Windows 11 Start Menu Search to Acknowledge Google Chrome as Default Browser

The latest update for Microsoft Edge hints at a significant change in how Windows 11 interacts with default web browsers, particularly concerning the taskbar and Start menu search functions. Currently, users who set Google Chrome as their default browser still find that clicking on web links from Windows Search redirects them to Microsoft Edge. However, upcoming updates promise to rectify this by enabling links to open in users’ preferred browser, such as Chrome.

Much of the functionality within Windows Search is influenced by Microsoft Edge. Therefore, modifications to the browser’s settings will subsequently affect how Windows Search operates. New flags identified in a build of Edge Canary suggest an exciting shift towards allowing users to select their preferred search engines and browsers instead of being restricted to Bing and Edge.

Windows Latest identified several new flags that could indicate upcoming features, which include:

msEdgeSearchboxHandlerSendsFaviconData msExplicitLaunchNonBingDSE msExplicitLaunchNonBingDSEAndNonEdgeDB msExplicitLaunchNonEdgeDB msSettingsMatchWordStart msWSBLaunchNonBingDSE msWSBLaunchNonBingDSEAndNonEdgeDB msWSBLaunchNonEdgeDB

In this context, “Non-Edge-DB”likely refers to your default browser, be it Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox. The abbreviation “WSB”probably stands for Windows Search Bar, and “DSE”denotes Default Search Engine. Connecting these dots sheds light on the limitations users currently face.

At present, conducting a taskbar search consistently retrieves results from Bing via Microsoft Edge, regardless of whether Chrome is set as the default browser. Thus, whether users prefer Edge with Google as their search engine or Chrome, the search experience defaults to Bing, leaving preferences largely unacknowledged.

Once the flag msWSBLaunchNonBingDSE is activated, Windows will honor your preferred search engine, allowing you to use alternatives such as Google or DuckDuckGo automatically during searches conducted through the Windows Search box.

Another feature, msWSBLaunchNonEdgeDB, appears to ensure that Windows Search opens results in your default browser—so if Chrome is your choice, searches will direct to Chrome rather than Edge, albeit still routing to Bing.

Fortunately, another flag, msWSBLaunchNonBingDSEAndNonEdgeDB, combines these functionalities. When enabled, Windows Search will respect both your default search engine and browser settings, meaning that if you prefer Google in Chrome, it will automatically redirect to Google in that environment.

Additional flags labeled with “explicit” show that they are designed to ensure that search requests are rerouted through your defined browser and search engine preferences.

Here’s a quick demonstration of how these features may function once implemented in Windows 11:

The question arises: Is there value in allowing non-Bing search engine support through Edge via Windows Search? While some users may prefer Chrome, others might want a specific search engine due to perceived limitations with Bing’s search quality for certain queries.

Enhancements in Favicon Handling and Search Functionality

Moreover, Windows Latest has also pointed out a new flag known as msEdgeSearchboxHandlerSendsFaviconData, which implies that Edge plans to improve the user experience during searches conducted through alternative engines.

Favicons serve as tiny identifiers that accompany website names, and this flag intends to ensure that accurate favicon data is transmitted alongside search results for better visual recognition and selection.

Microsoft also seeks to optimize search functionality within Edge’s settings. When users type a search term, Edge will match keywords from the beginning, facilitating more relevant results for all corresponding toggles and options.

For example, inputting “browser”into the search box will yield results that accurately represent the entire word from the start.

While the timeline for rolling out these changes remains uncertain, it’s also unclear whether these updates focus exclusively on users within the European region.

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