Windows 11’s latest optional update finally fixes search clutter | usagoldmines.com

A few days ago, Microsoft rolled out KB5120998, an optional update for Windows 11 that introduces several new features and improvements (like the taskbar being repositionable again). Another noteworthy improvement is that the built-in Windows Search has been tidied up, meaning you’ll no longer see results from Bing, Copilot, and MSN mixed in.

Other search-related changes include: web searches no longer prioritizing ads and product suggestions, instead now always showing the most relevant result first; more clarity as to whether a search result is an app, a setting, a file, a web page, or a Microsoft Store recommendation; and the ability to cleanly handle typos and incomplete terms.

Since KB5120998 is an optional update, you’ll have to install it manually if you want to take advantage of its benefits. Otherwise, you can wait for it to release as part of September’s big update. To install now, go to Settings → Windows Update → Advanced options → Optional updates.

If you’re still seeing old functionality even after installing KB5120998, it’s because you haven’t gotten the new features yet. Microsoft is rolling out the features gradually over the next week or two. (Or, at your own risk, you can unlock features early with a free tool called ViVeTool.)

Note that you may want to skip KB5120998 for other reasons, namely because it’s causing cursor and wallpaper issues for some users, and the direct causes of those issues haven’t been identified yet. If you want to be on the safe side, you should wait until September’s update.