Earlier today, Microsoft released new Dev Channel and Beta Channel builds. While the latter brings new features like removing the need for MSA from widgets, the former brings more settings redesign as well as the much-anticipated tabbed notepad feature.
There are also hidden features in the construction of the interior channel windows that reveal what the Redmond tech company is up to. The same is the case with the latest build 25281. Spotted by Windows enthusiast and Twitter user PhantomOcean3, it looks like Microsoft is trying to kill desktop search which was first introduced as a secret feature in the 25120 dev build in May last year. .
However, there is a possibility that it may return because the EXE file is still there even though the speed feature is no longer there.
The desktop search box is finally dead. It took a long time, didn’t it?
— PhantomOcean3☃️💙💛 (@PhantomOfEarth) 19 January 2023
Speed feature anyway. Looks like the .exe still exists?
— PhantomOcean3☃️💙💛 (@PhantomOfEarth) 19 January 2023
This feature started rolling out to dev channel users with different taskbar search styles with build 25158. The update allowed users to search the web through Bing from the desktop.
This feature could be enabled using the “Show search” option. Our guide explains how users can enable or disable this feature.
