Skip to main content

A big improvement to Windows 11 search is coming soon

The next build of Windows 11 will deliver a richer search experience that is designed to deliver more highlights about the world around you and about your organizations. Microsoft promised that the update will roll out next week.

“Starting early next week, we will begin rolling out an update for Search in Windows 11 that highlights interesting moments in time,” Microsoft said, noting that the new search experience can still be accessed on the taskbar. In addition to the new spotlight on search highlights, the searching function in Windows 11 will also allow you to find files, settings, and quick answers on the web.

A 14-inch HP laptop powered by Windows 11.
HP

These highlights will include anniversaries and birthdays, holidays, educational moments, and interesting moments globally or locally. “You’ll find rich, bold content in search home that highlights what’s special about today,” Microsoft added in a blog post.

Recommended Videos

And if you’re logged in with your organization email account, the Windows search feature will also display relevant results that include your business files and contacts.

A search highlights feature is coming to Windows 11 to surface important information from the world around you.
Image used with permission by copyright holder

And for those running older machines, Search highlights is also coming to Windows 10, Microsoft announced. The update to Windows 10 will happen at a later date, with Microsoft looking to test this feature in a future Insiders Preview build of the operating system.

Please enable Javascript to view this content

If you don’t want access to Search highlights, the feature can be disabled. Windows users can go to Settings > Privacy & security >Search settings > Show search highlights to disable or enable the feature.

Microsoft's Family app is a hub for your relatives.
Image used with permission by copyright holder

The latest update to Windows 11  also brings a new Family app that serves as a hub where you can locate and track your children and gain insights about your family’s digital activities across Windows, Xbox, and even Android. Features include screen time monitoring, parental controls, and website filters.

Microsoft is also rolling out its Clipchamp video editor as an inbox app on Windows 11, making it easy for Windows 11 users to edit videos.

“We’ve kept all the best parts of timeline editing — the flexibility, the ability to fine-tune details — and done away with the rest,” Microsoft said of Clipchamp. “The result is a refreshingly simple video-editing experience anyone can enjoy.”

All these new changes are part of the Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22572, which was recently released to the Dev Channel.

Chuong Nguyen
Silicon Valley-based technology reporter and Giants baseball fan who splits his time between Northern California and Southern…
Windows 11 Recall finally arrives, but with one new problem
Recall screenshot.

The Windows 11 Recall feature has been troublesome since its announcement. Now that the feature is available in a testing capacity, it is still causing users some issues.

Tech reviewers testing the feature have observed that Recall will now fail to save the snapshots that allow the function to work. CNBC noted that it may take “several minutes” for a snapshot to save, which may leave delays in the AI processing. Tom Warren of The Verge, noted on Bluesky that snapshots were not saving at all in his experience.

Read more
Windows 11 remains the driver of growth in PCs, not AI
The Surface Laptop shown in front of a Copilot+ sign.

There's been a lot of talk about AI PCs this year, but has it actually delivered on its promise? A new analysis from TrendForce says the significant boost in laptop sales in 2024 has more to do with Windows 11 updates than it does with fancy new AI features.

"The impact of AI-integrated notebooks on the overall market remains limited for now," the report states. "However, AI features are expected to naturally integrate into notebook specifications as brands gradually incorporate them, resulting in a steady rise in the penetration rates of AI notebooks."

Read more
Microsoft warns that the latest Windows 11 update may crash PC games now
Gaming PC on a desk.

Microsoft has once again temporarily halted the rollout of its latest major Windows 11 update, also known as 24H2. This time it is for systems running select Ubisoft games following widespread user reports of crashes and performance issues. The affected titles include Assassin's Creed Valhalla, Assassin's Creed Origins, Assassin's Creed Odyssey, Star Wars Outlaws, and Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora.

Common complaints include black screens, freezing, and unresponsiveness during gameplay or while loading these titles. "I just bought a new gaming laptop with RTX 4080, Intel i9 14900hx. I can't play the game (Origins) even for 5 minutes because it crashes to a black screen, with audio, and the only way to close it is from task manager. Impossible to play," one user shared on Reddit. Others reported similar frustrations, citing the persistent error “NTDLL.dll” that renders their games unplayable.

Read more