The basic Windows search presents itself each time you click the Search icon: On the left you’ll find a column of recently searched-for apps; on the right, you’ll see Windows’ guesses at some searches it thinks you’ll be interested in, plus some Top apps that presumably many users search for. Remember, some users launch apps simply by searching for them. (I do.)
None of this feels especially personalized, especially when you consider that any recent documents aren’t found in Search at all; those are listed under the Recommended section within the Start menu, instead. Microsoft obviously feels that most users won’t use Search at all, but the disconnect—recent apps in one section, recent documents in another—still feels unnatural.
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Fortunately, typing in the search box transforms Search into something more useful: Suddenly Windows starts making an attempt to find the document you’re looking for. Unfortunately, Search only makes a stab at one file it thinks you’re searching for, plus a folder, then branches off into results from the web, your Documents folder, and so on. It’s pretty simple; you can’t use Boolean searches (x and y, for example). If you get lucky, great. Otherwise, File Explorer may be more helpful for finding the files you need—which we’ll talk about later.
Window Search, by default, is rather blah and neutral—a bit like Windows 11, actually. There are two hidden capabilities of Windows Search, though, which you may not be aware of: configuring Search as a work tool, and, conversely, making Search more fun and useful for personal use.
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The latter won’t solve any of Windows Search’s shortcomings, but it will make Search closer to something you’d find online. Within the Windows 11 Settings menu, go to Privacy & security > Search permissions, then scroll down to “Show search highlights.” Toggle this to the “on” position.
The result will replace the Top apps in Search with a large image sourced from the Bing image database, together with some related image “searches,” as well as a separate section of searches just below.
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This screen shows the “search highlights” that are attached to a personal account. To swap between a work and personal account, click the icon underneath the arrow.
If you use the same PC for work and play, you may be aware that Bing can be configured to generate work-specific results, such as org charts that describe how other employees fit within the organization. Those same results can appear within Windows Search, as well, provided you’re logged into both accounts. To toggle back and forth between the two, simply click on the small icon to the left of the “ellipsis” menu in the upper right-hand corner of the screen.
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Doing so will add a pair of additional search categories: a people search (which will unearth coworkers, their contact information, and more), as well as a Trending list of documents at the bottom of the screen. (You may need to enter the Settings menu again, then Privacy & security > Search permissions) and toggle on both options under Cloud content search—”Microsoft account” and “Work or School Account—to enable this.)
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These work results may or may not be relevant to you, personally. Again, Windows’ best guess may sometimes be way off.
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