Microsoft may finally let Windows 11’s taskbar search respect your default browser and search engine, not just open results in Edge with Bing. Fresh clues found in recent Edge Canary builds point to a change users have been asking for since the Windows 10 days. While this behavior already differs inside the European Economic Area, the new evidence suggests a broader shift could be coming.
The discovery, shared on September 18 by well-known feature spotter Leopeva64, shows a cluster of experimental flags that spell out Microsoft’s intent. In short, they hint that when you type a query in the Windows Search box on the taskbar, the result could open in your chosen browser with your chosen search engine, whether that’s Chrome or Firefox with Google, DuckDuckGo, or something else.
Why this matters
– Today, Windows Search forces results to open in Edge and uses Bing regardless of your default browser or search engine settings.
– Respecting the system’s default browser and search engine would streamline everyday searches, reduce context switching, and give users real choice.
– It also aligns Windows behavior with what many expect across modern operating systems.
What the flags suggest
Several experimental switches reference non-Bing search engines and non-Edge browsers:
– msExplicitLaunchNonBingDSE
– msExplicitLaunchNonBingDSEAndNonEdgeDB
– msExplicitLaunchNonEdgeDB
– msWSBLaunchNonBingDSE
– msWSBLaunchNonBingDSEAndNonEdgeDB
– msWSBLaunchNonEdgeDB
Based on the names:
– DSE likely means Default Search Engine.
– WSB likely means Windows Search Box.
– NonBingDSE and NonEdgeDB imply opening queries in a non-Bing search engine and a non-Edge default browser.
What to expect next
– Timeline unknown: These switches are in Edge Canary, a testing channel where features often change or never ship.
– Potentially big quality-of-life upgrade: If released, typing into Windows Search could finally open results in your actual default setup.
– Broader choice for users outside the EEA: This would narrow the gap between regions and deliver a more consistent Windows experience.
Bottom line
If these experiments make it to a stable build, Windows 11 users could soon search from the taskbar and land straight in their preferred browser and search engine. It’s a small change with a big productivity upside—and a long-requested win for user choice. For now, it remains an encouraging sign that Microsoft is actively reworking Windows Search behavior in Edge Canary.
