Google unveiled a rival to Apple’s Spotlight search, recently upgraded in macOS Tahoe, and also introduced a Windows desktop app.
Want to find out more about the Spotlight’s rival?
Let’s figure out about the new Google’s Windows desktop application, its features and how you can download it.
What is the new Google search bar for PCs?
Google has always come up with great products, but it became a rarity when it comes to having Desktop apps. However, Google took Windows users by surprise on 16th September 2025 by announcing a Google Windows desktop application. The app is a Google search feature that is currently being tested and is considered a Windows experiment for now.
The new Google Windows desktop app is a floating search bar that can appear on your desktop with a keyboard shortcut. Yes, now Google will let you search anything, anytime by just typing the keyboard shortcut, ‘Alt + Space’.
People have compared the new desktop Google app with Apple’s famous search feature Spotlight. Spotlight can be accessed on macOS and help users in finding files and applications from the system and the internet.
The Google Windows desktop application is still in its testing phase and only available for users in the United States. Moreover, the desktop app can be accessed through Google Labs. However, the product is only available for Windows users with Windows 10 or 11.
Windows users will also need a personal Google account to access the desktop app.
What are the search features of Google’s new windows desktop app?
The Google Windows desktop app is expected to have great features, such as:
- Ease-to-Access: Windows users can easily access the floating search bar in Google desktop by using “Alt + Space”.
- Search Anything: Windows users can easily search for any information from the web, their local files, Google drive or installed apps.
- Zero Interruption: Google built this desktop app for users to search and find things instantly without leaving the space they’re working on.
- Visual Search: The Google Windows desktop app comes with a built-in Google Lens feature. With the help of this feature users can leverage the visual search and translate visuals or texts.
- Use AI-mode: Windows users can also access Google’s AI mode through this desktop app. According to Google, users can get better AI-powered responses through the desktop app along with links and resources.
- Access Gemini Anywhere: Windows users can also access Gemini and leverage its AI-powered responses anytime.
How to download the new Windows desktop app by Google?
The Google Windows desktop app can be accessed through experiments in Google Labs for Windows 10 and 11 users.
You can access the Windows desktop app by Google through the following steps:
- Go to Google Labs.
- Type for “Google apps for Windows” in the Search bar in Labs.
- Download the new Google Desktop app.
- Log in to the Google Desktop app with your Google Account.
How to access the AI-mode in the Windows desktop app Google?
Similar to the Google Search page, Windows users gets the options to search with precision, using options like:
- All Search results
- AI-mode
- Images Search
- Videos Search
- News
- Shopping and more.
Google’s Windows desktop app is set by default to show results through the traditional search bar. However, you can search for anything using the AI-mode as well, through following steps:
- Use the keyboard shortcut ‘Alt + Space’ to summon the Google search bar.
- Type your query or screenshot an image to search.
- Shift to the AI-mode among the different search options below the floating search bar.
- Get AI-powered responses related to your search query.
Is the new Windows desktop app similar to Google’s previous utilities?
Many Windows users are happy with the new Google Windows desktop app which is like Apple’s Spotlight.
Having Google Lens within the desktop app will help users in using advanced visual search for quick results.
However, several Windows users took it to Reddit and compared the new app with old Windows utilities by Microsoft PowerToys.
Users found similarities with the PowerToys Run and Windows Command Palette utilities. These utilities were easily accessed through almost similar keyboard shortcuts like the desktop Google app.
Windows users think that the previous utilities were better, and the new Desktop app is uncertain because it’s from Google. Since Google has a history of killing several useful features and updates in the past.
Would you try the new Windows desktop app by Google?
The experimental Windows desktop app from Google Search Labs is a feature to look out for as a Windows user. It is easy and quick to access and effective in terms of finding instant results for any query.
What do you think about it? Will you try it out?
Do let us know your thoughts on Google’s Windows desktop app!
Frequently Asked Questions
Q. Can I install the new Google Windows desktop app on Windows 10?
Yes, Google is testing the experimental Windows desktop app for PCs with Windows 10 & Windows 11. Windows users with versions below Windows 10 will not be able to access the new Google Windows desktop app.
Q. Is Google testing a Windows desktop app?
Yes, Google announced on 16th September 2025 through the keyword, that they are working on a new app. The new desktop Google app is launched for Windows in Labs as an experiment.
The app is like Apple’s search feature Spotlight which is available in macOS. Google claimed that the search feature will help Windows users in searching anything at any time.
Q. What are PowerToys?
PowerToys was released in the 1990s as an open-source project with free tools for Windows users. It is a set of utilities managed by Microsoft to provide users a seamless experience while using Windows.
The PowerToys Run utility within PowerToys is like Google’s new experimental Windows desktop app. It was used to help users access files or any application instantly by giving the keyboard command, ‘Alt + Space’.
To use the PowerToys Run utility make sure that you’ve PowerToys installed on your PC. PCs with Windows 10 and 11 having 64-bit systems can install PowerToys.
Q. What is Windows Command Palette?
Windows Command Palette is another utility by PowerToys. This utility helps Windows users in accessing their latest used application, files and commands in a single place.
