Microsoft Tests Splitting up Search and Cortana in Windows 10

Microsoft is testing an interesting new change in Windows 10. The company released a new Windows 10 19H1 build earlier in the week with some new features, and although it didn’t officially announce the change, it seems like the company is A/B testing some changes to the taskbar.

Windows 10 19H1 could split up Cortana and Search into two different buttons: search, and Cortana. Search will allow you to search the web as well as your local files, apps, documents, emails, etc., while Cortana will simply be the place for keeping track of your Cortana Notebook, Reminders, Cortana Settings, and Cortana-powered devices. You’ll also be able to perform voice commands as usual.

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The change doesn’t seem to be available for everyone, which means it is still something Microsoft is thinking about. Splitting up Search and Cortana could affect Cortana’s usage, and it will simply clutter up the taskbar even more. Microsoft has tested moving Cortana in other parts of the OS in the past, though the company has never really made any of those changes public. The latest test is arguably much smaller, and depending on user feedback, it could make it through to the public in a few months time.

Thanks for the tip, Michael!

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Conversation 22 comments

  • Maciek

    Premium Member
    12 December, 2018 - 12:52 pm

    <p>I can provide screenshots how it would look like. 🙂 Easy: just switch production version of Windows to a region, where Cortana is not supported (most parts of the world, my country included) et voila – Windows Search separated from Cortana. Can't provide screenshots of the seperate Cortana button though ;-)</p>

  • skane2600

    12 December, 2018 - 1:01 pm

    <p>My preference would be that desktop search would default to being strictly local (e.g. files). If I wanted to search the web I'd open a browser.</p>

    • AnOldAmigaUser

      Premium Member
      12 December, 2018 - 1:25 pm

      <blockquote><em><a href="#381192">In reply to skane2600:</a></em></blockquote><p>This. Search should understand context. Desktop search should include local files and connected cloud storage only. In a browser, search should just go to the web.</p><p>Mixing results dilutes the usefulness of what is returned.</p>

      • skane2600

        12 December, 2018 - 6:54 pm

        <blockquote><em><a href="#381208">In reply to AnOldAmigaUser:</a></em></blockquote><p>I hadn't thought of including connected cloud storage but that makes sense too.</p>

    • TigerTom

      12 December, 2018 - 2:00 pm

      <blockquote><em><a href="#381192">In reply to skane2600:</a></em></blockquote><blockquote><em>Another +1 here. Browser for searching. At least have a setting somewhere to tweak what's searched. </em></blockquote><p><br></p>

      • Winner

        12 December, 2018 - 5:16 pm

        <blockquote><em><a href="#381223">In reply to TigerTom:</a></em></blockquote><p>Windows 10 is designed for you to lose control versus 7 or 8.1</p>

    • FalseAgent

      12 December, 2018 - 9:28 pm

      <blockquote><em><a href="#381192">In reply to skane2600:</a></em></blockquote><p>I actually would love some web search features in desktop search – like being able to quickly look up the definition of a word. But it must be implemented with a syntax, meaning it should only come up when called for.</p>

    • nfeed2000t

      13 December, 2018 - 12:51 am

      <blockquote><a href="#381192"><em>In reply to skane2600: </em></a></blockquote><p>I love how Windows 7's desktop search shows local files and programs. Can't Microsoft give me an option to turn off web searches in Windows 10 without having to monkey with the registry?</p><p><br></p>

  • solomonrex

    12 December, 2018 - 1:04 pm

    <p>Splitting up Bing, Cortana and Search even on their own devices really makes no sense.</p><p><br></p><p>They do need to fix the start menu search in Windows 10. It's just broken way too often for such a simple feature. And this just worked in prior versions, as far as I remember.</p>

    • mestiphal

      12 December, 2018 - 6:30 pm

      <blockquote><em><a href="#381195">In reply to solomonrex:</a></em></blockquote><p>I'm at a point now where I only use Cortana to search, for me she has no other uses</p>

      • BoItmanLives

        13 December, 2018 - 4:07 pm

        <blockquote><em><a href="#381304">In reply to Mestiphal:</a></em></blockquote><p>"She" lol. You guys are too much.</p>

  • karlinhigh

    Premium Member
    12 December, 2018 - 1:31 pm

    <p>Alleluia Gloria! Separate web search from desktop search yet, too. Having movie-poster sorts of content appear when I'm searching for a local file is totally not what I want.</p>

  • Bill Strong

    12 December, 2018 - 5:44 pm

    <p>Because we really need to have one more icon on the taskbar we didn't choose?</p><p><br></p>

    • FalseAgent

      12 December, 2018 - 10:50 pm

      <blockquote><em><a href="#381299">In reply to Bill_Strong:</a></em></blockquote><p>the ability to hide them has been a feature in Windows 10 from day 1.</p>

      • BoItmanLives

        13 December, 2018 - 4:06 pm

        <blockquote><em><a href="#381368">In reply to FalseAgent:</a></em></blockquote><p>I bet you think hiding them stops them from running and sending all your searches to the mothership.</p>

        • FalseAgent

          16 December, 2018 - 12:57 am

          <blockquote><em><a href="#381710">In reply to BoItmanLives:</a></em></blockquote><p>that wasn't what OP was talking about. Jump on your soapbox elsewhere</p>

  • FalseAgent

    12 December, 2018 - 9:28 pm

    <p>Oh Cortana, we hardly knew ye</p>

  • waethorn

    13 December, 2018 - 8:58 am

    <p>Ok, if this is the case, why is it that Windows 10 LTSB versions already have a non-Cortana version of search? And what of countries that don't support Cortana?</p>

    • Alastair Cooper

      15 December, 2018 - 10:52 am

      <blockquote><em><a href="#381459">In reply to Waethorn:</a></em></blockquote><p><br></p><p>Cortana can be disabled via Group Policy and/or registry edits. Web search can only be turned off in the registry for Home and Pro since 1803. The Cortana service stays running in the background though and is very difficult to kill. Difficult enough that I wouldn't try for fear of breaking other things that might depend on it.</p><p><br></p><p>Disabling Cortana and Bing search in the Start menu are among the first things I do on installing Windows 10.</p>

  • jimchamplin

    Premium Member
    13 December, 2018 - 11:47 am

    <p>So, what will actually be on the Taskbar? The search box? Two different glyphs?</p>

  • Lauren Glenn

    13 December, 2018 - 1:54 pm

    <p>As long as I can turn them all off to save CPU and I/O. The amount of time Windows Search spends indexing things, you'd think that I search for stuff all the time. Most of the time I don't. If I want a web search, I'll use a web browser. How about if we get the option to turn off some of the excess bloat in Win10 if we want? </p>

  • chrisrut

    Premium Member
    14 December, 2018 - 4:43 pm

    <p>I like this: I'm big believer that the "front end" UI of the user's "data filing system" should be a searchable index of keywords and phrases. This is separate from the "scheduler" aspects of Cortana, as described here. Though related, they as distinct aspects of the user's data profile. I hope they make this work well!</p>

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