Windows 10/11 Search Bar Not Working Again? Here’s What to Do

We often take little things for granted. One of those little things is the Windows search bar. It’s a tool we all use daily without a second thought until it stops responding. When Windows Search is not working, finding files, apps, or settings becomes a serious hassle. But don’t worry; we’ve been there, and we have the solution that you need. Let’s dive into some quick fixes to get your search bar back in action.

Quick Fixes to the Windows Search Bar Not Working

Depending on what the problem is, there are lots of ways to fix this issue. Go through the points listed and see which one works for you. But before that, here’s a breakdown table of the solutions:

Let’s start with the easiest ones:

Fix 1: Restart your PC

Of course, the easiest way to fix the problem is to restart your computer. Sounds too easy, but in many cases, a simple reboot can be the solution you have been looking for. So, if you haven’t tried it already, go to the Start button, find the power icon, and click  Restart.

Fix 2: Restart SearchHost.exe

If you suspect the Windows search is not working because there is an error with SearchHost.exe, the best thing to do is restart it.

• First, open Task Manager by right-clicking the taskbar and selecting Task Manager. Or, to make things fast, you can press Ctrl + Shift + Esc.
• In Task Manager, click Details and scroll till you find SearchHost.exe.
• When you find it, right-click on it, and you should see a menu. End task is the first option on the menu; click it and confirm your selection.

One way to know you did this correctly is you will notice SearchHost.exe disappears from the list. If so, there is no cause for alarm; simply restart the Search button and everything should be fine.

Fix 3: Change search settings

Sometimes it’s not that the search is not working. It might just be a case where you did not configure your Windows Search tool to check some folders. If this is the problem, you simply need to fix this in Settings.

Here’s how to do it:

• Press Windows + I to open Settings. In the Settings window, find Privacy and security, click it, and select Searching Windows on the right.

First, check if the file you are looking for is not included among the folders Windows has excluded from search. If it is, simply remove it by clicking the three dots next to it.

• If the file you are looking for is not here, you can change the way your PC searches for files. Change the settings from Classic to Enhanced so that Windows shows all of your folders.

Fix 4: Check for Windows updates

If this is a problem that stemmed from a recent Windows update that you did, there is a huge chance that Windows is working to fix the issue. This is one of the reasons they are always releasing updates—not just to add new features, sometimes to fix issues like this one.

So, try the following:

• Click the Start button and go to All apps.
• In the list of apps, scroll down until you find Settings. Click it and scroll down to find Windows Update. Select it and then click Check for updates.

Further reading: How to Manually Check and Install Windows Updates

Advanced Fixes to the Windows Search Bar Not Working

So, we have essentially given you the simple fixes, with the assumption that the problem is minor. However, if, until this point, you are still having issues with the Windows search bar, maybe it’s time to bring in the big guns.

Let’s start with the Windows Font Cache Service.

Solution 1: Add ctfmon.exe to your startup programs

In some cases, ctfmon.exe can improve the functionality of Windows Search by ensuring that text input services are running properly. This solution will likely work if the search problem you are experiencing is related to indexing or text processing.

Adding ctfmon.exe to your startup programs can potentially help solve issues with the Windows search box not responding.

However, it’s not a guaranteed fix and might not work if you are dealing with bigger problems like corrupted index files, service issues, or system file problems.

But then, let’s give it a try:

Open the run dialog box (Windows + R) and type “regedit.” You should get a prompt asking if you want the app to make changes to your computer. Click yes and proceed.

• In the Registry Editor window, navigate to

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run

• Right-click in the right pane and select New > String Value.

• Name the new value “CTFMon.”

• Double-click the new CTFMon entry and set its Value data to C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\CTFMON.EXE

• Restart your PC.

Solution 2: Restart the Windows Font Cache Service

Windows Font Cache is a system service that plays an important role in managing and optimizing font loading on Windows systems.

However, sometimes this service can conflict with your search. To fix it:

• Press Win + R to open the Run dialog. In the dialog, type “services.msc” and press Enter.

