Windows 11 build 25247 contains a new feature that lets you search the internet using the highlighted text. In a typical Microsoft move, the updated Suggested Actions feature works only in Edge and Bing, even if you have set another browser or search engine as default. Still, there is some hope for a more user-friendly variant of the new feature. As discovered by @PhantomofEarth, Microsoft is experimenting with additional variants of Suggested Actions that allow search in different browsers.
Variant 1 is a cool one, as it lets you search the web in more browsers than just Edge!
— PhantomOcean3 💙💛 (@PhantomOfEarth) November 18, 2022
vivetool /enable /id:41539325 /variant:1 pic.twitter.com/Uw5tD1wLzM
The Suggested Actions feature is available to some US insiders only as Microsoft begins to roll it out and monitor feedback. However, you can try to force-enable it alongside additional variants that modify how the feature works and behaves. As usual, you need the ViveTool app to tinker with Windows 11"s guts.
Caution: Unannounced features are often raw, unstable, or borderline unusable. Back up important data before enabling hidden options using the ViveTool app. Remember that stable Windows 11 builds are the best way to ensure your system remains as bug-free as possible.
How to open Suggested Actions in Chrome in Windows 11 build 25247
- Download ViveTool from GitHub and place the files in a convenient and easy-to-reach folder.
- Press Win + X and select Terminal (Admin).
- Switch Windows Terminal to Command Prompt profile by pressing Ctrl + Shift + 2 or clicking the arrow-down button at the top of the window.
- Navigate to the folder containing the extracted ViveTool files using the CD command. For example, if you have copied ViveTool to C:\Vive, type CD C:\Vive.
- Type vivetool /enable /id:41539325 /variant:1 and press Enter. If you want to use the new Suggested Actions feature as Microsoft wants, type vivetool /enable /id:41539325.
- Restart your computer.
You can also try other Suggested Actions modifications. Variant:2 replaces "search the web" with "search copied text," while retaining the ability to search in Chrome. Variant:3 works as the released configuration, and variant:4 shows the "search copied text" button with no option to select which browser to open.
Microsoft says that new features in the Dev channel are not final, which means you can expect changes and improvements in future releases as the company figures out what to ship to the general public. Finally, you can just toggle off the Suggested Actions feature using the vivetool /disable /id:41539325 command.