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I used winaero tweaker [1] to disable web search, the search is infinitely better now.

You can do the same tweak by editing the registry [2] if you don't want to download an app for it (though the app includes a lot of additional useful tweaks).

[1] https://winaerotweaker.com/

[2] https://www.tomshardware.com/how-to/disable-windows-web-sear...

You can download openshell and it will replace the start menu from the start menu from whatever era you want (XP, 7, 8, I think 10 too). It's open source as well

Type into the search box and when the app icon comes up, click on it.

"I searched bing for you and here's the link to Word on the web"

Dunno. On the relatively clean Windows 11 on my laptop, on which I'd never run Teams before, I typed "tea" into the search box (no ENTER) and while it also offered to look up on the web about "Tea" it did show "Microsoft Teams (personal) (app) at the top right with a large, clickable icon.