Windows search has been the butt of jokes for years, so a redesign that does more than change the colors is worth a look. On October 30, Microsoft’s Windows Insider blog introduced a new Windows Search experience to testers, with sliders in the results, phone controls and filters. It is a preview, not something on your PC today, but it shows where Microsoft wants the taskbar search box to go.
What the new search does
The headline feature is inline actions. According to the Windows Insider post, you can change volume, screen brightness or cursor size with sliders directly in the search results, without opening Settings. The search box also suggests actions, so it is meant to be a place where you do things, not just a place where you find files.
Results get richer, too. Search can preview files and show details such as modified date, location and author, and it can show web answers for things like weather, stocks and facts. It can also surface Microsoft Store apps and games. Microsoft says you can turn the web and Store results on or off in Settings, which is the setting most privacy-minded people will look for first.
There are filters for categories such as Files and Folders, Settings and Actions, and you can give results a thumbs up or thumbs down. You can also remove items from the initial recent list. The search window opens at the bottom center of the screen; Microsoft says support for other taskbar positions, and for searching from the Start menu, is still in progress.
The phone angle
With a supported phone connected through Phone Link, you can call or text contacts and switch on Do Not Disturb from the search box. Android is supported now. The post says iPhone support is planned for early next year, so iPhone owners are waiting.
It is a handy idea if you spend your day at a PC and your phone is across the desk. The catch is that it depends on Phone Link, which means it only helps if you already use that connection.
What is an Insider build, and who sees this
The announcement covers new builds across the Insider program, including Beta build 26220.9836 and Experimental build 26340.9843, plus Beta 26H1, Experimental 26H1 and Experimental Future Platforms builds. Insider features can change or disappear before they reach everyone, and the post does not give a date for a general rollout. If you want stable behavior, do not install Insider builds on a work or main machine.
Separately, the post mentions a new Intune policy for organizations that keeps Feedback Hub submissions from their users private, visible only to Microsoft and to users in the same tenant. That is a small admin item, but it will matter to IT teams.
How this fits with the rest of Windows 11
Search is only one of several things changing. Our look at the Windows 11 October preview update KB5127936 covers a faster right-click menu and whether that update is worth installing, and it is a good companion if you want to know what is reaching normal PCs sooner.
My take: sliders in search are the kind of small convenience that sounds trivial and then saves a dozen clicks a week. The open questions are how fast the results feel and how aggressively web and Store suggestions push into the list. Both are things a blog post cannot tell you.
Bottom Line
The new Windows Search is an Insider preview that adds inline sliders, phone actions, richer previews and filters, with web and Store results that can be switched off. Nothing here changes your PC yet. If you are curious, try it on a spare machine; otherwise, wait for it to reach the regular channels.
FAQ
Can I use the new Windows Search today?
Only if you are in the Windows Insider program and receive a build that includes it. Microsoft’s post describes it as part of Insider releases and gives no date for wider availability.
Does it work with iPhone?
Not yet. The post says phone actions work with supported Android phones now and that iPhone support is planned for early next year.
Can I turn off web and Store results?
Yes. Microsoft says you can switch web and Microsoft Store results on or off in Settings.
Featured image: Photo by Georgiy Lyamin on Unsplash.
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