Microsoft is testing a cleaner version of the Windows 11 search menu that strips it of recommended content and ads. In a blog post on Monday, Microsoft announced that it’s rolling out the decluttered Search Box to Windows Insiders in the Experimental channel as the company looks to regain trust with users.
A Refined Search Experience
One of the most significant changes is a revamped search homescreen that displays only your recent searches. Currently, the search menu displays several distracting tiles on the right pane, including the image of the day, daily quizzes, trending searches, and game recommendations.
Microsoft is also cleaning up web results. The search menu will now surface the “most relevant answer” first, moving away from the previous practice of highlighting related products and promotions.
Prioritizing Local Utility
Beyond decluttering, Microsoft is testing several functional improvements to the search system:
- Results from local files, apps, and settings will be prioritized over web and Microsoft Store recommendations.
- Metadata and file previews will be shown more clearly in the right-hand pane.
- Testers can now opt to turn off web and Store recommendations entirely via the Settings menu.
The company also noted that the pilot search system is better equipped to handle typos, extra letters, and partial words, while offering general performance improvements.
