Search Bar or Icon not working in Windows 11/10

If the Windows Search Bar or icon is not working on your Windows 11/10 PC then this post will help you resolve the issue. Some users have reported when they try to click it or insert text into the search box, nothing happens. Some say that the search box is missing. There are also reports of the search icon becoming too big after a new install. All these annoying issues can be fixed by following these suggestions.

Why is the Windows Search icon not working?

Search system glitches are the main cause of the Windows search icon not working. These are temporary issues that come after an update or restart. It can also be caused by taskbar settings and configuration. In rare cases, the problem can be caused by corrupt system files or malicious attacks.

Fix Search Bar or Icon not working in Windows 11/10

If the Windows search bar or icon is not working, is too big, not responding, or it’s missing, use the following solutions to resolve the issue:

Restart Explorer
Run Search and Indexing troubleshooter
Tweak Taskbar settings
Check for Updates
Restart Windows Search
Scan system files
Rebuild the Windows Search index
Reset Windows Search

Let us delve into these solutions in detail.

1] Restart Explorer

Restarting the Explorer process on your PC can resolve temporary glitches that may have caused the Windows Explorer, Taskbar and the Search icon not to work.

If this doesn’t resolve the issue, then you can try the next methods in this post.

Read: Windows Search Bar or Icon is missing

2] Run Search and Indexing troubleshooter

You can use the Windows in-built Search troubleshooter to fix Windows search issues. The tool will find and fix the issues or suggest what you need to do. To run the Search and Indexing troubleshooter, perform the following steps;

Open Windows Settings and go to Update & Security > Troubleshoot.
Select Additional troubleshooters and then choose Search and Indexing.
Click Run the troubleshooter and let the tool find issues automatically. Follow the on-screen directions to complete the process. This depends on what the tool will find.

You may also use Command Prompt to run the troubleshooter by copying and pasting the following command line and then pressing Enter;

msdt.exe -ep WindowsHelp id SearchDiagnostic

3] Tweak Taskbar settings

If the Windows 10 Search icon is too big, most probably it’s because you haven’t enabled the small taskbar icons.

Right-click on an empty space on the Taskbar and select Taskbar settings. Locate and toggle on the button next to Use small taskbar icons. For Windows 11 users, you may need to enable the search icon if it’s missing. Open the Settings app and go to Personalization and select the Taskbar option. On the left side, locate the Search Windows option and toggle on the button next to it to enable the search icon.

Windows 11 users may use this method to show Small Taskbar Icons. You will have to use the Registry.

4] Check for Updates

Windows search feature may have issues because your Windows system is not up-to-date. So update your Windows manually and see.

5] Restart Windows Search

Restarting Windows Search process ensures that you end the SearchUI process and initiate a new one on the restart. This will ensure that the search process starts afresh and restore the icon on the taskbar. Follow the steps below to restart Windows Search.

Open Windows Task Manager by pressing Ctrl + Alt + Delete and choose Task Manager.
Go to Details > Name, then right-click SearchUI.exe, and click End Task. You will get a prompt; select End process.

6] Scan system files

Sometimes, corrupted system files may be the reason why the Windows search icon is not working. To fix these files you need to run the System File Checker and the DISM tool in the Command Prompt.

7] Rebuild the Windows Search Index

The search index is crucial as Windows relies on it to deliver search results for users. If the index has issues, it may cause the search icon not to work. To fix this, we need to rebuild the Windows search index and see if the problem is resolved. Follow the steps below:

Open Windows Settings and go to Search > Searching Windows.
Scroll down, locate, and click on Advanced Search Indexer Settings.
A new small Indexing Options window will pop up. Click Advanced and click on Rebuild.
You will get a prompt to confirm your action; select OK to continue. Click OK and follow the on-screen directions to complete the process. It takes a longer time to finish this method.

For Windows 11 users, open Settings and go to Privacy & Security > Searching Windows > Advanced indexing options > Indexing Options > Advanced > Rebuild > OK.

8] Reset Windows Search

Resetting Windows Search may also fix the search icon if it is missing, not working, or too big than expected. We can use PowerShell to reset Windows Search. First, download the reset Windows search PowerShell script here at microsoft.com. Right-click on the script and choose Run with PowerShell. Follow on-screen directions to complete the process.

We hope one solution works for you.

Read: Icons not showing in Windows Search Box

Why can’t I type in the search bar on Windows?

If you can’t type in the Windows search bar, then there could be a problem with a bug that can be resolved by restarting your PC. If the problem persists, consider restarting Explorer or your PC, updating your Windows OS, or resetting Windows Search, among other solutions, we discussed in this post.

Read: How to clear or disable Taskbar Search Box History in Windows

Why is my search bar suspended?

Your search bar may be suspended due to the SearchUI.exe error in Windows 11 or Windows 10. This error is caused by glitches or background apps that mess up related processes. To fix a suspended search bar, run the Search and Indexing troubleshooter, restart Explorer, and update Windows OS.