Windows 11 Semantic Search: How It Works and How to Use It

Windows 11’s Semantic search, or natural language search, is a new AI-powered Windows search experience that makes search and find files, photos, and settings easier by understanding the meaning behind your words. Unlike traditional search, which needs exact keywords, Windows 11 Semantic Search uses natural language processing (NLP) and machine learning to understand your intent and deliver relevant results. It means you can find relevant results, documents, photos, and settings, even if they don’t contain the exact words you type. Available for Copilot+ PCs with Qualcomm chips (AMD and Intel-powered Copilot+ PCs will have to wait), this feature uses local processing for privacy and speed. Here’s everything you need to know about Windows 11 Semantic Search, how it works, and how to use it.

What Is Semantic Search in Windows 11?

Semantic search is an intelligent search tool in Windows 11 that uses artificial intelligence to interpret the intent of your queries. Instead of matching literal words, it understands context and delivers more accurate results. The feature supports six languages: English, Chinese, French, German, Japanese, and Spanish.

For example:

• Searching for “presentation I worked on last week” can return a PowerPoint you edited days ago—even if the file isn’t named “presentation.”
• Typing “email from my manager about the budget” can surface the relevant Outlook message, even if it doesn’t contain those exact words.

In File Explorer, this AI-powered search experience can also find local photos and pictures stored on OneDrive for consumers just by describing what’s in them. “Exact matches for your keywords within the text of your cloud files will also show in the search results,” the Microsoft team explained.

This feature is currently available for Windows 11 on Snapdragon-powered PCs, which use Neural Processing Units (NPUs) to power AI tasks. It’s integrated into the Start menu, File Explorer, and Settings app. The new semantic indexing models leverage the built-in NPUs on these PCs, so you won’t need an Internet connection to find what you want using natural language prompts.

How Does Semantic Search Work?

Semantic search usually relies on Natural Language Processing (NLP) and machine learning to analyze queries and match them to relevant content. It creates a local index of your files, photos, settings, and, if permitted, your connected Microsoft 365 services—like OneDrive, Outlook, and Teams.

• Natural Language Queries: Search with conversational phrases, like “my budget from last year” or “sunset photos,” to find documents or images.
• Local Processing: Searches are processed on your Copilot+ PC’s NPU, keeping your data private without sending it to Microsoft’s servers.
• Supported File Formats: It works with documents (.docx, .pdf, .txt), images (.jpg, .png, .gif), and more.
• OneDrive Integration: It can also find cloud-stored files and photos when signed into a personal Microsoft account.

For example, typing “wedding plans” in the Start menu might return a Word document, a PDF, or photos from your event, based on their content, not just their names.

Microsoft says this data stays local when possible and only uses cloud resources with user consent.

How to Access and Use Semantic Search

Semantic search is integrated into key areas of Windows 11, Start menu to file explorer and settings search, enabled by default on Copilot+ PCs.

• Ensure your Windows 11 Copilot+ PC is updated via Settings > Windows Update.
• Allow initial indexing by keeping your PC plugged in (check Settings > Privacy & Security > Searching Windows).
• Open File Explorer, the taskbar search, or Settings, and type a descriptive query, like “Photos from the beach trip”, “Word doc with budget plan for Q2” or “my tax forms.”

Note: Use time frames like  “last week,” “in March,” “yesterday,” or mention file types: “PDF,” “presentation,” “spreadsheet” for better results.

• Sign into your Microsoft account to search cloud-stored files alongside local ones.

Well, You can customize it by going to Settings > Privacy & Security > Searching Windows > Advanced indexing options to disable indexing or exclude specific folders or file types.

While it’s powerful, semantic search has some constraints:

• Copilot+ PC Required: Only available on Copilot+ PCs with NPUs, not standard PCs.
• Limited File Types: Supports common formats but may not work with niche file types.
• Language Restrictions: Works in six languages, with more planned for future updates.

Microsoft is working to expand compatibility, including support for other cloud services like Google Drive and broader hardware access in the future.

Also read: Top 10 Free AI Tools for Windows in 2025 (Start Using for Free)