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Windows 7 Tip of the Week
Search the Internet with Start Menu Search

Tip date: February 12, 2010
Tipster: L. Valenta

Start Menu Search is one of the best features in modern Windows versions like Windows Vista and 7. But in Windows 7, Start Menu Search can only be used to search for programs and files by default. Fortunately, with a simple change, you can use Start Menu Search to trigger Internet searches as well. And these searches will be performed with your default browser and search engine. So if you happen to use, say, Google Chrome and Google Search, no worries: That's what it will use.

The key is to use a little-known administration tool called the Group Policy Editor. In corporate environments, this management console is used to set policies for computers and users. But when used on a single PC, or "locally," it can be used in a similar manner to set policies for the local PC and currently logged-in user.

Note: The Group Policy Editor is not available in Windows 7 Starter or Home Premium. However, those users can use the Registry Editor instead. It's not as pretty, but it works.

Here's how to configure Windows 7 to offer Internet searching from Start Menu Search.

Group Policy Editor method

In Windows XP, you'd have to know that the Group Policy Editor utilized the odd name "gpedit.msc", but thanks to Start Menu Search in Windows 7, you can simply type in "group policy" (no quotes) when you open the Start Menu. You'll see an entry titled Edit group policy.

Windows 7 Tip of the Week

Click that to launch the Group Policy Editor. Here, you'll see a hierarchical view of the local policies--settings, essentially--that are available to configure. They're broken into two major sections in the left-most pane, Computer Configuration and User Configuration.

Windows 7 Tip of the Week

In that view, expand User Configuration, Administrative Templates, Start Menu and Taskbar. The right side will display a list of settings.

Windows 7 Tip of the Week

The topmost setting, Add Search Internet link to Start Menu, is the one we're looking for. As you can see, the State is currently set to Not configured. Double-click the Add Search Internet link to Start Menu entry to change the setting.

Windows 7 Tip of the Week

In this window, select Enabled and then click OK. Then, close the Group Policy Editor.

Registry Editor

If you are running Windows 7 Starter or Home Premium, you'll need to use the Registry Editor instead. To do so, open the Start Menu and type "regedit" (no quotes) in Start Menu Search. This will open the Registry Editor. (You'll need to OK a User Account Control Prompt first.) Navigate in the left tree view to the following location:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows

If you don't see a key (which looks like a folder) named Explorer, you will need to make one. To do so, right-click the Windows key (folder) and choose New, then Key. Name it "Explorer" (no quotes). Then, right-click the Explorer key (folder) and choose New, then DWORD (32-bit) Value. A "New Value #1" entry will appear in the right side of the Registry Editor and be highlighted so you can edit its name. Rename this to AddSearchInternetLinkInStartMenu. Double-click this and change the value data to 00000001. Close the dialog and then close the Registry Editor. You may have to reboot for this change to take effect.

You're done!

Now, when you search with Start Menu Search, you'll see a new Search the Internet link appear just above the search box, complete with the icon for your default web browser. (It appears as you type.) By default, Start Menu searches will still be performed against local files and programs. But if you tap the Search the Internet link, your default browser will open and the search string will be run against your default Internet search engine.

Windows 7 Tip of the Week

Tip: Touch-typists can tap SHIFT+TAB to select the Search the Internet link without taking their hands off the keyboard. Then, just tap ENTER to launch the search.

If you want to reverse this effect, simply revisit the Group Policy Editor (or Regedit) and change the setting back to its original value.

--Paul Thurrott
February 12, 2010