• Find Windows Font Cache Service in the list. Right-click on it and select Restart.
• Restart your computer and check if the search is working.

Solution 3: Run the Search and Indexing troubleshooter

If restarting the Windows Font Cache Service does not fix the problem, then let’s troubleshoot the search:

• Open Windows Settings (Win + I).
• Click on System, it’s the first option on the list. From there, find Troubleshoot. 

• On the next screen, click Other troubleshooters.
• Once the troubleshooters load, find Search and Indexing and click Run.

• Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the troubleshooting process.

Solution 4: Rebuild the Windows search index

If that didn’t work, you can try rebuilding the search index. Doing this will refresh the search function and its index so that it can easily find files on your PC.

Open the Control Panel and look for Indexing Options.

• In the new window, click on Advanced.

• Under the Indexing Settings tab, click Rebuild.

• Click OK to confirm. This process may take some time but it should work.

Solution 5: Check for corrupted system files using SFC and DISM

If the problem is a corrupted system file, the SFC command should be able to fix it. 

SFC (System File Checker) is a command-line tool that helps to restore and repair corrupted or broken system files. 

If you are not scared of writing some command-line code, let’s try it together:

• Right-click on the taskbar to open Task Manager.
• In the menu above, click File and then Run new task.
• In the dialogue box, enter “cmd” and check the box right underneath to grant admin privileges. 

• Run the System File Checker by typing “sfc /scannow” in the Command Prompt window.

• Wait for the process to complete.
• If SFC doesn’t fix the issue, run DISM by typing “DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth.”

Solution 6: Reset your PC

This option is a bit extreme for a problem like Windows Search not working. However, if you want to get rid of the problem, resetting your PC may be the solution. Here’s how to go about it:

• Go to your Settings window and click on System.
• Then, search for Recovery and select it.

• Next, click on Reset PC next to Reset this PC.

• You can either select Keep my files or Remove everything, depending on your preference.

Follow the prompts to start the process. If you want an in-depth guide, check this article: How to Factory Reset a Windows 10 & 11 Computer

Possible Reasons Why Your Windows Explorer Search Is Not Working

Let’s now summarize all the possible reasons you might encounter a Windows Search tool failure. Understanding these can help you avoid the problem in the future. Here are the most common ones:

• Indexing issues: To find files quickly, Windows Search works with an index. The index is like a database that keeps a catalog of all your files for easy retrieval. If something happens to this index—maybe it gets corrupted or it is incomplete—you might notice your Windows search bar is not working.
• Windows Search service issues: When you run your searches on Windows, this special service runs the errand in the background. So, this one is a no-brainer—if this service has stopped working or someone disabled it, your Windows Search will not work. 
• File system corruption: Your computer’s file system is where the operating system organizes and tracks the files on all drives. Imagine someone walks into a large filing room and switches the label on the files. No matter how good the secretary in such an office is, retrieving files in such an office will be a nightmare. That’s exactly what happens in this case. When the file system becomes corrupt, Windows will struggle to find, locate, and access files. 
• Issues with SearchHost.exe: When you click the search bar, SearchHost.exe is the process that runs in the background. The thing is, it is supposed to only work when you decide to run searches. However, if it stays off for some reason and does not come on automatically, you are likely going to have issues like the Windows 10/11 search bar not working.  
• Third-party software conflicts: Sometimes, antiviruses and some other security applications can interfere with core system functionality. These conflicts happen when the antivirus starts to take its job too seriously, or maybe it’s using too much of the system’s resources.
• Windows Update: Finally, on our list of reasons, sometimes Windows updates can introduce bugs into your PC due to compatibility issues or coding errors. These bugs can potentially disrupt system processes, corrupt files, or cause conflicts with drivers. If any of these happen, your Windows Search is likely not going to function properly.

The Windows Search Bar Is Not Working: Fixed

At this point, we hope you are smiling knowing that you do not have to manually look for files on your PC anymore. Now you understand how valuable the search bar can be, and hopefully the solutions in this guide are sufficient to resolve the issue of a non-working Windows search box..

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