Windows Search has long been both an essential feature and a persistent source of frustration for many users. The introduction of semantic search, now debuting as an exclusive capability on Copilot+ PCs, marks a major shift in how Microsoft approaches finding files, navigating settings, and surfacing content on Windows 11. Copilot+ devices harness local AI—powered by a dedicated Neural Processing Unit (NPU)—to deliver more intelligent, context-aware search experiences. While the promise is bold, current reality is both exciting and uneven, revealing a new frontier that is just beginning to take shape.
Semantic search, at its core, aims to understand the meaning and intent behind a user's query, rather than relying solely on literal keyword matches. In practice, this means you can type natural-language phrases or concepts—such as “internet testing” or “music software”—and Windows will attempt to find relevant files, images, or settings, even if those precise words aren't present in filenames or metadata. This is made possible by integrating a small, local language model running directly on the NPU, bypassing the need for cloud connectivity and preserving user privacy: Microsoft documentation affirms that “all data gathered from semantic indexing is stored locally on your PC. None of it is ever sent to Microsoft or used to train AI models.” This guarantees a level of privacy and responsiveness not typically associated with AI features that rely on the cloud.
This technical shift in Windows Search stretches to File Explorer and the Settings app, signaling Microsoft’s intention to infuse AI throughout the core desktop experience. Cortana and the old Windows Search always promised intelligence—but by embedding LLM-style technology locally, Copilot+ PCs represent a distinct leap forward.
However, as is common with new features, the rollout process sometimes requires enabling “Get the latest updates as soon as they’re available” in Windows Update to access the latest code. Once installed, a system restart finalizes the update.
A critical step lies beneath the surface: indexing. Semantic search requires the operating system to pre-index all your searchable files. According to Microsoft’s help pages, this is a CPU and NPU-intensive process—users are recommended to plug in their laptops during initial indexing, as the process might take hours or even days, depending on storage size and file count. Progress is visible in Settings > Privacy and Security > Searching Windows.
Importantly, users can choose which folders are indexed, from a selection of defaults (Documents, Pictures, Music) to any custom location. The “Enhanced” setting indexes everything on the PC (and takes longer), while “Classic” is more restrained. For those interested in micro-managing or troubleshooting, deeper control over the indexing service is possible via the Microsoft Management Console (services.msc).
In PCMag's documented testing, results were often impressive when the query concept closely matched document contents (Word, Excel, PDF, PowerPoint, TXT). However, there were notable misses: attempts to locate the Ableton Live folder via “music software” failed, showing that the semantic linkage between “Ableton Live” and music production isn’t strong enough—yet.
Support is limited to common image formats (JPEG, PNG, BMP, GIF, ICO), and, at present, raw camera formats like .ARW (Sony) and .CR3 (Canon) are not indexed for semantic content—the search could not match “raw camera” to relevant photos. This is a notable limitation for photographers and creative professionals.
In File Explorer, the semantic search behaves as in the main Windows Search: it enables searching by intent for both files and images in any indexed location. However, semantic search does not work in file-picker dialogs used by other applications (such as attaching an image in Word), which still rely on traditional filename or metadata matching. That inconsistency is a real-world pain point for power users.
In the Settings app, the feature is visually marked by animated star badges. While “update” correctly surfaces Windows Update settings, a more natural query (“update OS”) yields no result, indicating that the model’s semantic awareness is not yet fully tuned. Oddly, the simple query “reboot” brings up Recovery settings on Copilot+ PCs, while producing no results on standard Windows 11 devices—demonstrating a meaningful advance, even if rough around the edges.
Moreover, certain content types and folders—especially uncommon file types or large image folders—may be excluded unless manually added or fully indexed. The lack of semantic search in file-picker dialogs may also be a technical or strategic limitation, but it impacts consistency.
