Microsoft Starts Testing Redesigned Windows 11 Search With Actions and Inline Results
Microsoft has begun testing a rebuilt Windows 11 search experience that promises faster performance, lower memory use, a cleaner panel, and the ability to change settings directly from the search box.
The new search is built on WinUI 3, the modern interface framework for Windows 11. Microsoft said early testing shows substantial improvements in performance and memory usage, making search feel faster and more efficient from the moment it is opened. The company is initially releasing the experience to Windows 11 testers in the Experimental channel, likely in a limited fashion at first.
The search panel has been reduced to a single list, replacing the current design that places a list on the left and a preview pane on the right. Microsoft said the simplified layout looks less cluttered and makes it easier to see search results. It also promises to improve how search understands queries, including better handling of typos and better guesses about what users mean when they enter the wrong name for a system option. That work began earlier in Windows 11, and Microsoft said it will continue fine-tuning it over the coming weeks.
Later this year, Microsoft plans to bring more features into testing. These include inline previews and details that provide extra information about a searched file, such as a thumbnail for an image along with its resolution and size. Search queries such as "weather in London" will show an inline card powered by Bing with at-a-glance details including daily high and low temperatures.
Microsoft is also introducing actions to Windows 11 search. Users will be able to type a command to change settings directly from the search box. Microsoft's example shows that typing "change to dark theme" brings up the option, and the user can click apply to finish. Users can also type "mute" to turn off sound or "dim my screen" to adjust brightness automatically, among similar instructions.
TechRadar reported that reactions to the changes have been mixed. Some Reddit users questioned why the overhaul took so long. One comment cited by TechRadar said, "It only took decades for Microsoft to sort this abysmal search out." Another added, "The only time search was decent in Windows was in Windows 98 SE." TechRadar noted that such criticism may not be entirely fair, but it also said Windows 11 search has been in bad shape since the operating system launched about half a decade ago.
The actions feature drew both praise and objections. TechRadar described it as a nifty idea for quickly changing options rather than locating a setting and making extra clicks in Settings. It also noted that the approach borrows some ideas from PowerToys Run, a utility suite whose functionality Microsoft has been urged to bring into Windows 11 by default. Some Reddit users, however, said they want search to remain only search. One Windows 11 user complained, "Why isn't the search bar just for searching? Why does it do a million other things on top of it?"
TechRadar said Microsoft should be commended for the streamlining work and called the additions useful, while acknowledging that the company will face critics regardless of what it does. The report also pointed to a recent Windows 11 update that introduced the ability to turn off web results clutter in search, another long-requested change.