Windows 10 instant search in Start menu doesn't work

Got a new PC on my work and Windows was preinstalled and configured. There is a lack of Windows menu search feature. I got used to push Windows button on a keyboard and then just type what I want.

Here is how it looks now:

I tried to restart Windows Search Service but it didn't help.

UPDATE

By @harrymc advice, I have enabled Cortana using the Windows registry and the only change it made is this search icon that does nothing when you click on it.

UPDATE 2

By @AuntJemma advice, I've ticked the "Show search box" option but it didn't help either.

kseen

Posted 2019-07-23T09:43:14.237

Reputation: 133

You might need to Enable Cortana.

– harrymc – 2019-07-23T10:02:08.620

@harrymc Thanks for the answer! I've enabled Cortana using Windows registry and then restarted the computer but it didn't help. the search is still unavailable. – kseen – 2019-07-23T10:38:07.717

@harrymc I've updated the question regarding your advice – kseen – 2019-07-23T11:01:56.473

I didn't at first understand the question, so I now added an answer. – harrymc – 2019-07-23T11:13:54.627

You are running Windows 10 version 1903. Search is not separate from the Start Menu. – Ramhound – 2019-07-23T11:28:50.860

@Ramhound Yes, I understand that but the search doesn't work at all – kseen – 2019-07-24T05:38:24.320

Have you tried my updated answer? Did anything change when you tried it? – Aunt Jemima – 2019-07-27T16:24:39.630

Answers

Windows 10 Start Menu no longer has a search box. To search, you simply type the text and the search is done that way.

To avoid the search being done also on the Internet, see the post How to disable internet search results. If you don't need Cortana, you may disable it as well.

The only way to have the search box back is to use an alternative Start Menu. I would recommend Open-Shell-Menu (which is the one I use).

harrymc

Posted 2019-07-23T09:43:14.237

Reputation: 306 093

1I don't mind to not having a search box in the Start menu. The issue is the search is not performing at all. I mean if I simply push Windows button on my keyboard and then type what I'd like to search nothing is happening. The search doesn't work nor with a search box nor without it. – kseen – 2019-07-23T12:30:13.070

Did you try to Rebuild the Search Index?

– harrymc – 2019-07-23T13:05:43.997

thanks for your reply! I have just finished rebuilding the search index but unfortunately, it didn't help. – kseen – 2019-07-24T04:50:41.697

1I suggest trying Open-Shell-Menu . Windows Start Menu can have issues, and there have been cases that people needed to re-install Windows just because of that. – harrymc – 2019-07-24T06:19:23.253

1I installed it and the search box appeared and the search works well! It also replaces the UI of the Start menu to look like it's from the previous Windows OS versions. It would be nice to have its look like the default Windows 10 Start menu but with the search box enabled. – kseen – 2019-07-24T08:31:47.130

I don't think that such a product exists. – harrymc – 2019-07-24T08:47:45.847

1)Right click the task bar.

2)Hover the mouse over "search" and then

3)click on "Show search box"

UPDATE:

Based you the comment below showing that you now have the searchbox you want, but that it doesn't do anything when you click it, I suspect that some of the registry edits or some other change may have blocked it from working now. Once upon a time my searchbox was unresponsive and was able to fix it by:

1) open cmd.exe as administrator

2) run the command sfc /scannow

Just for good measure, you might restart the computer after and check again if it doesn't work. I can't promise this will resolve it for you, but this is what I would try.

Aunt Jemima

Posted 2019-07-23T09:43:14.237

Reputation: 123

Please take a look at the update 2 I updated the question with. – kseen – 2019-07-26T08:54:21.303