Microsoft’s decision to anchor this feature in Copilot+ hardware is both a technical necessity and a marketing strategy. While NPUs genuinely streamline the necessary AI workloads, it remains to be seen whether broader support could roll out for high-end older systems (with optional reduced performance). Until then, the boundary between have and have-not is sharply defined.
In the meantime, semantic search hands users a real tool, one that—despite its current quirks—brings Windows much closer to the flexible, user-centric search experiences offered by modern web engines and cloud AI. As Microsoft gathers feedback and refines its models, it is fair to expect rapid improvement. For now, the semantic search shines brightest when used for documents and common images, but occasionally stumbles with niche formats or less obvious queries.
Those considering a Copilot+ PC should factor semantic search into their evaluation: it won’t solve every search frustration out-of-the-box, but it marks a profound change in how we interact with the Windows ecosystem. As Microsoft tunes, expands, and refines this capability, semantic search may soon become just as indispensable as the Start menu itself—a tool that not only knows what you want, but understands what you mean.
Source: PCMag Semantic Search Makes Your Copilot+ PC Smarter, But Only Sometimes
What Is Semantic Search? The Technical Leap
Semantic search, at its core, aims to understand the meaning and intent behind a user's query, rather than relying solely on literal keyword matches. In practice, this means you can type natural-language phrases or concepts—such as “internet testing” or “music software”—and Windows will attempt to find relevant files, images, or settings, even if those precise words aren't present in filenames or metadata. This is made possible by integrating a small, local language model running directly on the NPU, bypassing the need for cloud connectivity and preserving user privacy: Microsoft documentation affirms that “all data gathered from semantic indexing is stored locally on your PC. None of it is ever sent to Microsoft or used to train AI models.” This guarantees a level of privacy and responsiveness not typically associated with AI features that rely on the cloud.This technical shift in Windows Search stretches to File Explorer and the Settings app, signaling Microsoft’s intention to infuse AI throughout the core desktop experience. Cortana and the old Windows Search always promised intelligence—but by embedding LLM-style technology locally, Copilot+ PCs represent a distinct leap forward.
Copilot+ PCs: Who Gets Access?
It is crucial to highlight that this new wave of features is tightly tied to Copilot+ PCs. Microsoft divides Copilot+ exclusive features into two “waves”:- Wave 1: Includes Cocreator in Paint, Live Captions, Recall, and Studio Effects (like background blur, eye contact).
- Wave 2: Brings Click to Do, enhanced Windows Search (semantic indexing), and super resolution in Microsoft Photos.
- PCs with Snapdragon X Series Arm processors,
- Devices powered by AMD Ryzen AI 300 Series chips,
- Systems running on Intel Core Ultra 200V Series.
Setting Up Semantic Search: What to Expect
Unleashing the new semantic search on your Copilot+ PC is, on paper, straightforward: open Settings, navigate to Windows Update, check for updates, and install the latest batch. This should bring the Windows Search bar update, signified by a magnifying glass icon adorned with star “sparks”—a Microsoft visual shorthand for AI-powered features.However, as is common with new features, the rollout process sometimes requires enabling “Get the latest updates as soon as they’re available” in Windows Update to access the latest code. Once installed, a system restart finalizes the update.
A critical step lies beneath the surface: indexing. Semantic search requires the operating system to pre-index all your searchable files. According to Microsoft’s help pages, this is a CPU and NPU-intensive process—users are recommended to plug in their laptops during initial indexing, as the process might take hours or even days, depending on storage size and file count. Progress is visible in Settings > Privacy and Security > Searching Windows.
Importantly, users can choose which folders are indexed, from a selection of defaults (Documents, Pictures, Music) to any custom location. The “Enhanced” setting indexes everything on the PC (and takes longer), while “Classic” is more restrained. For those interested in micro-managing or troubleshooting, deeper control over the indexing service is possible via the Microsoft Management Console (services.msc).
Windows Search: How Smart Is the New Semantics, Really?
