Hello Windows Insiders,
Search functionality remains a cornerstone of navigating a Windows PC, serving as the gateway to applications, files, settings, and information. As valued Insiders, your feedback has consistently highlighted the need for a search experience that is not only swift but also focused and frictionless.
Enhancements to Windows Search
In July, we initiated enhancements to the Windows Search Box, aiming to declutter the interface and provide users with greater control. This included a more serene home screen, the removal of promotional content from web results, and the option to customize the visibility of web and Microsoft Store suggestions.
Today, we are excited to announce the next phase of these improvements: a revamped Windows Search experience powered by WinUI 3. This modern architecture enhances speed and efficiency while presenting a more streamlined design.
Beginning October 7, this new experience will be available on the taskbar for Windows Insiders. We are sharing this version early to gather your insights, which will be invaluable in refining the user experience, improving result relevance, and identifying any stability issues across various hardware and workflows.
The new Windows Search experience is engineered for speed, leveraging WinUI 3 as part of our broader commitment to modernizing core Windows functionalities. Initial tests indicate significant enhancements in performance and memory usage, ensuring a quicker and more efficient experience right from the start.
The user interface has been simplified into a single list format, making it easier to scan and focus on essential results. Data reveals that nearly all interactions in the current design stem from the results list on the left, rather than the larger preview pane on the right. Informed by user behavior and feedback, the new design consolidates results into a single, easy-to-navigate view, minimizing visual clutter and centralizing the information you need.
We are also enhancing the search’s understanding of user queries, with improved matching capabilities for typos and synonyms. These refinements will continue to evolve in the coming weeks.
Later this year, we will introduce inline previews and richer file details, allowing users to distinguish between similar results and providing additional context before opening a file. Furthermore, rich inline web previews will deliver answers to common queries directly within Windows Search, enabling users to access useful information without leaving the interface.
Additionally, users will have the ability to filter results while exploring categories like files, creating a more cohesive and streamlined experience.
Actions: From Finding to Doing
We are also transforming Windows Search into a more proactive tool by introducing inline actions that facilitate task completion directly from the search interface. This feature aims to minimize the steps required to accomplish everyday tasks.
Here are some actions to explore:
- Toggle settings: Use phrases like “switch to dark mode,” “turn on night light,” or “turn on Bluetooth.”
- Make quick adjustments: Try commands such as “dim my screen” or “mute.”
- Manage your workspace: Experiment with commands like “minimize all my windows” or “arrange windows on screen.”
In the near future, we will also introduce phone actions that allow users to complete quick tasks with their connected devices.
What’s Ahead
Looking toward the next year, we are already working on integrating the new Windows Search experience into the Start menu, ensuring it adapts seamlessly to various taskbar positions and Windows configurations. During initial previews, users will still encounter the existing search experience when using the Start menu, as we continue to refine the new interface based on your feedback.
Our overarching goal is to enhance Windows Search’s capabilities, providing more intuitive ways to express needs, richer contextual information, and additional functionalities directly from the search interface, including thoughtful integrations with tools like Copilot. These enhancements aim to bridge the gap between finding information and taking action, all while maintaining the speed and familiarity users expect.
Try the New Windows Search and Share Your Feedback
This new search experience, featuring inline actions, is gradually rolling out to Windows Insiders starting today in the Experimental channel, with English as the initial supported language. If you wish to preview it sooner, you can enable this experience through Settings > Windows Update > Windows Insider Program > Feature flags. After upgrading to build 26340.9616 in the Experimental channel, or build 28120.3181 in the Experimental (26H1) channel, simply click the “Check for updates” button in Windows Update and restart your device to access the ‘New Windows Search Experience’ feature flag.
For those transitioning a device to a Windows Insider build for the first time, please refer to the guide on getting started with the Windows Insider Program.
We encourage you to share your feedback through the Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Desktop Environment > Search. Your insights will be instrumental in fine-tuning the experience and shaping future developments.
