are taskbar features that keep their own processes running and fetch content in the background."
url: https://frozentweaks.com/tweaks/disable-widgets-news-copilot
author: Frost LIVE, Founder of Frozen Tweaks
published: 2026-10-08
updated: 2026-10-08
category: "Debloat"
source: Frozen Tweaks (https://frozentweaks.com)
---

# Turn off Widgets, News and Interests and Copilot in Windows 11: the registry values

**Short answer:** Widgets, News and Interests and the Copilot button are taskbar features that keep their own processes running and fetch content in the background. This tweak hides the taskbar entries and sets the policies that keep them from starting. In the registry it sets TaskbarDa to 0 under HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced, and 3 more values.

## In the app

- Switch: Disable Widgets/News/Copilot (Debloat, Free, Standard)
- Undo: Yes. Switching it off sets a standard Windows value, which may not be exactly how you had it.
- Catalog row: https://frozentweaks.com/tweaks#t-1012

## What it does

Widgets, News and Interests and the Copilot button are taskbar features that keep their own processes running and fetch content in the background. This tweak hides the taskbar entries and sets the policies that keep them from starting.

In the app the switch is called "Disable Widgets/News/Copilot", described there as: Removes taskbar widgets, News, Copilot and consumer promos to free RAM/CPU.

## When it helps

- Freeing the memory the Widgets processes hold and stopping their content downloads.

## When it hurts

- The weather and news panel and the Copilot button are gone until you switch the tweak off.

## What it writes

Read from the app's source. "Switching it off" is what the app writes when you turn the tweak off again.

Registry values:

| Key | Value | With the tweak | Switching it off |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced` | `TaskbarDa` | `0` | Not set (the value is deleted; Windows decides) |
| `HKLM\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Dsh` | `AllowNewsAndInterests` | `0` | Not set (the value is deleted; Windows decides) |
| `HKLM\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WindowsCopilot` | `TurnOffWindowsCopilot` | `1` | Not set (the value is deleted; Windows decides) |
| `HKLM\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\CloudContent` | `DisableWindowsConsumerFeatures` | `1` | Not set (the value is deleted; Windows decides) |

Source: Tweaks/tweaks_taskbar_widgets.hpp in the app's source, app 2.0.0, checked 2026-10-08.

## The same change by hand

Run in a Command Prompt opened as administrator. Make a restore point first.

```bat
reg add "HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced" /v "TaskbarDa" /t REG_DWORD /d 0 /f
reg add "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Dsh" /v "AllowNewsAndInterests" /t REG_DWORD /d 0 /f
reg add "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WindowsCopilot" /v "TurnOffWindowsCopilot" /t REG_DWORD /d 1 /f
reg add "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\CloudContent" /v "DisableWindowsConsumerFeatures" /t REG_DWORD /d 1 /f
```

Put it back:

```bat
reg delete "HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced" /v "TaskbarDa" /f
reg delete "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Dsh" /v "AllowNewsAndInterests" /f
reg delete "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WindowsCopilot" /v "TurnOffWindowsCopilot" /f
reg delete "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\CloudContent" /v "DisableWindowsConsumerFeatures" /f
```

See what it is set to now:

```bat
reg query "HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced" /v "TaskbarDa"
```

## How to undo it

Switch the tweak off in Frozen Tweaks. It deletes TaskbarDa, AllowNewsAndInterests, TurnOffWindowsCopilot and the others marked in the table, so Windows uses its built-in behavior again.

## Verdict

Safe tidying. It frees some memory and removes a source of background activity; it is not a frame rate tweak.

## Questions

### What does the "Disable Widgets/News/Copilot" tweak change in Windows?

In the registry it sets TaskbarDa to 0 under HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced, and 3 more values. The full list is in the table on this page, read from the app's source.

### Is "Disable Widgets/News/Copilot" safe to switch on?

Safe tidying. It frees some memory and removes a source of background activity; it is not a frame rate tweak. The main cost: The weather and news panel and the Copilot button are gone until you switch the tweak off.

### How do I undo it?

Switch the tweak off in Frozen Tweaks. Switching it off sets a standard Windows value, which may not be exactly how you had it.

### Is "Disable Widgets/News/Copilot" free in Frozen Tweaks?

Yes. It is one of the free tweaks, with no time limit.

## Related guides

- [Windows 11 Gaming Optimization: What Still Works in 2026](https://frozentweaks.com/guides/windows-11-gaming-optimization)
- [Low-End PC Gaming Optimization: Getting Playable Frame Rates](https://frozentweaks.com/guides/low-end-pc-gaming-optimization)

## More tweak explainers

- [OneDrive sync (policy)](https://frozentweaks.com/tweaks/disable-onedrive-sync-policy)
- [Tips and suggested content](https://frozentweaks.com/tweaks/disable-windows-tips-suggestions)
- [Windows Error Reporting](https://frozentweaks.com/tweaks/disable-windows-error-reporting)

---
Written by Frost LIVE, founder of Frozen Tweaks. Canonical version: https://frozentweaks.com/tweaks/disable-widgets-news-copilot