Document Search
The most tangible upgrade in day-to-day use is searching for files by concept rather than by name. For example, if you’ve created a spreadsheet called “browser benchmarks,” you can now find it using phrases like “web benchmarks” or “internet testing”—even though neither search term appears in the file name. This is the semantic leap: Windows “understands” that your intent is connected to browser performance, not a literal filename search.In PCMag's documented testing, results were often impressive when the query concept closely matched document contents (Word, Excel, PDF, PowerPoint, TXT). However, there were notable misses: attempts to locate the Ableton Live folder via “music software” failed, showing that the semantic linkage between “Ableton Live” and music production isn’t strong enough—yet.
Image Search
The semantic search capabilities extend to images stored locally. Users can search for “flamingo” or “bird,” and Windows attempts to find appropriate photos even if the filenames are the default, non-descriptive types (IMG_1255.jpg). Testers found that the system performed creditably for common or visually distinctive subjects (flamingos, goldfinches), but sometimes failed when searching for broader concepts like “mountain” in a folder of mountain photos.Support is limited to common image formats (JPEG, PNG, BMP, GIF, ICO), and, at present, raw camera formats like .ARW (Sony) and .CR3 (Canon) are not indexed for semantic content—the search could not match “raw camera” to relevant photos. This is a notable limitation for photographers and creative professionals.
Integration with File Explorer and Settings
The updated semantic search is woven into both File Explorer and the Windows 11 Settings app. The results here are a mixed bag.In File Explorer, the semantic search behaves as in the main Windows Search: it enables searching by intent for both files and images in any indexed location. However, semantic search does not work in file-picker dialogs used by other applications (such as attaching an image in Word), which still rely on traditional filename or metadata matching. That inconsistency is a real-world pain point for power users.
In the Settings app, the feature is visually marked by animated star badges. While “update” correctly surfaces Windows Update settings, a more natural query (“update OS”) yields no result, indicating that the model’s semantic awareness is not yet fully tuned. Oddly, the simple query “reboot” brings up Recovery settings on Copilot+ PCs, while producing no results on standard Windows 11 devices—demonstrating a meaningful advance, even if rough around the edges.
Where It Falls Short: Indexing and Incompleteness
The semantic search’s local indexer is both a strength (for privacy) and an Achilles’ heel (for completeness/performance). If indexing is incomplete—which, according to both PCMag’s report and other testers, is common after short or interrupted indexing sessions—the search results may be missing many files. The system does warn users (“Results from this PC may be incomplete”), but there is no direct control to force or deeply troubleshoot the indexing process via the Settings app.Moreover, certain content types and folders—especially uncommon file types or large image folders—may be excluded unless manually added or fully indexed. The lack of semantic search in file-picker dialogs may also be a technical or strategic limitation, but it impacts consistency.
Privacy Considerations: Local, Not Cloud
A pillar of the Copilot+ semantic search story is its local-first design. All semantic indexing, searching, and inference happen fully on the user’s device, powered by the NPU and local AI models. Microsoft documentation, alongside direct statements from PCMag, confirms that none of this semantic data is sent to the cloud or used for external model training. For privacy-minded users—and businesses with sensitive data—this local-only processing is a significant advantage over cloud-centric AI products.Performance: Speed, Efficiency, and Battery Life
Running AI workloads locally is efficient thanks to the new NPUs, with metrics suggesting far lower power consumption compared to running similar models on the CPU or GPU. While this means semantic search queries feel quick after initial indexing, the very first index may strain thermals and battery life—a worthwhile trade-off for many, but users of ultraportable, fanless devices may notice temporary heat or fan noise.The Future of Windows Search: Wave 2 and Beyond
Microsoft’s staged deployment—Wave 2 for improved Windows Search and associated AI features—signals an ongoing investment in Copilot+ exclusives. As with any new AI tool, continued improvement is expected. Feedback mechanisms are built in: when results miss the mark, a pop-up lets users give feedback directly to Microsoft. This data, while presumably anonymized and stripped of content specifics, will be crucial for improving the underlying language model and expanding its semantic reach.Strengths: What Semantic Search Gets Right
- Natural Language Queries: Allows users to search using conversational, intent-driven phrases rather than exact filenames.
