How to Remove Microsoft Edge Search Box Placeholder Text?

In Microsoft Edge, the Address bar (Search box) always shows the placeholder text “Search or enter web address”. If you find this distracting, here is a way to remove the default placeholder text and make it appear blank.

Note: Information in this article does not apply to the new Microsoft Edge (Chromium). It’s applicable to the old Microsoft Edge browser only.

Remove Edge Search box placeholder text

1. Open the Registry Editor (regedit.exe)

2. Go to the following branch:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Classes\Local Settings\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\AppContainer\Storage\microsoft.microsoftedge_8wekyb3d8bbwe\MicrosoftEdge\ServiceUI

3. Create the following REG_DWORD values:

• HideAddressBoxPlaceholderTextOnStartPage
• HideAddressBoxPlaceholderTextOnNewTabPage

4. Set the value data for the above values to 1

5. Exit the Registry Editor, and open Microsoft Edge web browser.

You’ll see that the search box placeholder text is not gone!