Windows Search Bar Not Working in Windows 10 or 11? 7 Ways to Fix It

When the Windows search bar stops working, the box on the taskbar either won’t open, ignores what you type, or opens but shows no results. On both Windows 10 and Windows 11 the fastest fix is to end the search process in Task Manager so Windows starts it fresh. If results are missing rather than the box being frozen, the search index or the Windows Search service is the more likely problem.

What causes the search bar to stop working

• The search app is stuck. The search box runs as SearchHost.exe on Windows 11 and SearchUI.exe on Windows 10. If it hangs, the box stops responding.
• The Windows Search service isn’t running. Microsoft notes that some antivirus and “optimize your PC” apps turn this service off.
• The index is incomplete or damaged. Indexing can pause on battery power, while the PC is busy, or when disk space runs low.
• A pending update or bug. Updates include search fixes and need a restart to finish.

How to fix the Windows search bar

Start with Fix 1 and test search after each one.

Fix	Best for	Admin rights
1. End SearchHost.exe or SearchUI.exe	Box won’t open or ignores typing	No
2. Restart and install updates	Pending updates or a known bug	No
3. Restart Windows Font Cache Service	Box doesn’t respond	Yes
4. Check the Windows Search service	Box opens but finds nothing	Yes
5. Search and Indexing troubleshooter	Windows 10 and Windows 11 22H2 or earlier	No
6. Rebuild the index	Files you know exist are missing	No
7. ResetWindowsSearchBox.ps1	Nothing else worked	Yes

Fix 1: Restart the Windows Search process

This works when the search box won’t open or doesn’t react to typing.

1. Press Ctrl+Alt+Delete and select Task Manager.
2. Select Details.
3. Right-click SearchHost.exe (Windows 11) or SearchUI.exe (Windows 10) and select End task.
4. Select End process to confirm.
5. Select the search box again. Windows Search starts automatically.

Fix 2: Restart your PC and install updates

A full restart also installs pending updates.

• Windows 11: Select Start > Settings > Windows Update > Check for updates.
• Windows 10: Select Start > Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update > Check for updates.

Install what’s available and restart when asked.

Fix 3: Restart the Windows Font Cache Service

Microsoft lists this as its first fix for an unresponsive search box. It sounds unrelated, but it only takes a minute.

1. Press Windows key + R, type services.msc and press Enter. (If the search box works enough to type in, you can search for it too.)
2. Right-click Windows Font Cache Service and select Stop.
3. Try searching again.
4. Back in Services, right-click Windows Font Cache Service and select Start.

Fix 4: Check the Windows Search service

If the box opens but finds nothing, make sure the indexing service is running.

1. Press Windows key + R, type services.msc and press Enter.
2. Find Windows Search and double-click it.
3. Check that Startup type is Automatic (Delayed Start) and Service status is Running.
4. If it’s stopped, select Start. If it’s running but search still fails, right-click Windows Search and select Restart.

Note: Right after a Windows upgrade, the service pauses on purpose. Microsoft says to wait about five minutes for it to start.

Fix 5: Run the Search and Indexing troubleshooter

On Windows 10 and on Windows 11 version 22H2 or earlier, Windows has a troubleshooter for search. Microsoft is removing it from newer Windows 11 releases as part of retiring the old MSDT troubleshooters, so skip this fix if it doesn’t open.

1. Open Command Prompt.
2. Run:

msdt.exe -ep WindowsHelp id SearchDiagnostic

3. Select the problems that match what you see and follow the prompts. The troubleshooter tries to detect and fix them and resets search to its default settings.

While it runs, Task Manager may list Scripted Diagnostics Native Host. Our guide to Scripted Diagnostics Native Host explains what that process is.

Fix 6: Rebuild the search index

Rebuilding helps when search misses files you know exist. It doesn’t delete your files, only the index.

Windows 11:

1. Go to Settings > Privacy & security > Searching Windows.
2. Select Advanced indexing options.
3. Select Advanced, then Rebuild, and confirm.

Windows 10:

1. Go to Settings > Search > Searching Windows.
2. Select Advanced Search Indexer Settings.
3. Select Advanced, then Rebuild, and confirm.

Microsoft says to let the indexer run for up to 24 hours. Keep the PC on and plugged in, because indexing pauses on battery power and slows down while you’re using the PC.

Tip: While you’re in Indexing Options, select Modify to check that the folders you search are actually in the index.

Fix 7: Reset Windows Search with Microsoft’s PowerShell script

Microsoft publishes a script, ResetWindowsSearchBox.ps1, that resets Windows Search on Windows 11 and Windows 10 version 1903 or later. Resetting doesn’t affect your files.

Important: You need administrator rights, and the script only runs if the PowerShell execution policy allows it. You’ll change the policy for your account temporarily and then put it back. If your organization blocks scripts, ask your IT team instead.

1. Open Windows PowerShell as administrator (see our elevated command prompt guide for ways to open an admin shell).
2. Check the current policy and write down the result:

Get-ExecutionPolicy

3. If it isn’t Unrestricted, allow scripts for your account. Type Y and press Enter at the warning:

Set-ExecutionPolicy -Scope CurrentUser -ExecutionPolicy Unrestricted

4. Close PowerShell.
5. Download ResetWindowsSearchBox.ps1 from the Microsoft Download Center and save it to a local folder.
6. Right-click the file and select Run with PowerShell. Select Yes if Windows asks to allow changes.
7. When you see Done, keep that PowerShell window open, press any key, then set the policy back to the value you wrote down (for example Restricted or RemoteSigned) in the same window. Type Y at the warning:

Set-ExecutionPolicy -Scope CurrentUser -ExecutionPolicy RemoteSigned

Replace RemoteSigned with your original value.

If you’re on Windows 10 version 1809 or earlier, reset search by resetting Cortana instead: right-click Cortana in Start, select More > App settings, then Reset. To check your version, go to Start > Settings > System > About and look under Windows specifications.

Check the indexing status message

Open Searching Windows in Settings and read the status. A few common ones:

Status	What to do
Indexing in progress	Leave the PC on for a few hours
Indexing is paused to conserve battery power	Plug in the charger
Indexing is not running	Start the Windows Search service (Fix 4)
Insufficient disk space to continue indexing	Free up space; Microsoft says keep more than 1 GB free

If it still doesn’t work

• Test a new user account. Create another local account and try search there. If it works, the problem is in your profile. Microsoft documents a deeper fix that regenerates the search app’s data folder and registry key, but it involves editing the registry, so back up first or ask IT to do it.
• Repair system files. Run DISM.exe /Online /Cleanup-image /Restorehealth and then sfc /scannow in an admin Command Prompt.
• Send feedback. Microsoft asks for reports in the Feedback Hub under Desktop Environment > Search.
• Look for a bigger problem. If search is just one of several things acting up, a slow or failing drive can be behind it. See why is my computer so slow and our other computer repair tips. If Task Manager shows Service Host: SysMain keeping the disk busy instead, read Service Host SuperFetch (SysMain). More guides are in PC repairs.