Windows 11 Search Not Working? Here’s How to Fix It

Windows 11 Search is incredibly useful for finding almost anything on your PC, whether it’s apps, settings, or locally stored files. It also lets you search the web right from the taskbar. But what if Windows 11 Search suddenly stops working and you can’t use it anymore?

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A broken search function can make it difficult to quickly locate important items and disrupt your workflow. Whether you can’t open the search bar, don’t see any results, or are experiencing slow performance, there’s no need to panic. It’s possible to fix the underlying problem with a little patience.

Fixing this issue can be as simple as restarting search-related services or as complicated as rebuilding the search index or performing a system restore. Rest assured, the tips below should help you get your Windows 11 search up and running again, providing a smooth and efficient search experience.

The SearchHost.exe process is responsible for indexing files and helping Windows find them quickly. If this service is malfunctioning, restarting it can fix your search issues. To do this, press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open Task Manager. Go to the Details tab, right-click SearchHost.exe, and select End Task. The process should force the program to close and restart, potentially fixing the problem.

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If Windows is unresponsive when you click the Search icon on the taskbar and you can’t enter search queries, the problem may lie with the Windows Explorer process. To fix this, reopen Task Manager and go to the Processes tab. Then right-click Windows Explorer and select Restart. The taskbar will briefly disappear and then reappear, which should resolve any UI glitches affecting the search function.

Sometimes, a buggy or outdated version of Windows can also cause such problems. That’s why it’s a good idea to keep your Windows 11 computer up to date. To do this, press the Windows + I keys to launch the Settings app, go to the Windows Update tab, and click the Check for Updates button. Download and install any pending updates and see if that restarts the search function.

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Windows Search relies on a system service called “Windows Search”. Typically, this service starts automatically every time Windows starts, like startup applications, and manual intervention is not necessary. However, if Windows Search is not working as intended, problems can occur. Here’s how to fix it:

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1. Press Windows + R to open the Run dialog box.
2. Type services.msc in the box and press Enter.
3. In the Services app, scroll through the list to find and double-click the Windows Search entry.
4. In the Properties window, click the drop-down menu next to Startup type and select Automatic.
5. Click Apply and then OK.
6. Right-click the Windows Search entry in the Services app and select Restart. If the service is not running, select Start.

Once you have completed these steps, the Windows Search service will start automatically, which should restore the functionality of the search bar.

If Windows 11 is having trouble finding only certain files, it may be because Search is configured to scan only specific folders, not your entire PC. This limited scope can make it seem like Search isn’t working. To configure Windows to search your entire PC, follow these steps:

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1. Press Windows + I to open the Settings app.
2. Go to the Privacy & Security tab in the left panel.
3. Under Windows Permissions, click Windows Search.
4. Expand the “Find My Files” menu and select Enhanced.
5. If you see any folder in the “Exclude folders from extended search” section, click the three-dot menu next to it and select Remove.

After you enable the “Enhanced” search option, Windows will take a while to index all the files on your computer. After that, you should be able to find any file using the search tool. However, if the problem persists, go back to Settings > Privacy & Security > Windows Search and click Troubleshoot indexer. Here, you can use the checkboxes to select the issues you’re experiencing and follow the on-screen instructions to run the troubleshooter. This tool will attempt to fix the issues you’re experiencing.

The search index is a database that Windows uses to speed up searches. If it becomes corrupted or outdated, it can lead to problems. So if Windows 11 is taking longer than usual to locate files or is displaying incomplete search results, you can try rebuilding the search index. Here’s how.

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1. Press Windows + I to open the Settings app.
2. Go to Privacy & Security > Windows Search > Advanced Indexing Options.
3. In the Indexing Options window that appears, click the Advanced button.
4. On the “Index Settings” tab, click the Rebuild button next to “Drop and rebuild index.”
5. Click OK to confirm.

After you complete the steps above, wait while Windows rebuilds the search index. This process may take some time, depending on the number of files on your computer. You can continue using your computer as usual while Windows rebuilds the index. After the indexing is complete, try using Search again to see if it works correctly.

System Restore is a useful feature that lets you undo changes made to your computer and return it to a previous state. So if you’re still having trouble searching Windows, consider performing a System Restore as a last resort. Before you proceed, keep in mind that while System Restore won’t affect your personal files, it may remove any apps and drivers installed after your chosen restore point. So make sure you’ve backed up all your important data, then follow these steps to perform a System Restore:

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1. Press Windows + R to open the Run dialog box.
2. Type rstrui.exe in the box and press Enter.
3. Click Next in the System Restore window.
4. Select a restore point from before the problem occurred and click Next.
5. Review all details and click Finish.

After completing these steps, Windows will revert to the restore point you specified. If everything goes smoothly, the search feature should start working again in Windows 11.