- Privacy: All semantic processing happens locally, with no data leaving the device.
- Multi-format Support: Covers a wide variety of document types and common image formats.
- Hardware Acceleration: Utilizes the NPU, promising efficient search without bogging down the CPU or draining battery rapidly.
- Future-Proofing: Forms a foundation for more advanced Copilot+ features, potentially unlocking deeper desktop intelligence over time.
Weaknesses: Gaps, Risks, and Limitations
- Copilot+ Exclusivity: Restricts the feature to new hardware, leaving out millions of powerful existing PCs.
- Inconsistent Coverage: Semantic search does not extend to file-pickers or cover all folder/file types out of the box.
- Indexing Bottlenecks: Long or incomplete indexing can mean key files are omitted; no user-friendly controls exist for advanced troubleshooting.
- Mixed Query Understanding: Some common or expected associations (“music software”) are missed; understanding is still improving.
- No Support for Raw Formats/Advanced Media: Excludes .ARW, .CR3, and likely other professional formats at launch.
Potential Risks and User Concerns
- Exclusivity Drives Device Upgrades: Microsoft’s decision to limit semantic search to Copilot+ hardware may be controversial, especially when software and hardware requirements could arguably permit broader compatibility. This move could be seen as a tactic to encourage (or force) hardware upgrades, frustrating early adopters who invested in recent, high-end devices without NPUs.
- Indexing and Performance Trade-Offs: While privacy is preserved, local indexing is resource-intensive, and there may be edge cases where battery life, thermal output, or even overall system responsiveness are temporarily impacted during heavy indexing sessions.
- Dependence on Microsoft for Improvements: As with all AI tools in Windows, feature evolution and bug fixes are fully at Microsoft’s discretion. Users who encounter inadequate semantic associations have no recourse but to wait for future updates.
Critical Analysis: Is Semantic Search Ready for Prime Time?
It is clear that Copilot+ semantic search represents a meaningful advance in how Windows users interact with their computers. Early adoption comes with both genuine benefits—such as the ability to find content using natural language—and clear rough edges that will need smoothing out in coming updates. “Sometimes impressive, and other times disappointing” is a fair summary.Microsoft’s decision to anchor this feature in Copilot+ hardware is both a technical necessity and a marketing strategy. While NPUs genuinely streamline the necessary AI workloads, it remains to be seen whether broader support could roll out for high-end older systems (with optional reduced performance). Until then, the boundary between have and have-not is sharply defined.
In the meantime, semantic search hands users a real tool, one that—despite its current quirks—brings Windows much closer to the flexible, user-centric search experiences offered by modern web engines and cloud AI. As Microsoft gathers feedback and refines its models, it is fair to expect rapid improvement. For now, the semantic search shines brightest when used for documents and common images, but occasionally stumbles with niche formats or less obvious queries.
The Verdict: A Step Toward the Desktop of Tomorrow
For Windows enthusiasts, semantic search on Copilot+ PCs is both a tangible improvement and a hint of the desktop’s AI-driven future. While not flawless, the feature shows significant promise and delivers enough advantages to make it a daily driver for finding content on modern Windows machines. The biggest caveat is accessibility—it’s only for new Copilot+ hardware, at least for now.Those considering a Copilot+ PC should factor semantic search into their evaluation: it won’t solve every search frustration out-of-the-box, but it marks a profound change in how we interact with the Windows ecosystem. As Microsoft tunes, expands, and refines this capability, semantic search may soon become just as indispensable as the Start menu itself—a tool that not only knows what you want, but understands what you mean.
Source: PCMag Semantic Search Makes Your Copilot+ PC Smarter, But Only Sometimes
