Microsoft tests Windows 11 Search update prioritizing local files over Bing

Windows 11 users will soon see local files and apps prioritized over Bing web results in search, thanks to a new experimental build Microsoft is testing. The update aims to address persistent frustrations since Windows 11’s launch in October 2021, when Bing links frequently appeared before relevant local content in Start menu and taskbar searches.

Build 26300.8493, currently available to Windows Insiders on the Canary Channel, introduces a multi-factor ranking system. This algorithm evaluates exact and fuzzy matches, recency, frequency of use, and contextual signals to determine the best results. When confidence in local content is high, files, applications, and settings will appear first, while web results remain accessible but less prominent.

Feedback from early testers has been positive, highlighting improved efficiency in launching apps and locating documents. The system adapts over time by learning user preferences, increasing the weight of local results if web searches are seldom initiated from the taskbar.

This change follows years of criticism documented through Feedback Hub and Reddit, where users expressed dissatisfaction with Windows Search’s tendency to prioritize Microsoft’s own services, particularly Bing and Edge. Observers note this update aligns with broader regulatory pressures, especially from the European Union’s Digital Markets Act, which designates Microsoft as a gatekeeper and mandates fair treatment of Windows Search as an interoperable platform.

Microsoft has not confirmed when or if this experimental feature will be released to the general public, and the final implementation may differ. However, if adopted, the update would alter Windows Search to function more in line with user expectations by elevating local content visibility ahead of web results.