Microsoft working on 'Search tabs' feature in Edge Canary

Edge Dev Hero 2020 Newfeature
Edge Dev Hero 2020 Newfeature (Image credit: Daniel Rubino / Windows Central)

What you need to know

  • A "Search tabs" feature was spotted in Microsoft Edge Canary earlier this year.
  • The option can now appear in the tab actions menu if you enable it with a command line flag.
  • Microsoft also made some slight visual changes to the search tabs menu.

Microsoft hasn't officially announced or rolled out the option to search tabs in its Edge browser, but the company appears to be working on it. Reddit user Leo Varela discovered that it's possible to add "Search tabs" to the tab actions menu in Edge Canary. To make the feature appear, you have to enable it using a command line flag.

The option to search tabs has been in the works for months but appears to be in its early stages of testing. Varela managed to enable it back in February 2021 through a command line flag. Note that a command line flag is different than using edge://flags.

Source: Leo Varela via Reddit (Image credit: Source: Leo Varela via Reddit)

When you click on the option to search tabs, a menu pops up in the middle of the browser. The menu doesn't expand from the tab actions menu or from the taskbar, though its placement will likely change to something more natural.

Source: Leo Varela via Reddit (Image credit: Source: Leo Varela via Reddit)

Microsoft also tweaked the design of the tab search menu a bit. The new menu, shown above on the right, has a square hover effect on the button to close a tab. This lines up better with the rest of Edge Canary.

Sean Endicott
News Writer and apps editor

Sean Endicott is a tech journalist at Windows Central, specializing in Windows, Microsoft software, AI, and PCs. He's covered major launches, from Windows 10 and 11 to the rise of AI tools like ChatGPT. Sean's journey began with the Lumia 740, leading to strong ties with app developers. Outside writing, he coaches American football, utilizing Microsoft services to manage his team. He studied broadcast journalism at Nottingham Trent University and is active on X @SeanEndicott_ and Threads @sean_endicott_.