This article explains how to enable or disable the new hover behavior for the search box, and search highlights gleam in Windows 11.
Starting with Windows 11 build 23440, Microsoft is testing a new search behavior that invokes the search flyout when you hover over the search box, and the search highlights gleam.
As of now, the feature isn’t available to all users. Those enrolled in the Microsoft Insider Preview program may not see it. It’s part of Microsoft A/B testing at the moment.
This may eventually become available to all. Once open, use the steps below to learn how to enable or disable it.
Enable or disable the new search hover experience in Windows 11
As described above, you may receive a new feature allowing you to open the search flyout simply by hovering over the search box.
Here’s how to enable or disable it.
First, open the Windows Settings app.
You can do that by clicking on the Start menu and selecting Settings. Or press the keyboard shortcut (Windows key + I) to launch the Settings app.
When the Setting app opens, click the Personalization button on the left.
On the right, select the Taskbar tile to expand it.
On the Personalization -> Taskbar settings pane, click on the Search tile to expand it. Then toggle the switch button to the On position for Open search on hover (when available) to enable.
To disable it, toggle the button back to the Off position.
Turn on or off open search on hover via Windows Registry
Another way users can turn on or off the new search experience in Windows 11 to launch the search flyout on hover in Windows is to use the Windows Registry Editor.
First, open the Windows Registry, and navigate to the folder key path below.
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Feeds\DSB
If you don’t see the BSD folder key, right-click on the Feeds key, then create the subkey (BSD) folders.
Right-click the BSD folder key’s right pane and select New -> DWORD (32-bit) Value. Next, type a new key named OpenOnHover.
Double-click the new key item name (OpenOnHover) and make sure the Base option is Decimal, and then update the Value data:
- Type 1 to enable this feature.
- Type 0 to disable this feature.
Save your changes and restart your computer.
That should do it!
Conclusion:
- Enabling or disabling the new hover behavior for the search box and search highlights gleam in Windows 11 can enhance your user experience based on personal preferences.
- Utilizing the Windows Settings app or the Windows Registry Editor provides two distinct methods to manage this feature, catering to diverse user preferences.
- Stay informed about the gradual roll-out of this feature, which may become available to all users in the future.
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