Microsoft is testing a redesigned Windows Search for Windows 11 that the company says is faster, more capable and more modern than the current version. The overhaul is intended to address one of the most frequently criticized parts of Windows 11. Anshul Rawat, corporate vice president of the Windows product team at Microsoft, said the new experience is built for speed and is constructed on WinUI 3 as part of a broader effort to modernize core Windows experiences.
Microsoft says early testing has shown substantial improvements in performance and memory usage, which the company says means it is not adding extra bloat to Windows in order to improve search. The interface has also been reworked, with fast animations and a large preview pane. Rawat said Microsoft is also improving how Windows Search interprets queries, including better handling of typos and synonyms.
At Microsoft's Windows and Surface event, the new Windows Search interface demonstrated notably quick performance and a less cluttered layout. Under the current version of Windows 11, a query such as the height of an actor can take a few seconds and returns what amounts to a miniature Bing result. The new Windows Search instead shows that result inline, in the manner of search interfaces on iOS and Android. Inline results also cover previews of PowerPoint presentations, photos and other files.
The new search can also function as a launcher, similar to many third-party tools, and can perform actions such as turning Bluetooth or dark mode on and off. It can minimize windows or open apps side by side. For users of Phone Link, those actions extend to a phone, so typing a message such as a text to a parent about running late will send the message from the phone.
Microsoft is testing the new Windows Search interface with Windows Insiders, which indicates it will reach Windows 11 in the coming months. Rawat said work is already underway to bring the new Windows Search experience to the Start menu next year and to have it adapt naturally to different taskbar positions and Windows configurations. He said the goal is to make Windows Search more capable, with more natural ways for users to express what they need, richer information in context and more ways to get things done directly from search.
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