Windows search will now be faster and free of annoying ads

Windows 11 users have long complained about the way the system search engine often returned online results and ads instead of local files. Microsoft has finally addressed these criticisms, overhauling this popular taskbar feature in the latest Windows Insider update.

The main change that users will notice when clicking on the search box is the complete removal of ads. In the current stable version, when opening the search engine, two columns are displayed: one with the history of past searches, and the second, much larger column, is intended for the promotion of Microsoft services and applications. In the updated version, these advertisements have been completely deleted. The system will use the freed up space to display more detailed information about past search queries.

Search results are now much more graphically separated and highlighted, allowing the user to immediately recognize whether it is launching an application, opening system settings, a local file, or an external website. In addition, Microsoft is introducing larger previews for supported file types and allowing for quick selection of the “Open with” option directly within the search window.

System search will now prioritize local results. For example, if you search for a specific system setting or type the name of a program incorrectly, the search engine will no longer automatically redirect you to a web search, but will instead try to find a matching result on your disk. Even if a web search is unavoidable, there will no longer be advertisements at the top, but actual web results will appear right at the top of the list, without the need to scroll down.

Since this is an experimental channel update, the feature is being rolled out gradually, meaning it may not be available to all testers yet. Microsoft has also not yet set an official date for when this improvement will be included in the stable version of the system, which is intended for all end users. Since this is a testing phase, some details may change before the final release.