Windows 11 Is Rebuilding Its Search. It Took Long Enough.

My verdict: a good fix, years late, and not enough on its own to change my opinion of Windows.

Microsoft has started testing a rebuilt search in Windows 11. According to reports on the preview, it is available only to Windows Insiders and only in English for now. It is built on WinUI 3 and shows a simpler, single list of results. It can also run simple tasks, such as switching dark mode or muting the microphone, instead of only listing links. Microsoft says it starts faster and uses less memory. Those are Microsoft’s claims, and I have not measured any of it. AI answers from Copilot inside search are described as a separate step that comes later.

Here is why I am not impressed yet. I stopped using Windows search a long time ago. It returns useless results, so I end up digging through folders myself, and when I need something from the internet I open Google instead. Fixing the one tool people have complained about for years is the correct thing to do. It is also the thing Microsoft should have done without being asked. We are the users, and the company waited until the complaints hit a critical point before it started listening.

I still use Windows. Lately Linux looks like an attractive option, and what happens next depends on what each side ships in the coming updates. A working search is a start, not a reason to stay.

How I would approach it: if you are on the Insider channel, try it with the folders you actually use and see whether it finds what you are looking for. If you are not, wait for the stable release and judge it then. The reporting is linked below.