Microsoft explains the new improvements that they are making on the Start screen for search in Windows 8, on a new Building Windows 8 blog post this week.
The software giant is doing quiet well on the “no compromises” approach building Windows 8, as new features are surfacing, like the new search capabilities. Just as a note, search techniques that you already know via the keyboard and mice are kept intact and now also improved, while users with touched enabled devices are improved just as well.
Here are few new additions:
- Searching for applications: Windows Key
, then start typing the name for the application - Search for files: Windows Key +F
- Searching for settings: Windows Key + W
- Auto-correct terms for files: Windows will auto-complete search terms based on information from the search index, and the user’s searching habits.
- Detailed tooltip in search results: Hovering over an item will pop-up a tooltip that offers additional information about the file.
Users will continue to be able to open applications or run commands as they do now in Windows 7, or use the Windows Key +R to open the Run command and launch an app. The search screen also auto-completes paths to folders and network shares — if you like to learn more keyboard shortcuts check Windows 8: Keyboard shortcuts and mouse tips and tricks.
The company has shared a new telemetry data that indicates that about 67% of all searches in Windows 7 are only used to launch applications. File search is only 22% of all the Start menu searches and Control Panel items consist of a merely 9%. “The Windows 8 Start search experience builds on top of search features available in Windows 7 and provides a unique view for each of the three system groups – Apps, Settings and Files”, Brian Uphoff, a program manager on the search, view, and command user experience team, explained.
With the new design approach in Windows 8 to search for app, Microsoft is expecting users to install more applications than they ever did before in previous version of Windows. In Windows 7 Start menu results are limited, but Windows 8 follows an app-first model, where each app developer has the knowledge of their data and user best, and understands the best way to present the information to them.
Search is a big part of Windows 8 that Microsoft is putting a lot of time and effort to improve, and you’ll see a lot of these changes probably in the beta release.
To see how Windows 8 Start screen search works watch the video below:
Source Building Windows 8
Mauro Huculak is a Windows How-To Expert who started Pureinfotech in 2010 as an independent online publication. He has also been a Windows Central contributor for nearly a decade. Mauro has over 14 years of experience writing comprehensive guides and creating professional videos about Windows and software, including Android and Linux. Before becoming a technology writer, he was an IT administrator for seven years. In total, Mauro has over 20 years of combined experience in technology. Throughout his career, he achieved different professional certifications from Microsoft (MSCA), Cisco (CCNP), VMware (VCP), and CompTIA (A+ and Network+), and he has been recognized as a Microsoft MVP for many years. You can follow him on X (Twitter), YouTube, LinkedIn and About.me. Email him at [email protected].