Hey Microsoft, If we wanted cartoons we would read the comics. Toggle Search Highlights On/Off

Since its earliest days, Microsoft has introduced features to Windows that no one wants; no one asked for; and, as a general practice, people would rather get rid of this digital dreck.  From Bob to Clippy and then some, Microsoft continues to annoy many of its customers, all the while we users detest these attempts at Amusing Ourselves to Death, to borrow a phrase.  Often the impetus for these excursions into lameness on the part of Microsoft is an inexplicable need to mimic the "look and feel" of other vendors' technology.

The most current iteration of Microsoft's insatiable desire to mimic its competitors is the Google Doodle like animation that appears in the Windows 10 searchbar — and ONLY the Windows 10 searchbar as of now, at least.  Here's what were are talking about.

The image appears because, to be using Windows now, users need to be logged into their Microsoft accounts.  Now I know it's not really any big deal, but most users experience some degree of anxiety and trepidation when unknown objects appear seemingly out of nowhere on their screens. Fortunately, it's no great shakes to turn the image off. 

Three Steps is all it takes to return the Searchbar back to its dull, drab, but otherwise functional self.

Step 1 is RIGHT CLICK the taskbar.
Step 2 is Mouse over Search from the context menu that appears.
Step 3 is Click Off "Show searchhighlights."

And Voilà! The silly graphic has disappeared just as fast and unannounced as it had appeared.