For years, the search bar on the Windows taskbar has been little more than a way to find a lost PDF or quickly check the weather. But after spending a week diving deep into the AI tools tucked away right inside that search field, I realized I was overlooking a powerful productivity suite that’s been sitting under my nose the whole time.

From instant image generation to a surprisingly capable writing assistant, I put Bing’s AI to the test to see if it’s actually useful or just another gimmick — so you don’t have to.

Where are these free AI tools on Windows?

Just a click away

Like many of you, the search bar on my taskbar was basically a dead zone. I have either ignored it or disabled it from day one. While it’s true that many of these tools are essentially sleek, web-integrated mini apps, the reality of using them is surprisingly seamless.

Here is the quick breakdown of the AI toolkit that’s been sitting under our noses:

• The Sticker generator: No more hunting for the perfect transparent PNG. I describe it, and the AI (powered by Microsoft Designer) creates a custom sticker I can drop straight into a message or document.
• The Message crafter: This is essentially a ‘Compose’ tab. Whether I need to turn a blunt bulleted list into a polite email or draft a quick social media caption, it handles the tone and length for me effectively.
• The coloring page: More of a gimmick one for me, but it can be useful for little ones.
• Try on consumes: This is exactly what it sounds like. You upload a photo and pick from different fun costumes.
• Search with AI: Powered by Copilot, it gives you detailed answers pulled from across the web.
• Image and Video generator: You can try DALL-E 3 for high-quality visuals or use the basic video generator to create short, social-ready clips from text prompts.

Starting with Microsoft AI tools

Sticker generator, message crafter, and more

Within a few days, I realized that while the convenience is top-notch, the execution can be a bit of a mixed bag.

The sticker generator is probably the tool I had the most fun with. I just upload any existing image, pick a style like Roses, Vampire Style, Food, Anime, Retro, and more, and generate a sticker in no time.

However, there is a catch: the details. Specifically, when it comes to faces or eyes, the AI still has those classic fails where it doesn’t nail the precision every time.

I was really curious about the ‘Try out Costumes’ feature. I uploaded a photo of myself and asked for a vintage look. The AI did an excellent job with the wardrobe and overall theme. It felt like I was looking at a high-end movie poster of myself.

But once again, the face was the giveaway. The fine details felt just off. The Message Crafter was the most stable of the bunch.

It did exactly what I asked every single time. The only thing holding it back is the variety. Right now, the ‘occasions’ are a bit limited. It’s a solid foundation, but I can see so much room for it to grow into a true personal writing assistant.

Trying out the image and video creator

Quite impressive

When I moved on to the heavy hitters — the image and video generators — things got even more interesting.

I was genuinely impressed by how well the image generator handled complex, wordy prompts. I could throw a paragraph of specific details at it, and it wouldn’t break a sweat.

However, after generating a dozen or so images, I noticed a frustrating pattern: the same-ness factor.

Whether I was asking for a futuristic cityscape or a quiet forest, the output quality was consistent. But the quantities felt the same, with similar color tones and graphics.

The video generator was where things took a surreal turn. For example, I gave it a simple prompt: Sun rising above the sea. I was expecting a peaceful, cinematic shot of the horizon.

What I got instead was a full-on beach party with a man running, kids playing, and another one doing yoga. These are the background details I never even hinted at. It’s as if the model is terrified of boring shots. It’s impressive that it can generate all those elements.

When it comes to Copilot-powered AI, I didn’t even bother to give it a try. I have already integrated it into my favorite productivity tools.

I’m actually impressed

While it’s easy to dismiss the search bar as a gateway for Bing, the sheer convenience of having DALL-E 3 and a capable sticker generator just a click away is hard to beat. Of course, they are far from perfect, and some of them are just gimmicky and don’t work as expected.

But I’m impressed by how much these tools have matured, and I can’t wait to see how Microsoft continues to refine and integrate these features.