Security News > 2022 > May > Microsoft tests new Windows 11 Desktop search that only works with Edge

Microsoft is testing a new feature in the latest Windows 11 preview build that displays an Internet search box directly on the desktop.
The problem is that it does not honor your default browser and only uses Bing and Microsoft Edge instead. This new feature is currently being tested with a small subset of Windows Insiders running the Windows 11 build 25120 on the 'Dev' channel.
Windows 11 users can simply enter a search keyword or URL to launch Microsoft Edge and perform the search using Bing or directly access the entered URL. The problem is that this forces you to use Bing and Edge, regardless of what default browser is configured in the operating system, continuing Microsoft's relentless push to force users onto their browser.
There is no guarantee that this Desktop Search Box feature will ever make it into a stable release of Windows 11.
Once the latest Windows 11 insider build is installed, please follow these steps, as provided by Rafael Rivera, to enable the new Desktop Search Bar.
Download ViveTool, which enables hidden developer features in Windows 10 and Windows 11.
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