Microsoft is improving Windows Search in its latest update. However, the new features are limited to PCs with Snapdragon processors and Copilot+ support. Regular Windows 11 users won’t have access to these updates yet. Microsoft hasn’t announced if these changes will come to non-Copilot+ devices in the future.
What’s New in Windows Search?
The update adds semantic indexing to Windows Search. This feature goes beyond basic keyword searches. It understands natural language better and shows more relevant results.
For example, if you search for “pasta,” the system won’t just find files with the word “pasta.” It might also display recipes for lasagna or pictures of spaghetti. This makes searching faster and more intuitive.
However, this feature only works for local files. It doesn’t currently support cloud storage services like OneDrive.
Limited to Copilot+ PCs
The advanced search features require Snapdragon processors with over 40 TOPS of NPU power. These processors are part of Microsoft’s Copilot+ system.
Unfortunately, PCs using AMD or Intel processors can’t run this feature. Microsoft says the upgrades depend on the AI capabilities of Snapdragon hardware. This means most Windows 11 devices won’t benefit from the improvements right now.
Updates for Other Users
Even without Copilot+, there are still some updates. Non-Copilot+ users will get bug fixes and performance tweaks.
For example, Microsoft fixed a bug where some HDDs were wrongly identified as SSDs. Improvements to File Explorer and Task Manager are also included. These updates aim to make the system more reliable for all users.
Is It Fair?
The exclusivity of these features raises questions. Should everyone have access to smarter search, or is it fair to limit it to specific hardware?
Many users feel left out. They hope Microsoft will eventually make the improvements available to all devices. What do you think? Should these features be hardware-dependent? Share your thoughts!
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