Microsoft Tests Separating Search From Cortana in Windows 10

Microsoft is separating Search and voice assistant Cortana in Windows 10, giving them their own distinct locations on the taskbar.

For now, this interface change is part of the latest build (18317) for Windows 10 to be tested by insiders as part of the 19H1 development cycle, which is the next major update to Windows 10 planned for April.

"When it rolls out to you, you'll find clicking the 'Search' box in the taskbar will give you the best in house search experience and clicking the Cortana icon will launch you straight into our voice-first digital assistant experience," the Microsoft's chief of the Windows Insider Program, Dona Sarkar, wrote in a blog post on Wednesday.

With the next update to Windows 10, the software giant aims to improve the user experience.

"This change is one of several we've made throughout this release to improve your experience in this space, including updating the search landing page design, enhancing your search results, and integrating Microsoft To-Do with Cortana," the post added.

In addition to this, the company is also focusing on revamping the "Start" function reliability and on adding advanced font management options as part of the April update for Windows 10.

Windows 10 was released as the successor to Windows 8.1 in July 2015.