How to Disable Settings Header Banner in Windows 10 2004 and 20H2
Windows 10 version 2004 and 20H2 enable the new header banner in the Settings app for many users. Initially available to a small select group if Insiders, it is now appears for regular users too. Let's review how to get rid of the header in Settings in Windows 10.
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Settings is a Universal app bundled with Windows 10. It is created to replace the classic Control Panel for both touch screen users and mouse and keyboard Desktop users. It consists of several pages which bring new options to configure Windows 10 along with some older options inherited from the classic Control Panel. In every release, Windows 10 is getting more and more classic options converted to a modern page in the Settings app. At some point, Microsoft might remove the classic Control Panel completely.
The updated Settings app features a new header, that displays some bits of important information related to your user account and the OS. Here's how it looks for my user account.
Along the user account information, which includes your name and the e-mail address you use for the Microsoft Account, the new header area also comes with a number of links to quickly access the Your Phone options page, and the Windows Update settings page. Also, there is a link to Microsoft Rewards and OneDrive. In version Windows 10 version 20H2, it also promotes Microsoft Edge in this way.
This post will show you how to disable the Settings Header Banner in Windows 10, version 2004, and version 20H2.
You may find the links in the header banner useful, as they allow opening certain pages of Settings directly. If you click on the Windows Update icon, you will directly open the Windows Update page. The OneDrive icon launches the OneDrive client app. However, the header banner in Settings is huge and takes enormous space just for showing a few links. Unfortunately, there is no option to easily get rid of it. Luckily, this can be done is via the ViveTool app.
To Disable Settings Header Banner in Windows 10 2004 and 20H2
- Download the latest ViveTool release from GitHub.
- Unblock the downloaded file.
- Extract the archive contents to any folder you like.
- Open PowerShell as Administrator in that folder by clicking on File > Open Windows PowerShell > Open Windows PowerShell as Administrator in File Explorer.
- Type the following command:
.\ViveTool.exe addconfig 18299130 1.
- Now, type and run yet another command
.\ViveTool.exe addconfig 31950543 1. - You will get a message "Successfully set feature configuration" for both of the commands. Now restart Windows 10.
Voila, the header banner in Settings is now disabled!
Later you can re-enable the header in Settings by following the below steps.
Enable Header Banner in Settings
- Open PowerShell as Administrator in the folder where you have the ViveTool app. Click on File > Open Windows PowerShell > Open Windows PowerShell as Administrator in File Explorer.
- Type and run the following command:
.\ViveTool.exe addconfig 18299130 2.
- Now, type and run one more command:
.\ViveTool.exe addconfig 31950543 2. - Restart Windows 10.
You are done.
The header icons feature is still a work-in-progress, so they remain non-customizable to the end user. Please keep in mind that the header may return back after installing some updates. A cumulative update, or a build upgrade may restore it. In this case, just repeat the steps explained above to hide it again.
Also, at some point Microsoft may internally change Windows 10, so this method to disable the header ad banner in Settings may stop working completely.
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finally its working.
Didn’t work here! :(
Please specify what is your Windows 10 version and its build number.
Thanks in advance.
Version 2004, ‘Insider’ Build 20262.1010
Kay, it doesn’t work in Insider builds. I have checked. But works in 2004 and 20H2, as mentioned in the article.
the methods no longer work Sergey after installing the KB5004296 or newer CU for 2004, 20H2 & 21H1
Make sure that you issued two commands
This command is mandatory as well
ViveTool.exe addconfig 31950543 1The method remains working in 2004, 20H2, and 21H1
Try This..
.\vivetool.exe delconfig 18299130 1
Hi Frank, tried the command you showed as well as the original. Does not work with Insider 20262 as Sergey already mentioned. Shame as I despise this banner. Thanks for trying.
Hope we can get an updated code for Insider builds.
Regards,
Does not work for me, even though I am on 20H2 (not insider build). Other pages say both the ViveTool and the mach2 solutions only work up to build version 2004 (20H1).
Can we add a logo to the banner on the floor?
Updated Windows 10 today – clearly Microsoft have rendered this method useless.
For users running 2004, 20H2, and 21H1 with recent cumulative updates, make sure you issues TWO commands.
ViveTool.exe addconfig 18299130 1ViveTool.exe addconfig 31950543 1This will disable the header.
Otherwise it won’t work.
I’ve updated the post.
great tip!! So happy.
It worked but, like many other tweaks in Windows 10, Microsoft decided to stupidly disable it whenever they want. It stopped working after installing an update. I had to redo the tweaks.
Just a simple hint – I carelessly copied the full-stop that is included at the end of Sergey’s command lines. This failed with “Couldn’t parse enabled state”. Remove the trailing full-stop and it words fine!
It works like a charm on Windows 10 21H2 using
.\ViveTool.exe addconfig 18299130 1
.\ViveTool.exe addconfig 31950543 1
Thank you!
You are most welcome ;-)
Still works. Many thanks!!!
To make it easy, unpack the ViveTool files in a Folder.
In that Folder, create a text file and rename it to RemoveSettingsHeader.bat(if you don’t know how to do that properly, please research “how to create a Batch File”).
Inside that file type this lines below and Run as Administrator:
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
powershell .\ViveTool.exe addconfig 18299130 1
pause
powershell .\ViveTool.exe addconfig 31950543 1
pause
@Sergey Tkachenko, please, please,help, last night it stopped working…Most likely M$ made some changes again. I checked all the elements, couldn’t make it work.
After installing the Optional Quality Update 2022-02 Cumulative Update for Windows 10 21H2 (KB5010415), the Settings Header Banner can no longer be disabled. After uninstalling the update, the banner is no longer displayed.
@Elmar, thanks a lot for the tip. I had my hopes for updated instructions.
I use a program that prevents Windows 10 from getting any updates but those silly badges are back on Setting front page. Even Sergey’s ideas seem not to work here anymore. Bummer. So we have to live with that, I am afraid. Unless ViveTool gets updated.
Yep, vivetool cannot do anything about the settings header any more in 21H2. The settings header has become a “permanently enabled” feature, see https://github.com/thebookisclosed/ViVe/issues/41.
Even if you roll back KB5010415 now, which allegedly is the culprit, we can be sure that the beloved settings header will make it into a mandatory update and/or feature pack in the future.
Sad that Microsoft introduces features that nobody wants or has asked for, but doesn’t fix long standing bugs or give us really useful features.
Microsoft seems to be determined to introduce ever more annoying and intrusive features instead.