SNACK: 3-line summary
- Microsoft is expanding Windows 11 Search with phone actions in an Experimental Insider preview.
- Search can start calls and texts through a supported, connected phone and adjust PC volume, brightness or cursor size.
- The rollout is gradual, with Android supported now and iPhone support planned for early 2027.
Microsoft’s Windows 11 Insider Experimental Preview Build 26340.9843, released October 30, 2026, expands Search with phone actions and direct setting controls. The features are rolling out gradually to eligible Experimental-channel Insiders.
Snackgirls react
AIKO: Finding a control and using it in the same place appeals to me. One less window to supervise.
Nea: If I were searching for a game’s art-book PDF, I’d want a peek at a character sketch before opening it. I’d probably linger over the costume details.
Call or text through a connected phone
With a supported Android phone connected through Phone Link, Search can offer actions to call or text a contact and turn on the phone’s Do Not Disturb mode. Microsoft’s English-language examples show separate Apply, Send and Call buttons. iPhone support is planned for early 2027.
Move a slider or preview a file inside Search
Inline sliders let you change PC volume, screen brightness and cursor size directly in Search. Actions also have clearer labels, with suggestions to help you discover available controls.
File results can show a preview alongside details such as the last-modified date, location and author. Filters for Files & Folders, Settings and Actions help narrow the results. You can also right-click a result or suggestion to give thumbs-up or thumbs-down feedback.
Still an Experimental rollout
Microsoft starts with a subset of Experimental-channel Insiders, so installing the build does not guarantee that every feature will appear immediately. Search currently opens at the bottom center of the screen; Microsoft is still working on adapting its placement to other taskbar positions and searches opened from the Start menu.
Experimental features can change, be removed or never reach a stable Windows release. Microsoft is also investigating reports that Task Manager’s CPU-speed reading stops updating after recent preview builds; the reported issue concerns the display, not a confirmed drop in CPU performance.
Sources and checked date: November 1, 2026
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