How To Fix Windows 10 Search not working in 8 easy steps?

On Windows 10, the Search option at the bottom of the taskbar is a pretty important thing these days. Some Windows 10 users are experiencing an issue with the search box. In this issue the search box appears blank and fails to display any search result. To solve this error you need to try out the solutions written further down the article.

Windows search comes with great functionality; we can easily search for apps, documents, pictures and videos quickly. Integration of Bing search in the search box automatically searches for anything you wish to search for.  You can easily access the web pages easily and save some time.

But sometimes, this search box fails to work. When you try to search in the search box it will become unresponsive. Don’t worry we will help you to solve the Windows 10 search not working issue. To resolve this issue, there are several troubleshooting steps.

These are some troubleshooting steps we will follow to resolve the windows 10 search not working issue:

#1 Removal of Bing from search

The Windows 10 search not working issue can happen due to the Bing integrated in the search box. Lots of Windows 10 users were able to solve this issue by removing bing from the search. We have to work with RegEdit, so backing up your PC and its registries is recommended.

After backing up your computer follow the steps written below to solve the search issue. Keep in mind that your web results will not appear in the search while Bing is disabled.

1. Press Windows + R button, the run dialog box will appear.
2. Type regedit and hit enter.
3. Double click on HKEY_CURRENT_USER.
4. Click on SOFTWARE.
5. Double click on Microsoft.
6. Double click on Windows
7. Press CurrentVersion
8. Double click on Search
9. Right click on the right pane of regedit window, a menu tab will pop up
10. Click New
11. Click on D-WORD(32 bit) value.
12. Type BingSearchEnabled and press enter on your keyboard.
13. Type 0(zero) in the value data field. It will be 0 by default, if not make it 0.
14. Click on OK
15. Double Click on CortanaConsent
16. Type 0 in the data field.
17. Click OK

#2 Restart your computer

This fix can be considered as a temporary solution to fix the Windows 10 search not working issue. You can undo the setting after the issue gets fixed by Microsoft. To undo the settings and re-enable Bing, type 1 in the BingSearchEnabled data field. The same steps are to be followed to enable CortanaConsent.

If this fix doesn’t work for you then try the next fix written below.

#3 Fixing the search using Troubleshooter

If the Windows 10 search not working issue still persists then try to fix the search using Troubleshooter. It can diagnose and fix this issue.

Troubleshooting can be done using the Settings app or Command Prompt.

To repair using the settings app follow the steps written below:

1. Open the Settings app.
2. Click on Update and security.
3. Select Troubleshoot.
4. Under the Find and Fix other problems, click on Search and Indexing
5. Click on Run the troubleshooter button
6. Check the checkbox which describes your situation. You can select the Files that don’t appear in the search results option.
7. Select the Next button.
8. Once you complete all the steps, the Windows 10 search not working issue will be solved easily. You can also run troubleshooting using the Command prompt.
9. To repair using Command Prompt, follow the steps written below:
10. Press Windows + R, a run dialog box will appear.
11. Type cmd and hit enter or click on the OK button.
12. Type following command to launch Troubleshooter or copy-paste the command below:
13. msdt –ep WindowsHelp id SearchDiagnostic
14. After entering the command, hit Enter on your keyboard.
15. Troubleshoot dialog box will appear, click on the Advanced option.
16. Check the Apply repairs automatically checkbox.
17. Click on Next.
18. Check the Files don’t appear in the search results checkbox
19. Select next

Don’t forget to restart your PC after following the steps written above. After you complete all the steps, the Windows 10 search not working issue will be solved automatically. If the fix fails to work, follow the steps written below which are also able to solve the windows 10 search not working issue easily. Fixing the search using the restart option

#3 Fixing the search using the reset option

You can also fix the search using the restart option. This will restart all the processes that control the search elements. Follow the steps written below to restart services:

1. Right-click on the windows option on the taskbar and open task manager.
2. Open the Details tab.
3. Search for SearchUI.exe and right-click on it.
4. Click on the End task option.
5. Follow all the steps written above and fix the Windows 10 search not working issue. After following all the steps, restart your PC and check whether the search option is working or not.
6. Fixing the search using the reset option:

If all the fixes written above fail to work for you, then try this fix. This reset process will work according to the Windows 10 OS version installed on your PC.

