Start to type a URL in the address bar of Internet Explorer 11 you’ll notice that the browser offers to complete the address of the site to help save you time. This can be helpful, but the browser also offered Enhanced Suggestions. This extends the range of suggestions that appears to included related sites that a Bing search thinks you might be interested in — this is based on your locations, things that other people are search for around the world.
You may find this useful, but it can also be a distraction. You may well prefer that the list of suggestions be limited to those sites that you have already visited rather than those that Bing thinks you might like. If you’re concerned about privacy, the fact that Enhanced Suggestions requires keystrokes to be sent to Bing — not really a massive concern, but something to keep in mind; you might find the extra suggestions to be too much of a distraction, for instance.
Just how to go about disabling this feature depends on which version of Internet Explorer 11 you’re using. In the desktop version of the app, start to type something into the address bar and wait for the suggestion popup to appear. At the bottom of this popup, click the option labeled “Turn off suggestions (stop sending keystrokes to Bing)” — should you change your mind, it can be easily re-enabled by repeating the process and selecting “Turn on suggestions” option instead.
The process is slightly different in the modern version of IE11. You can use a similar popup — although this time the option is labeled “Turn off suggestions from Microsoft” — but you can also adjust settings through the Settings charm if you prefer. With IE11 running, call up the Charms bar and hit Settings. Head to the Privacy section and set the “Show enhanced suggestions from Microsoft as you type” switch to the Off position.
Have you disabled the feature, or do you find it useful?
Further reading: Internet Explorer, Microsoft
