Key Takeaways
1. Microsoft may update the Windows search bar to respect the user’s default browser and search engine settings.
2. New flags indicating these changes were found in an Edge Canary build, suggesting potential new features.
3. “DSE” likely stands for Default Search Engine and “WSB” refers to Windows Search Box.
4. Currently, Windows Search always opens a Bing page in Edge, regardless of the default browser.
5. The rollout of these features is uncertain, as they may not reach the general public despite being detected.
Microsoft has often overlooked the default browser setting when using the Windows search bar, particularly outside the European Economic Area (EEA). However, it looks like this might change soon, as signs of Microsoft updating the search bar’s functionality have emerged. Unfortunately, it’s still uncertain when this new feature will be available in a final version.
New Features Spotted
The flags indicating these changes were initially detected by Leopeva64 and shared on X a few weeks ago (September 18). They were found in an Edge Canary build and imply that the taskbar’s Windows Search box may finally honor the user’s chosen browser and search engine. Flags such as “msExplicitLaunchNonBingDSE,” “msExplicitLaunchNonBingDSEAndNonEdgeDB,” and “msWSBLaunchNonBingDSE” hint that users might get the option to select their preferred browser and search engine through the Windows Search.
Understanding the Flags
As pointed out by Leopeva64, “DSE” probably stands for Default Search Engine, while “WSB” refers to Windows Search Box. Windows Latest provided a complete list of these related flags, which are worth noting.
Being able to input a search term and then being taken to the default browser with that search would be an excellent improvement for Windows 11, should Microsoft proceed with a final version. Currently, no matter which browser is set as default, using Windows Search always results in a Bing page opening in Edge. However, since these flags were noted in Edge Canary—a version used for testing and experimentation—there’s also a chance that these features might not reach the general public.
Conclusion
In summary, while the potential for improved search functionality in Windows 11 is exciting, we still have to wait and see if Microsoft will roll out these updates. The detection of these flags is a positive sign, but nothing is guaranteed until an official build is released.
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