The -Force parameter will create the entry if it doesn’t exist. Set-ItemProperty -Path HKCU:\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Search -Name SearchBoxTaskbarMode -Value 0 -Type DWord -Force You can use PowerShell to set this value. If the DWord value is 0, the search box will be hidden. More than likely this key doesn’t exist on your desktop. Underneath that a key called SearchBoxTaskbarMode controls the display. The registry setting is HKCU:\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Search. The setting that controls the search box is in the registry for the current user. Yes, there are manual steps to hide this feature, but I’m automating here! As always, even if you don’t think you need to do this, there might be useful PowerShell nuggets in the code. Here are some PowerShell functions that will hide and unhide the Search box in a Windows 10 desktop. But even when hidden I would still get an annoying white sliver from the search box. This works great in my virtual desktop when recording my Pluralsight courses.
Yesterday I shared a few PowerShell functions for configuring the Windows 10 taskbar to auto-hide.
