Microsoft is quietly fixing two of the biggest daily annoyances in Windows. The latest experimental channel builds focus directly on speed and clutter, bringing much-needed upgrades to File Explorer search and the right-click context menu.
Faster, Indexer-Based Search for ‘This PC’
If you have ever tried searching for a lost file from the This PC root folder, you know how slow it can be. Unlike specific subfolders or the File Explorer Home view, searching across your entire PC used to mean waiting through a slow, line-by-line disk scan.
That bottleneck is finally gone. Search queries initiated from This PC now run directly through the Windows Search Indexer.
Swapping to index-based search delivers three major benefits:
Instant results: File queries return in seconds, even across multiple large hard drives.
Consistent speed: The search experience at the root folder now matches the quick response times of File Explorer Home.
Lower system strain: Your CPU and drives won’t hog resources during deep folder scans.
Smarter Controls for the Context Menu
Alongside search speedups, Microsoft is pushing forward with its multi-stage effort toward redesigning Windows 11’s right-click menu. The goal is simple: give users better control over what actually shows up on screen.
Key context menu updates include:
Onboarding teaching tips: New interactive prompts highlight customization options the first time you open the menu, making it easier to discover hidden settings.
Hideable entry option: If you want a distraction-free layout, a new setting lets you hide the “Customize context menu” option entirely once your preferences are saved.
Reliable ‘Send To’ behavior: Bug fixes resolve frustrating freezes and missing shortcut errors in the classic “Send To” sub-menu.
When Will These Features Roll Out?
These upgrades are currently live for testing in the Experimental release channel. Because search performance and menu stability directly impact daily workflow, expect these refinements to make their way to broader preview channels soon before landing in a general Windows 11 update.
