Overview
- Microsoft began rolling out the redesigned, ad-free Search to Windows Insiders in the Experimental channel on July 13–14 using a controlled feature rollout that staggers access across testers.
- The update removes MSN/Bing promotional tiles and sponsored web result cards and adds a Settings toggle to disable web and Microsoft Store suggestions so Search can act like a local launcher.
- Search now prioritizes local apps, settings, and files when they are the best match and improves result clarity by labeling sources, adding file previews, and surfacing cloud or connected files when appropriate.
- Under-the-hood fixes include better typo tolerance, support for two-character file queries, faster UI animations, and reliability work to reduce crashes and loading issues.
- The changes are part of Microsoft’s Windows K2 effort to restore core usability and stability, and the company is using Insider telemetry and feature flags to tune the feature before broader delivery later in 2026.