[Solved] How to Remove Microphone & Shoes Icon from Windows Search Bar?

Moi Too on 08/01/2025 - 11:46
Last edited 08/01/2025 - 14:10 by 2 other users

Turned on the comp this morning and everything was changed. Something, or somebody, had been fiddling around and stuffed everything up. I won't bore you with details, since the same thing has probably happened to you before, and you know what I'm talking about.

Anyway, I did a reset, and reinstalled Windows. I also had to reset my default browser, because the mongrels had made Edge my default. Now, I detest, loathe, and despise Edge with every fibre of my being and to the very depths of my soul. But I wasn't "allowed" to totally remove it, so I shoved it as far down in the rubbish dump as I could.

So, I'm back to what passes for normal on the Net.

But now my Search box has a microphone and a pair of shows in it! WTF? I read that the mike is for verbal searches, but I have no idea what the shoes are for. In any case, I want them gone. The dimwits who muck around with this stuff obviously have no idea of human habits and preferences.

For example, when we get something we like, WE WANT TO KEEP IT THAT WAY!

So, anyone know how to nuke those two irritating icons in my Win 10 search bar?

Computing Microsoft Operating System

Comments

  • Jimothy Wongingtons on 08/01/2025 - 11:48
    +7

    and you know what I'm talking about.

    I hear you loud and clear.

    • blitz on 08/01/2025 - 13:25
      +1

      Say no more!

      • Jimothy Wongingtons on 08/01/2025 - 14:02
        +1

        Let me just make sure we're not talking about food.

        • Moi Too on 08/01/2025 - 16:33

          No, I'm grampa, not Homer..

  • Duckie2hh on 08/01/2025 - 11:48
    +2

    Cool story bruh

  • pegaxs on 08/01/2025 - 11:49
    +9

    WTF did I just read?

    Screen shot at least?

    A good fix… here

  • hamza23 on 08/01/2025 - 11:57
    +7

    So, anyone know how to nuke those two irritating icons in my Win 10 search bar?

    Highlighting the Microphone & Shoes Icon shows 'Elvis Presley's 90th Birthday' which is today 8th of Jan. So I would assume that tomorrow it would disappear.

    • Protractor on 08/01/2025 - 13:02
      +8

      Apparently Elvis has left the building and dropped into OPs digs and went to town munting OPs computer.

      He left a note

      Uh, thang you vurry mudge

  • ihfree on 08/01/2025 - 12:00
    +3

    Right-click on the taskbar and choose taskbar settings - look for relevant settings and customise to what you want. For example, you can show just a search icon.

    • Moi Too on 08/01/2025 - 12:10

      Got it. The "show badges" thing is what you disable.

      Thanks.

      PS: I spent half the morning googling this, and everything I found and tried failed.

  • Agarwal on 08/01/2025 - 12:12
    +2

    You need to turn off the 'Show search highlights' option in the Search Permissions section.

    Edit: Seems like you found it, that's what it's called in Windows 11 for anyone interested.

  • CrispyChrispy on 08/01/2025 - 12:13
    +6

    Now, I detest, loathe, and despise Edge with every fibre of my being and to the very depths of my soul.

    Why?

    • Moi Too on 08/01/2025 - 12:19
      -1

      Do you really want to know?

      I'd need to open thesaurus.com to find all the synonyms for "Insipid". But I'll spare you that.

      It's simply a nothingburger type of browser. No matter how you tweak the settings, you can't make it even barely appealing.

      And that's apart from the fact that Microsoft keeps pushing it, and won't give you the option of pssing it off.

      • CrispyChrispy on 08/01/2025 - 12:26
        +5

        I used Google Chrome exclusively for ~14 years until earlier last year when I gave Edge a go (because Chrome kept on freezing on me on both my laptop and PC), and I haven't felt the need to swap back.

        Yes, Edge looks and feels like a browser designed for 13 year old TikTok addicts initially, with every single Microsoft product and blinking lights thrown at your face, but literally all of it can be disabled; the news article pop-ups, Copilot, Bing integration, sidebar, etc. My Edge is now as clean and minimal as how I had my Google Chrome setup. Having all my Google Chrome extensions on Edge is nice too.

        No matter how you tweak the settings, you can't make it even barely appealing

        How so?

        • Moi Too on 08/01/2025 - 12:32
          +1

          Well, I suppose I didn't try too hard. But that's because it looked so blehh at first sight. The tweaks I tried didn't make a whole lot of difference, so I said fi.

          I haven't had Chrome freeze so far, so I'm not motivated to go to the edge just yet.

          But I might persevere, since it seems to be good for some folks.

          Not just yet, though.

          • CrispyChrispy on 08/01/2025 - 12:34

            @Moi Too: Fair enough! Chrome is still definitely king on mobile devices, though.

          • bamzero on 08/01/2025 - 12:45
            +2

            @Moi Too: The only reason I use Edge is for my older Hikvision cameras that only have the plugin for Internet Explorer.

            Even then, MS manages to piss me off by systematically reverting it to Edge mode despite enabling "Always open this page in Internet Explorer mode."

            • Moi Too on 08/01/2025 - 12:54

              @bamzero: I found that any time I wanted to look at any .pdf file, Edge would butt in and open it.

              • bamzero on 08/01/2025 - 12:57
                +2

                @Moi Too: Yeh also had that issue for a time, kept reverting my PDF viewer to Edge from PDF XChange.. can't quite remember now but there was some reason why it wouldn't stick but got there in the end.

        • blitz on 08/01/2025 - 13:29
          +2

          I've been a Chrome user for quite a long time, but with Manifest 3 and disabling adblockers, I'll be switching. Firefox or Edge, I think.

