Search the web from your Start menu

If you use Windows 7 Home Premium or Ultimate, there’s an easy way to search the web from your Start menu. To check which Windows version you use, right-click Computer (on your desktop, Start menu or within File Explorer), then click Properties. You’ll see your Windows edition at the top.

If you use Home Premium or Ultimate, open your Start menu, type gpedit.msc, then press Enter to open your PC’S Group Policy Editor. Here, navigate to the following folder by clicking the dropdown menus on the left: User Configuration/administrative Templates/ ‘Start Menu and Taskbar’. Double-click ‘Add Search Internet link to Start Menu’ in the right-hand pane, select Enabled, then click Apply, followed by OK.

Now type a search term in your Start Menu to see the usual suggestions for items on your PC. At the bottom, you’ll see an option saying ‘Search the Internet’ beside the logo of your default browser. Click this to run a web search for your term.