Google has quietly brought a native, Spotlight-like search experience to Windows with a new experimental desktop app that places a floating, AI-capable search bar on your PC and lets you summon it instantly with Alt + Space.
Background
Google’s experimental Windows app is being distributed...
ai mode
alt space hotkey
desktop search
enterprise controls
google desktop app
google drive integration
google lens
google lens desktop
local drive indexing
privacy and security
resource usage
screen capture risks
search labs
spotlight like search
telemetry and data retention
websearchintegration
windows 10
windows 11
windows search labs
Google’s experimental Windows app aims to remove the friction of switching windows to look something up — a floating, Spotlight‑like search bar you summon with Alt + Space that can search local files, installed apps, Google Drive, and the web, and that folds in Google Lens and the company’s AI...
accessibility
admin controls
ai assistant
ai mode
ai-assistant
ai-assisted
ai-mode
ai-powered launcher
aimode
alt plus space
alt space
alt space hotkey
alt space launcher
alt+space
alt-space
altspace
app
app-experiment
beta
closed-source
cloud search
cloud-ai
cloudsearch
command palette
cross surface search
cross-platform
dark mode
data privacy
data-flow
data-privacy
desktop
desktop search
desktop-app
desktop-search
desktopsearch
drive
drive integration
drive-integration
driveintegration
end-user
enterprise
enterprise it
enterprise privacy
enterprise readiness
enterprise-it
enterprise-readiness
everything vs google
experimental
filesearch
gemini
gemini ai
generativeai
google
google app for windows
google app windows
google app windows labs
google apps
google drive
google drive integration
google lens
google lens desktop
google search
google search labs
google-drive
google-lens
googledrive
googlelens
governance
installed apps
integration
itadmin
keyboard first
keyboard shortcut
keyboard shortcuts
keyboard-first
keyboard-launcher
keyboard-shortcut
keyboard-shortcuts
keyboardshortcuts
labs
labs experiment
launcher
launcher overlay
launcher tool
launchers
lens
lens integration
lens ocr
lens-capture
local and cloud search
local and websearch
local files
local indexing
local search
local search windows
local-and-web
local-files
local-search
localsearch
microsoft copilot
multimodal
multimodal ai
multimodal search
multimodal-ai
ocr
open-source
opt-in
os integration
os launcher
os search ux
os shell
osintegration
overlay
overlay app
overlay launcher
overlay ui
performance
permissions
power users
powertoys
powertoys run
privacy
privacy and security
privacy concerns
privacy-safety
privacyconcerns
productivity
productivity tools windows
screen capture lens
searchsearch labs
search-ecosystem
search-labs
searchlabs
security
spotlight
spotlight style
spotlight style search
spotlight-like
spotlight-like launcher
spotlight-like search
spotlight-style
spotlight-style search
spotlightlike
spotlightstyle
start menu
telemetry
translation
unified results
unified search
unified search results
unified-search
unifiedsearch
user interface
ux design
visual search
visual-search
visualsearch
web results
websearchwebsearchintegrationweb-searchwebresults
websearch
windows
windows 10
windows 10+
windows 11
windows desktop
windows desktop app
windows launcher
windows search
windows search alternative
windows ux
windows-10
windows-11
windows-app
windows-labs
windows10
workflow
workspace support
OpenAI’s name has been at the center of another wave of rumors: this time that the company is preparing a standalone search application built on ChatGPT and could debut it as early as May 5. The claim—pushed by regional outlets and forum chatter—points to a newly visible subdomain...
Here is a summary of the official Microsoft updates to Windows 10, Windows 11, and Microsoft apps in the European Economic Area (EEA) as part of compliance with the Digital Markets Act (DMA), directly from the June 2, 2025 announcement:
Default Browser Improvements
Setting the default browser...
app uninstall
browser customization
default browser
digital markets act
digital regulation
edge browser
eea compliance
microsoft apps
microsoft store
microsoft updates
privacy improvements
software rollout
user experience
web content in apps
websearchintegration
windows 10
windows 11
windows insider
windows search
windows updates 2025
Here is a summary of the official updates Microsoft is making to Windows 10, Windows 11, and Microsoft apps in the European Economic Area (EEA) to comply with the Digital Markets Act (DMA) as of June 2025:
1. Default Browser Settings
The "Set default" button in Settings will now set the...
app uninstallation
browser settings
default browser
digital markets act
edge browser
eea regulations
european economic area
insider builds
microsoft apps
microsoft edge
microsoft store
privacy compliance
software updates
web content
websearchintegration
widget features
windows 10
windows 11
windows search
windows updates
Microsoft’s decision to retire its public Bing Search APIs, including Search v7 and Custom Search, by August 11, 2025, marks a significant pivot in the landscape of web search integration and AI-powered application development. This move impacts a wide swath of the developer community—from...
ai application development
ai compliance and security
ai workflow automation
ai-powered applications
api retirement
azure ai
azure ai agent service
bing search apis
cloud ai platforms
cloud api transition
developer community
developer migration
enterprise ai
grounding with bing search
microsoft
microsoft azure
real-time web data
search api alternatives
search api sunset
websearchintegration
The evolution of AI-powered voice assistants has accelerated rapidly over the past few years, with tech companies continuously vying to offer the most natural, flexible, and helpful experiences. Anthropic, best known for its Claude AI, is now preparing to enter the voice assistant arena in a...
accessible technology
ai competition
ai research
ai safety
ai transparency
ai voice assistant
claude ai
conversational ai
digital assistants
file uploads
mobile ai
multi-modal ai
privacy in ai
responsible ai
tech innovation
user control
voice mode
voice recognition
voice synthesis
websearchintegration
Microsoft is pushing the envelope of gaming innovation once again by introducing Copilot for Gaming—an AI-powered assistant designed to transform the player experience on both consoles and Windows PCs. With this announcement, Microsoft not only underlines its commitment to bridging gaming across...
ai
ai accessibility
ai and content creation
ai ethics
ai gaming
ai in gaming
ai privacy
ai recommendations
ai rollout
ai-powered gaming
copilot
copilot for gaming
cross-platform
digital assistant
game design
game development
game innovation
gaming
gaming accessibility
gaming assistance
gaming assistant
gaming community
gaming evolution
gaming industry trends
gaming innovation
gaming platform
gaming technology
generative ai
interactive entertainment
interactive gaming
microsoft
player engagement
player experience
privacy concerns
real-time gaming advice
websearchintegration
windows
xbox
xbox copilot
xbox ecosystem
xbox mobile app