Windows 11 dev channel is never short of new features. Recently, the new OS received Suggested Actions, Search highlights, and File Explorer Tabs support, now the company is testing “desktop widgets“. Begging with the search box on the desktop to search the web, the company has plans to test more “lightweight interactive content” on Windows 11 desktop in the future. The feature is an experiment that may or may not make it into the public build. Desktop Search box is currently available to a few insiders, here is how you can enable and further disable it.
Desktop Search box in Windows 11
Is there still a need for a search bar in Windows 11, with Start Menu and taskbar Search and Edge bar providing one for user needs? Microsoft thinks so.
The company is now exploring the Desktop Search box widget which lets you search the web. The Search results powered by Bing will be displayed in the Edge browser irrespective of the default browser set by the user.
How to Enable desktop search bar in Windows 11
- Download Vivetool from Github
- Open the zip file and extract files to a folder
- Copy the path or use the copy address as text in Explorer
- Open command prompt as administrator
- Paste the above path and run the following command and press enter
- vivetool addconfig 37969115 2
- Close the command prompt window
- Restart Windows
- Right-click on Desktop and select “Show more options“
- check “Show search”
- Done. You may want to hide the icons on the desktop to use the Search box conveniently for the first time
After enabling the search box, if you open Task Manager, you can notice, a new process named “DesktopSearchBoxWin32Exe.exe” running under “DesktopSearchBoxCentennial” in the Processes tab. it has been reported to consume more resources by users.
As we said above desktop search bar uses bing as a Search engine and search results for your query will be opened in the Edge browser in a separate tab in Edge browser.
Disable the Desktop Search box in Windows 11
- Download Vivetool and use the above steps, but run the following command
- vivetool delconfig 37969115 2
- Restart Windows
Or
If the feature is available to you without using vivetool, follow the below steps.
- Right-click on empty space on the desktop
- Select “Show more options“
- Uncheck “Show Search“
In addition to Windows 11 Start Menu, Taskbar Search icon, and Edge bar, Microsoft PowerToys comes with useful PowerToys Run. To tell the truth, the desktop Search box may not be needed by users, but the company is experimenting with it right now.
Final words: Microsoft is testing a Search box on the desktop in Windows 11 build 25120, here is how you can enable and further disable it.
What do you say about this? Do you want to search from the desktop in Windows 11? Let us know in the comments below.
More on Windows 11:
Microsoft Edge re-adds rounded Corners to tabs on Windows 11
Windows 11’s new Task Manager gets Accent Colors Support
Surprise! Windows 11 makes it way too easier to set the default browser now
How to Switch from Windows 11 Dev to Beta Channel
