Windows 10/11 Search Bar Not Working: Common Causes & Fixes

Are you unable to open the Windows search bar or type in it? This could be caused by various reasons, such as corrupted file caches or excessive system resource usage. Don’t worry! In the following, we will cover all the possible causes of the “Windows search bar not working” issue and how to fix it.

Why Is Your Windows Search Bar Not Working?

If your Windows search bar is not working, it might be caused by the below causes. You can check them to help fix the issue better.

• Corrupted search index
• Windows search services issues
• System file corruption
• Outdated Windows version
• Cortana process issues

Next, we’ll introduce various fixes for these causes.

Tip: To protect your data and privacy on Windows, use LightningX VPN which is excellent in performance and robust in protection. It offers 2,000+ servers in 50+ countries including Japan, the US, Canada, etc. It supports Windows, macOS, Android, iOS, Apple TV, and Android TV. With a simple click, you can surf around the online world.

How to Fix Search Bar Not Working on Windows 10/11

Note that we’ll use the Win key frequently. So, if your Windows key is not working, try to fix it first.

Restart Your Computer

Sometimes some glitches or slow system sources (like RAM or CPU) can lead to the Windows search bar not working. After the reboot, your PC will reload the system source, restore functionality, and finally fix the problem with the search bar.

However, if restarting the computer can’t fix the issue, try the next method.

Run the Windows Search and Indexing Troubleshooter

To easily diagnose and troubleshoot the issues with the search bar, you can use the built-in troubleshooter on the Windows PC. Here’s how to use it to fix the problem.

Windows 10

• Press the Windows and R keys simultaneously to open the “Run” window.
• Type “Control Panel” and press Enter.
• Select “Troubleshooting” at the left bottom of the Control Panel.
• Click “System and Security” on the “Troubleshoot computer problems” page.
• Click “Search and Indexing” under the Windows section.
• Follow the on-screen instructions to finish the scanning process. After detecting the issue, the troubleshooter will help you fix it.

Windows 11

• Press Win + I to open Settings.
• Navigate to System > Troubleshoot > Other troubleshooters.
• Click “Search and Indexing” under “Other troubleshooters”.
• Follow the prompts to start scanning and fixing the issue related to Windows Search.

Restart Windows Font Cache Service

If your Windows search bar is not working or won’t type, restarting the Font Cache Service is worth a try. The Font Cache Service is an important service and component for the search bar to function properly. If it is corrupted or overloaded, it can cause many issues such as rendering issues or delays in UI elements, finally affecting the search bar. To fix the issue, restart the Windows Font Cache Service.

• Press Win + R to open the “Run” window.
• Type services.msc and press Enter. This will open the “Services” window.
• Scroll down to find “Windows Font Cache Service”.
• Right-click on it and choose “Restart”. Wait until it is restarted.

Reset Cortana

Cortana powers the search bar on your Windows PC. If it malfunctions, the search bar may stop working. You can reset Cortana to fix the issue. Here’s how to do so.

• Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open Task Manager.
• Find Cortana in the list and right-click on it.
• Select End Task. Now your PC will automatically restart Cortana.

Restart the Windows Search Bar

Restarting the Windows Search bar can resolve the Windows search bar not working. It can clear temporary glitches and reset corrupted states. Here are the steps to do it.

• Press Win + R to open the Run dialog box.
• Type services.msc and press Enter to open the Services window.
• Scroll down and find “Windows Search”.
• Right-click on it and select “Restart”. Now the service will be restarted.

Try Rebuilding the Windows Search Index

If your Windows search bar won’t type, try rebuilding the Windows search index. Here are the steps.

• Press Win + R to open the “Run” window.
• Type “Control Panel” and press Enter.
• Select “Indexing Options” in the Control Panel.
• Click the “Advanced” button at the bottom of the “Indexing Options” tab.
• Click the “Rebuild” button on the “Index Settings” page.
• Click “OK” to confirm the action. Now your Windows search index will start rebuilding. Wait until the process is done.

Update Your Windows PC

Updating the operating system can fix the Windows search bar not working issue. Here’s how to do it on Windows 10 and 11.

• Press Win + I to open Settings.
• Click “Update & Security” in the Settings window.
• In the left-hand menu, select “Windows Update” and click “Check for updates”.
• If there’s an update, click “Download and install”.
• After updating the PC, restart it to operate the new operating system.

End the Windows Explorer Process

If your Windows start button and search bar are not working, end the Windows Explorer task to fix them. This can help reload all UI components (e.g. taskbar and search bar), reset the exploring process, and release system resources. Here’s how to do so.

• Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open Task Manager.
• Right-click on “Windows Explorer” and select “End task”. Don’t quit Task Manager!
• In Task Manager, click “File” on the top left corner to open a dropdown menu.
• Click “Run new task” from the dropdown menu.
• Type “explorer.exe” and press Enter to restart Windows Explorer. Now the Windows start button and search bar should work again.

Reset Your PC

The last resort to solve the Windows search bar not working is to reset the Windows PC. However, in case your important data is lost, back it up on a USB disk. Here’s how to reset your PC.

• Press Win + I to open Settings.
• Click on “Update & Security” in the settings.
• In the left-hand menu, select “Recovery”.
• Under the “Reset this PC” section, click “Get started”.
• Select “Keep my files” and follow the on-screen instructions to complete the reset process. Your PC will start the resetting process which will take some time.

Related: How to Wipe a Computer? (Windows, Mac, Third-Party Tool)

Wrap Up

The issue with the Windows search bar is easy to fix using the above solutions. However, if you still can’t troubleshoot the problem, send your PC to a professional. Hope you can fix the issue after reading this post!