Microsoft is making two significant improvements to the search function in Windows 11 to better meet user needs. The first improvement has been rolled out to users via the optional update KB5089573 in May 2026. After the update, the system can find and prioritize relevant files in the local index by entering just two characters. The second improvement, currently available for Windows 11 Insider Preview Builds 26300.8553 and 26220.8544, is named 'Search by Substring' and aims to address difficulties in searching for compound filenames.
