Microsoft has announced a range of improvements to the Windows Search Box aimed at making search faster, clearer and more reliable. The update focuses on reducing visual clutter, improving search relevance and giving users more control over web and Microsoft Store suggestions in search results.
Cleaner interface and better search results
The Search home page has been simplified to make recent searches easier to access. Search results now clearly indicate whether an item is an app, setting, file, web result or Microsoft Store suggestion, making it easier to identify the result type and where it will open before selecting it.
Other improvements include:
- Promotional content has been removed from web results, allowing the most relevant answer to appear first.
- Local apps, files and settings are prioritized over web and Microsoft Store suggestions when they are a better match.
- System items such as This PC and Recycle Bin are easier to discover.
Improved app, file and settings search
Microsoft has introduced several improvements to app, settings and file search, including:
- Better handling of typos, missing letters, extra letters and partial words when searching for apps. For example, searching for “utlook” can still find Outlook.
- An initial round of ranking improvements for Settings search to surface more relevant results, with additional refinements planned in the coming months.
- Support for two-character file searches.
- Improved surfacing of local, cloud and connected files when they are the most relevant match.
More control and improved reliability
Users can now choose whether web and Microsoft Store suggestions appear alongside local results through Settings > Privacy & Security > Search.
Microsoft has also improved Windows Search reliability by reducing the likelihood of crashes and loading issues, with additional reliability improvements planned.
Availability
The updated Windows Search Box experience is rolling out gradually to Windows Insiders in the Experimental channel through a Controlled Feature Rollout (CFR).
Since the rollout is phased, not all users will receive the features immediately. Microsoft says users can restart their PCs to check if the update is available, and the improvements can also be enabled using feature flags.