When you use the built-in search in Windows, you may get a variety of resuts, depending on how search is configured. By default, Windows Search runs the search on the Internet as well to return Internet results and local results, including cloud content results.
You can turn this off, if you want local-only results. Depending on where you live, it may be as easy as flipping a switch, or complicated. Users from the European Union, for instance, may remove the web search app in Windows 11 to disable web-based search results.
Windows Search finds Microsoft Store apps
Soon, Windows Search may also return Windows Store apps and let users install them directly from the search results. The idea is not particularly new, but it took Microsoft some time to implement it.
Giorgio Sardo published a screenshot of the new functionality on X.
The new feature will improve the discoverability of applications on the Microsoft Store and it might also increase installations of Store apps in general.
Microsoft’s built-in store suffered from a low application count and support from developers from the very first day onward. Microsoft never managed to turn it into a Google Play or Apple App Store like store for Windows apps.
Up to this day, you find only few Windows apps listed and it seems unlikely that this is changing anytime soon.
Could the feature help push the Store and increase its attractiveness for developers and users alike? It is possible, but it seems unlikely.
Microsoft has not revealed if there will be an option to turn off the functionality. It would make search quite the unpleasant experience if you won’t be able to turn it off.
What is your take on this? Good move by Microsoft or nothing that you care about? Feel free to leave a comment down below.
I don’t use the built-in search in windows.
If I want to search online, I use a browser. If I want to search my PC, I use explorer (which is blocked in the firewall).
The only ‘Windows Search’ feature I know is that of Windows 7 and previous versions, I have no idea of what it’s become on Windows 10 & 11.
Here then on Windows 7 it’s been since practically always that I’ve disabled it and chose to search — locally only — with the ‘Everything’ software. Brilliant.
This Widows search is just horrible. What should be a highly customized and powerful local search tool is just a marketing tool. Any web browser is a great Internet search tool as this is the web browsers main function. Local searches can be done with file explorer, but has limits when trying to do complex searches. Why can Microsoft not provide a robust local systeam only search tool?
I don’t use the built-in search tool either. For local searches, I use “Everything” by Voidtools.com. I continue to be amazed by how quickly it performs a search and finds whatever it is you’re looking for as soon as you remove your finger for the key, literally.
Even indexing everything the first time you use it takes meer seconds and from that point onwards search results are instantaneous.
As for Web searches I use a Qwant, DDG or StartPage, but never Google, or worse still, Bing.