C. Scott Brown / Android Authority
TL;DR
- There’s a new Google app for Windows.
- The app lets you search the web and your own files with a handy keyboard shortcut.
- The app is currently available everywhere, but only in English on Windows 10 and up.
Last year, Google released an experimental app for Windows that enabled a simple keyboard shortcut to search the web, content in your Google account, and even local apps and files. Starting today, that app has graduated from Search Labs experimental status and is available worldwide.
The Google app for Windows opens a floating search bar when you press Alt + Space. In addition to a text field, the search bar includes options to upload files, share your screen, or select visual elements using Google Lens. The app defaults to AI Mode, but there are options to use Google’s other search modalities, as well.
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In its earlier, experimental form, the Google app didn’t have as much of a focus on AI Mode, instead making web searches in Google’s classic search interface with an option to move over to AI Mode (though these searches typically included AI Overview summaries by then). The current version seems to have reversed that dynamic, as searches go first through AI Mode with other search options being a click away.
That initial version of the app hit a snag early on, with Google advising early adopters to uninstall and reinstall the app to keep receiving updates. This stable release is presumably in a more complete state.
Windows’ built in search functionality isn’t especially well liked, and power users often rely on third-party solutions. Time will tell whether Google’s new app becomes a popular alternative. The new Google app is available globally, but it’s currently exclusive to Windows (Windows 10 or newer) and only supports English.
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