City Art Search
In this article, we will take a closer look at the impact City Art Search has had on our society. From its emergence to the present, City Art Search has played a crucial role in various areas of our daily lives. Over the years, City Art Search has played a fundamental role in the way we communicate, work and interact with our environment. This article seeks to offer a deep and insightful view on the importance of City Art Search, as well as its influence on the contemporary world. Through an exhaustive analysis, we will explore the many facets of City Art Search and its impact on different spheres of society, providing the reader with a broad and enriching perspective on this topic.
| City Art Search | |
|---|---|
 City Art Search logo, resembling Grant Wood's American Gothic | |
 | |
| Original author | Brian Kernan |
| Developer | Microsoft |
| Initial release | 3 November 2014 |
| Stable release | 8.0.4.0
/ 4 July 2025[1] |
| Platform | Windows 10, 11 |
| License | Proprietary freeware |
City Art Search is an app developed by Microsoft that updates the Windows lock screen with selected artworks from around the world. It offers personalization features and allows users to search for artworks, which can also be displayed on an interactive map.
Features
The app includes a robust search feature, allowing users to browse content by various criteria, such as: ancient civilization, continent, country, nationality, continentality, region, state, city, structure, palace, church, mosque, architect, artist, museum, gallery, artistic movement, group of paintings, painting, sculpture, statue, tag, and time period.[2][3]
Additionally, users can add artworks to their favorites for quick access and play slideshows featuring random artworks. For personalized browsing, users have the option to exclude specific types of content, such as artworks depicting nudity, violence, religious themes, portraits, or buildings.
Where available, artworks include direct links to their corresponding Wikipedia articles, providing further context and information. Users can also customize the interval for refreshing artwork on their lock screens, specifying the number of minutes between each update.
As of 2025, City Art Search features a collection of 10,485 artworks, up from 8,000 in 2017.[4]
History
City Art Search was launched in 2014 for Windows 8.1 and Windows Phone 8.1. Although the app continues to receive updates, it has retained its original Metro interface since its initial release.[1]
References
- ^ a b "City Art Search". Microsoft Apps. Retrieved 2025-06-29.
- ^ Rubino, Daniel (2016-10-28). "City Art Search Preview for Windows 10 is a must-have app for your Lock and Start Screens". Windows Central. Retrieved 2025-06-06.
- ^ Sabri, Sam (2014-11-04). "Find artwork anywhere in the world with Microsoft's new City Art Search app for Windows 8.1". Windows Central. Retrieved 2025-06-06.
- ^ Jones, Brad (2017-07-31). "Microsoft's City Art Search App Now Documents Over 8,000 Great Works". Digital Trends. Retrieved 2025-06-06.
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