It appears that Microsoft is working on a revamp for search functionality in Windows 10. The company seems to have taken inspiration from the search functionality in macOS where the interface floats across the screen. The new search interface has been discovered in the latest beta build of Windows 10 that was released just a few days ago. It’s available for download now. The interface replaces the existing Cortana interface which suggests that Microsoft wants to improve keyboard-based search on Windows 10.
First discovered by Italian blog Aggiornamenti Lumia, the new search interface relies on a floating search bar that displays results when a query is typed. It’s different compared to the results that are shown in the Start Menu or the Cortana search bar currently on Windows 10.
This new interface can be activated using the Windows+S shortcut. It might look familiar to you if you’ve ever used macOS because it’s similar to the Spotlight search interface on Apple’s operating system.
Microsoft is testing this new interface currently and it’s unclear if and when it’s going to make its way to the public. The company seems to be making the search functionality on Windows 10 more powerful and this new interface is certainly a step in the right direction.