That doesn't mean the key is changing. Microsoft has said it will think about the question. It has not announced a new behavior, a schedule or a final design.
What Microsoft actually said
Windows Latest reported an exchange on X. A Windows Insider asked for two things. First, the new Search should open with the Windows key alone instead of Win+S. Second, Search should get an inline action for sending Outlook email, similar to the Phone Link demo Microsoft showed.
Windows Latest says Tali Roth, who leads Windows Shell experiences at Microsoft, replied. In her reported answer, Microsoft will look into "the right behavior for Win key" after the new Search comes to Start, since "so many folks have built the muscle memory there." She also said email is "one of the actions we're considering."
Two caveats:
- The attribution rests on Windows Latest's report. We could not retrieve the original X post to check it ourselves.
- Windows Latest contradicts itself. One line says Microsoft has not confirmed that the Windows key will open Search instead of Start. A later line says it's "confirmed" that Microsoft plans to change the key's behavior. Roth's reported words support the first version. Microsoft will evaluate the key's role, and nothing has been decided.
The email action is in the same state. It is being considered and has not been announced.
Summary: Microsoft will review the Windows key's role after Search reaches Start. Nothing has changed, and nothing is scheduled.
The new Search Microsoft is building
The question only comes up because Search is being rebuilt from the ground up. Microsoft announced the redesign on the Windows Insider Blog on October 7, 2026, in a post by Anshul Rawat. Microsoft detailed the new feature during its Windows and Surface event the same day. Thurrott compared the result to how Apple transformed Spotlight on macOS.
What's in the preview now:
- Built on WinUI 3. Microsoft says early testing shows "substantial improvements in performance and memory usage." That is Microsoft's own claim about early testing. It has not published benchmarks or promised the same results on every PC.
- One list of results. The biggest visual change is the removal of the large preview panel on the right. Microsoft says nearly all clicks came from the results list on the left rather than the preview pane, which is why the design centers on a single list.
- Better matching. Microsoft is also improving how Search handles typos and synonyms, which should help users find relevant results even when they do not enter an exact phrase.
- Inline actions. Microsoft's examples are "switch to dark mode," "turn on night light," "turn on Bluetooth," "dim my screen," "mute," "minimize all my windows" and "arrange windows on screen."
Microsoft says phone actions for Phone Link-connected devices are "coming soon," and its demo shows a text being sent from a phone. Outlook email is not in Microsoft's announcement. It appears only in Roth's reported reply.
The longer-term target is much bigger than the preview. Our earlier coverage noted that Pavan Davuluri, Microsoft's executive vice president of Windows and Devices, told the audience the box supports "thousands" of quick actions, which run "as fast as you can type." The preview has a short list.
Microsoft also says richer file details, inline previews, web answers and category filters will arrive later in 2026.
Summary: Search is turning into a place to run commands as well as find things. That raises the question of whether it deserves the most prominent key on the keyboard.
Why Start is the hard part
Right now the new Search lives only on the taskbar. Microsoft's blog says that "looking to next year," work is underway to bring it to the Start menu and make it adapt to different taskbar positions and Windows setups. VideoCardz summed it up as Start menu support planned for 2027.
Until then, preview users have two search experiences. Click the taskbar and you get the new one. Open Start and type, and you still get the old one. Microsoft says this is on purpose while it collects feedback.
That is why the Windows key question waits until the merge. The Windows key opens Start, and Win+S opens Search. Once Search lives inside Start, it is no longer obvious which entry point should be the main one.
Windows Latest points out a design problem. The new Search panel is shorter and feels different from Start, so the two won't fit together cleanly unless Start changes as well. One possibility the outlet raises is keeping pinned apps in Start and adding Search and actions to the same view. The writer labels that as their own speculation, and it should be read that way.
Why muscle memory matters
Experience says Microsoft is right to be cautious. Plenty of people press the Windows key, type a couple of letters and hit Enter, mostly without looking. Many IT departments have also written training materials and accessibility workflows around "press Windows, then type."
Possible outcomes, and what each would cost:
| Option | Upside | Risk |
|---|---|---|
| Windows key keeps opening Start, and Search is built into Start | Nothing to relearn | Start could get cluttered |
| Windows key opens Search, and Start moves somewhere else | Fastest route to actions | Breaks decades of habit |
| Users choose what the key does | Fits both groups | One more setting to support |
These options are our own analysis. Microsoft hasn't said which one it prefers. Roth's reported focus on muscle memory, along with Microsoft's stated aim of keeping "the speed and familiarity you expect today," points away from a sudden swap. It doesn't rule one out.
There's also a Copilot question. Microsoft's post mentions "thoughtful integrations with experiences like Copilot." Some people will want more AI built into the Windows key. Others will see that as one more thing pushed onto the most-used key on the keyboard. A mixed response seems likely.
How to try the new Search now
If you are a Windows Insider and want to test it, here is what Microsoft says:
- Join the Experimental channel. The feature is not in Beta. Beta channel builds, including 26220.9606 released the same day, are not part of this rollout.
- Update to build 26340.9616 in Experimental, or build 28120.3181 in Experimental (26H1).
- Open Windows Update, click Check for updates, then restart your PC.
- Go to Settings > Windows Update > Windows Insider Program > Feature flags and turn on New Windows Search Experience.
- Try it from the taskbar. Typing in Start still opens the old Search.
If the flag doesn't show up, the usual fix is to confirm your build number, check for updates again and restart. Microsoft says the flag only appears after that check and restart. The release supports English only, and rollout is gradual, so not every eligible PC gets it right away.
For a decision about what the Windows key should do, feedback carries real weight. You can send it through Feedback Hub (Win+F) under Desktop Environment > Search.
The bottom line
Microsoft has opened the question of whether the Windows key should keep doing exactly what it does today. Here is where things stand:
- Confirmed by Microsoft: a WinUI 3 Search with inline actions is in Insider preview on the taskbar, and work to bring it to Start is planned for next year.
- Reported, not independently verified: Microsoft will review the Windows key's behavior after Search reaches Start, and email is being considered as an action.
- Not announced: any change to the Windows key, an Outlook email action, a release date or a final Start design.
For everyday users and IT admins, nothing changes yet. The Windows key still opens Start.