Microsoft will update Windows Search with a feature that will change everything

Microsoft wants to improve Windows search using AI. The technology company has announced a new implementation that will help us find files and documents on our computer faster, even if we don’t remember the exact name. This feature will take advantage of a key feature of Copilot hardware, Microsoft’s artificial intelligence.

As part of Microsoft Ignite 2024, the Redmond giant announced many new features for its operating system and other company services. While a small computer that lets you run Windows in the cloud has gotten everyone’s attention, the company has showcased other implementations aimed at improving user experience. Microsoft wants to cash in on its multibillion-dollar investment in OpenAI, so many of these options are AI-focused.

Among the list of features that will debut in the coming months, one that stands out is one that solves one of the operating system’s oldest problems. Finding files wasn’t Windows’ strong pointnever. Despite making improvements to every version of the OS, including Cortana, Microsoft can’t hit the mark and users end up using tools like PowerToys, Wox or Ueli.

In an attempt to improve this feature, Microsoft will use artificial intelligence models which take advantage of the computer’s neural processing unit (NPU). Windows Search will allow users to find files using related words and phrases. If you want to find a PDF or Word file but don’t remember the name you saved it under, you’ll only need to use the associated word.

How the new Windows search works

To do this, Windows will use semantic search, a technology that improves the accuracy and relevance of search results by understanding the meaning and context of words in a query. Using Semantic Search language understanding models for interpreting the intent of a user’s request and find conceptually similar content, even if it doesn’t contain the same words.

Windows Semantic Search will rely on the NPU integrated into the Copilot+ PC and it will be available not only in Windows Explorer or Search, but also in the operating system settings. The latter will help us easily find functions or features of the system that we can change.

The only downside to the new Windows Search feature is that it will only be available on a limited number of computers. Microsoft has mentioned that this feature uses the NPU, so it does not require an internet connection. The only computers with this hardware are those with the Snapdragon chip.. This feature will likely become available to more devices in 2025, when the exclusive contract with Qualcomm ends.