To check the Windows 10 version:

1. Open Settings app.
2. Click on Devices.
3. Select About.
4. Under the Windows Specification, check the version of Windows 10.

After Checking the version of Windows 10, follow the steps written below to solve the Windows 10 search not working error. Follow the steps according to the version of Windows 10.

#4 Resetting Search on Windows 10 version 1903

If you are running the 1903 version of windows 10, then reset search using these steps.

1. Open Microsoft Download center Website.
2. Click on the download button below the Reset Windows search PowerShell script.
3. The .ps1 file will get downloaded in the download folder.
4. Right-click on the Start button and open Windows PowerShell as admin.
5. Enter the following command to reset the search:

   Get –ExecutionPolicy

6. Confirm the policy.
7. Run the command written below:
8. Set –ExecutionPolicy –Scope CurrentUser –ExecutionPolicy
9. Type Y to confirm and hit enter on your keyboard.
10. Type the following command to run the script and hit enter:

    &”C:\Users\YOUR-ACCOUNT-FOLDER\Downloads\ResetWindowssearchBox.ps1

11. Place your account name in YOUR-ACCOUNT-FOLDER option.
12. Type R and hit Enter.
13. Execute the following command to set the original execution policy:

    Set –ExecutionPolicy  -Scope CurrentUser –ExecutionPolicyRestricted

14. Type Y and hit Enter.

Follow all the steps written above to solve the Windows 10 search not working issue. These steps are applicable only if your version of Windows 10 is 1903.

#5 Reset Search on Windows 10 version 1809

If your Windows 10 version is 1809 or earlier, then follow the steps written below which will solve the Windows 10 search not working error.

1. Press the Windows button and open start.
2. Click on All apps and right-click on Cortana.
3. Select More option.
4. Press on App setting
5. Click on the reset button.

After following all the steps, it will help you to solve the Windows 10 search problem. Check whether the search box is working fine or not.

#6 Fixing the search Index Setting

Index settings can also cause the windows 10 search not working issue. It prevents you from getting the search results on your search menu. If all the above-mentioned solutions fail to work then follow the steps written below.

This fix will help you to try rebuilding the index database to fix search problems on Windows 10.

1. Open Settings app
2. Click on search and select Searching Windows.
3. Click on the Advanced Search Indexer Settings.
4. Click on the Advanced button.
5. Inside the Index settings tab, under the troubleshooting tab Click on Rebuild.
6. Click on the Ok button.

After completion of all steps, Windows 10 will clear and rebuild the index database. This will help you to solve the Windows 10 search not working issue. Follow all the steps to resolve the issue.

#7 Restarting Windows Search

In some of the cases, the search option starts working after restarting the windows search.

1. Press Windows + R to open Run pop up
2. Type services.msc
3. Search for Windows Search and double click on it
4. Select the General tab
5. Use the startup type menu and select the Automatic (Delayed Start) option.
6. Click Start
7. Click on the Apply button
8. Click OK.

After you follow all the steps the Windows Search service will restart. Check whether the search option is working or not. This fix can solve the Windows 10 search not working issue.

#8 Fixing search using Windows Update

Microsoft always strives to solve these types of errors. You check for the update inside the settings app. This fix always fixes all the bugs you are facing.

Sometimes after updating Windows these types of errors arise. If you want to uninstall the updates follow the steps written below:

1. Open the Settings app
2. Select Update and Security
3. Click on Windows Update
4. Click on the View update history
5. Click on Uninstall updates.
6. Select the latest update installed on your PC
7. Click on Uninstall
8. Click yes and Restart your PC

Follow these steps to downgrade your computer and use it in the previously installed version of Windows. This fix has the potential to solve the Windows 10 search not working issue.

These were the few fixes that can be used to fix the windows 10 search not working issue. We urge people not to update the computer immediately after the update arrives, wait for few hours, and review the software on the web. If few people are facing some issues then you would stop for few hours. Microsoft will fix the bug in few hours and solve the issues faced by the users. So, please wait for a few hours and update the Windows. Hope our article helped you to fix the windows 10 search not working issue.