6 Alternate Ways to Fix Windows Search Bar Errors on Windows 11

Here are some lesser-known ways to get your Windows 11 Search Bar back to normal.

Windows Search is one of the handiest feature as it plays a key role in boosting users’ productivity, but with Windows 11 being somewhat in its infancy, affected users often report having trouble accessing it on their PCs. A slow or a dysfunctional search box can be quite a nuisance and impede user’s work flow.

Therefore, if you discover your Windows 11 Search bar isn't responding, the files or apps you’re searching for don’t show up, or you’re unable to type into the search box even after attempting multiple other fixes, we've previously published a guide on how to fix the Windows Search tool. But if those didn't work, consider these alternative solutions below.

1. Use Command Prompt

As you know, the solution to many Windows-related issues start off with launching a program by searching for it. However, it is rather tricky when the issue itself corresponds to Windows Search not working properly. As an alternative, we have to use various other shortcuts to launch software that can, otherwise, be very easily searched for.

The easiest way to tackle this issue is by using Command Prompt. To go ahead with this fix:

• Press Win + R to launch the Run dialog box.
• Type cmd and press enter.
• Once the Command prompt starts, paste msdt.exe -ep WindowsHelp id SearchDiagnostic and press enter. This will prompt open another dialog box.
• Click on Advanced > Run as administrator, check Apply repairs automatically box, and then press Next.

• Select the problems you're experiencing. Once you're done with that, press Next again to prompt the system to diagnose the issue and apply suitable fixes automatically.

2. Check If SearchUI.exe Is Running

Many times, a suspended or disabled SearchUI.exe is the driving force behind Windows Search problems. To check if this is indeed the case in your PC as well, here's what you can do:

• Launch Task Manager, either by clicking Ctrl + Shift + Esc on your keyboard or by right-clicking on the taskbar and selecting Task Manager.
• Click on More details and head to the Details panel.
• Scroll down until you find SearchUI.exe in the list and check its status.

• If it is Suspended or Disabled, right-click on it and choose Go to service(s).

• Go down to WSearch, right-clickand press Start. If this option isn’t accessible, select Restart instead.
• Now, right click on WSearch > Open Services.

• Scroll down to Windows Search and double-click on it. This will open another dialog box.
• Here, you'll be able to access a drop-down menu adjacent to Startup type. Ensure that you've selected Automatic among the options.
• Check if the Start option's enabled underneath the Service status, and hit Apply.
• Now restart your PC.

3. Turn Cortana Off and On

Since Windows Search and Cortana are intertwined, there’s a possibility that the issue may be caused by Cortana interfering with Windows Search. It’s worth a try disabling Cortana and there are a number of ways to do it (permanently or temporarily). To employ this solution:

• Right-click the start button and select Windows PowerShell (Admin).

• In PowerShell, copy and paste command Get-AppxPackage -allusers Microsoft.549981C3F5F10 | Remove-AppxPackage and press enter. This will uninstall Cortana from your device.
• To reinstall Cortana, go to the Cortana app page on Microsoft Store, and click on Get.
• Permit it to Open Microsoft Store and install the app.
• Once you're done reinstalling Cortana, restart your device.

4. Run the DISM and SFC Tools

If your Windows 11 Search bar isn’t working, it could be attributed to corrupted or damaged files on your PC. To address such cases, you can use DISM (Deployment Image Service and Management) and SFC (System File Checker) Tools that are developed to repair corrupted Windows files.

"CheckHealth," "ScanHealth," and "RestoreHealth" are the three steps required for repairing in the DISM command tool for Windows, and you should perform them in that sequence. To use this solution:

• Press Win + R on your keyboard to launch the Run dialog box.
• Type cmd and press enter.

• In Command Prompt, insert the command DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /CheckHealth to allow the system to check for corruption in Windows files.

• If CheckHealth does not find any issue, type DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /ScanHealth and press enter to run a more advanced scan.

• After the search is complete, type DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth to repair the corrupted files as required.
• After ensuring the DISM process is complete, you should run the SFC scan by inserting the command sfc /scannow. This full system scan will replace any missing or corrupted system files.
• Finally, restart your PC and check if the search bar’s functioning.

5. Use the Registry Editor

Windows Search might not be working because of issues with the built-in Bing Search integration or Cortana. A simple Registry tweak can be used to solve the issue, however, it’s recommended to create a System Restore point before executing this process.

When you’re done with this:

• Open Registry Editor by pressing Windows key + R and typing regedit in the Run dialog box.
• Follow the path HKEY_CURRENT_USER > SOFTWARE > Microsoft > Windows > CurrentVersion > Search.

• In Search, right-click in the available space and click on New > DWORD (32-bit) Value.
• Name it as BingSearchEnabled.

• Double-click the entry and set its value to 0 with Hexadecimal selected.
• Next, check the entry named CortanaConsent. If this key doesn’t exist, right-click > New > DWORD (32-bit) Value and name it CortanaConsent.
• Double-click on it to change its value to 0 (if it is not already 0).
• Now, close Registry Editor and restart PC.

6. Perform a Clean Boot

There’s also a probability your antivirus software or some other installed program is stopping Windows Search from functioning optimally. Here, performing a clean boot might solve the issue.

To perform a clean boot, you have to disable all the third-party services and programs. You can do this by:

• Press Windows key + R to launch the Run dialog box.
• Type msconfig in search.
• In the System Configuration dialog box, go to the Services panel.

• Check Hide all Microsoft services box, following it up with pressing the Disable all button.
• After disabling all the third-party services, go to the Startup panel and click Open Task Manager.
• Right-click, one by one, on all the third-party programs and Disable them.
• Click Ok on the System Configuration box.
• Restart your computer.

Make Windows Search Even Better

Without a question, Windows Search is the single most useful function for increasing productivity as it allows you to search your computer's digital archives for files, apps, and settings without having to manually sift through large amounts of data.

Now, what if we told you about a number of different ways to further improve the functioning of this exceptional feature including indexing your search results? Read more to find out.