          • Loopholio on 09/01/2025 - 18:54

            @blitz: I remember hearing a lot about Manifest 3. It still hasn't happened. Surely chrome based browser developers understand that no adblocker means a great reduction in users.

            Either way, if Chrome and Kiwi Browser can't have ad blockers, I'll finally move over to Firefox (it's already setup). I use Google to store my passwords so I'll have to find another way of doing that safely.

            • blitz on 10/01/2025 - 10:54

              @Loopholio:

              It still hasn't happened.

              Yes I know what you mean, and I agree with you. Nevertheless, the details card for those plugins still say "This extension may soon no longer be supported" so I assume it's still coming.

      • ihfree on 08/01/2025 - 12:27
        +4

        Meh, it's just another chromium based browser now.
        It's got a few annoyances beyond chrome (eg. Shopping comparison) but honestly it's not terrible.

        The most annoying thing, IMO, is Microsoft pushing it on users. You can customise it with trips into the registry and group policy(IIRC). The settings seem to have stuck with my windows install.

    • fantombloo on 08/01/2025 - 12:19
      +2

      Because it just won't get the hint.

      Back in the day MS were told sternly not to do this. Yet here we are.

  • iguana on 08/01/2025 - 12:17
    +5

    PEBKAC

    • Moi Too on 08/01/2025 - 12:21
      -3

      Fraptulencale ig smag.

    • pegaxs on 08/01/2025 - 12:29
      +8

      In my automotive trade it's known as "the nut that holds the steering wheel" or "the nut behind the steering wheel".

      • Protractor on 08/01/2025 - 13:05

        The left handed ones do your head in.

  • bargaino on 08/01/2025 - 15:12
    +3

    you know what I'm talking about.

    Nope. You let your wife/kids use the PC with admin privileges?

    and reinstalled Windows.

    Ah, I think I see the problem.

    • pegaxs on 08/01/2025 - 15:15
      +11

      Imagine finding one setting out of place on your PC and doing a whole re-install of the OS just to change the setting back… :D

      • Moi Too on 08/01/2025 - 15:56
        -7

        Yeah, imagine that, eh?

        That's almost as silly as replying to a thread without reading everything in the initial post.

        Viz, "Turned on the comp this morning and everything was changed."…..

        • ihfree on 08/01/2025 - 16:11
          +3

          Something, or somebody, had been fiddling around and stuffed everything up. I won't bore you with details, since the same thing has probably happened to you before, and you know what I'm talking about.

          Can you bore us with the details?

          What happened? - A person? a virus? cat on a keyboard? a drug-fuelled OzBargain session?

          • Moi Too on 08/01/2025 - 16:21
            -1

            @ihfree: Dunno. The lock screen had a different picture, and my password didn't work. Then it did.

            When I got in, the browser was back to default settings. All my bookmarks were gone. And so on…

            If it was a person who caused it, I hope they had a ton of fun. I certainly did, because from time to time I quite enjoy resetting everything. Seriously. It feels good. Feels like when you have a good sht, or a good spew.

            Also breaks the monotony of life. :)

            • ihfree on 08/01/2025 - 18:56
              +1

              @Moi Too: Does someone else use the PC?

              Windows rotates lock screen wallpapers, IIRC. Wrong password is likely just a typo.

              Bookmarks is a bit weird but the rest may be consistent with someone else browsing a clearing history.

              If you suspect a virus, it's worth working out exactly what happened. I would be wiping a system if I suspected it was compromised.

              If it is the case you think it was compromised, it's time to start thinking about changing passwords, cancelling credit cards, etc depending on what was potentially accessed.

              There's also a possiblity of a major update causing things to change.

              • Moi Too on 08/01/2025 - 22:21

                @ihfree: Yes, I did think about doing a complete wipe. I still might, in fact.

                It did seem a bit like someone had been idly browsing and then clearing the history, and all passwords as well. But if some prck is getting into the comp and looking for ID, he/she is wasting their time. I don't use the comp for purchases of any kind. No credit card details, no bank accounts, no financial records of any kind. I'm in the Stone Age, as far as online buying goes. And that's how I like it. I don't even put personal details in my casual emails to family and friends. Anyone looking to steal my identity would get "Joe Blow" and that's about all.

                If it was caused by a ****ing Windows update, well, unfortunately that's yet another thing we have no control over, eh..

                Cheers.

  • jv on 08/01/2025 - 15:22
    +2

    Mine is showing stars. Do I need to start a new thread?

    • pegaxs on 08/01/2025 - 16:24
      +3

      A new thread AND a complete re-install…

      • GordonD on 08/01/2025 - 17:45

        Excuse to buy a new computer.

        • ihfree on 08/01/2025 - 18:57

          Whole network and any connected device is potentially compromised. Time to e-waste it all and start again.

    • geekcohen on 08/01/2025 - 15:50

      Is the blue light illuminated?

  • firedog180 on 09/01/2025 - 08:55

    Moi too , if you really want to stop edge from running go to this url and watch this bloke show you how to fix that problem. You will have to access the registry to do this but thats no big deal if you feel confident enough to fiddle in the registry.
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z-4YYzWb-GQ

  • Moi Too on 09/01/2025 - 10:37

    I don't like to fiddle with my registry, (as the actress said to the Bishop)..I'm likely to stuff things up even more.

    Our Family Motto has always been, "Whatever can go wrong, will go wrong." I'm sure that applies to tinkering with computers as well.

    In any case, it's only a little annoyance, I can handle it. (Not like those damn drivers and their annoying habits.. hehe)

  • Ryanek on 09/01/2025 - 10:52

    reinstalled Windows

    What tha

Login or Join to leave a comment
Login Join