Windows 11: new search feature coming soon

Last month at the Ignite 2024 conference, Microsoft introduced a new feature called Microsoft 365 Companions that will be integrated into the Windows 11 taskbar and start menu. Its purpose is to make it faster and easier to get to information located somewhere on your computer.

Microsoft is reportedly already testing one such integration called File Search Companion. This online feature will allow you to search for files in Microsoft 365 and OneDrive directly from the Windows 11 taskbar.

The first details were provided by @EpicbP on Twitter, who shared photos of the File Search Companion. Among other things, it will be possible to limit the search by file type, which would make it easier to find exactly what you need, for example, a Word or Excel document.

File Finder will be pinned to the taskbar when activated and a popup will appear when clicked. The search will be done locally and also in the cloud if you have a connected cloud service. You'll be able to search for recent files, shared files, files important to your employees, and more.

It's not yet clear when the new file search feature will be available to all Windows 11 users, but it's likely within a few months. But if this is any indication of how useful these assistants will be, we have a feeling that Windows 11 will at least become more convenient in certain areas.

On our website, you can also see a list of the best programs for Windows 11, in which you will find an alternative for faster Windows searches.