How To Fix Windows 10 Search Stops Working

Just recently several Windows 10 users have reported that the search bar on their computer does not seem to work. What happens is that when they try to type a search item such as “control panel” for example they only see a black box with no results. This appears to be caused by a recent Windows update. In this latest installment of our troubleshooting series we will show you how to fix the windows 10 search stops working issue.

Fix Windows 10 Start Menu search not working

The Windows Search is a useful feature that allows users to quickly find anything on the computer from apps, files , and folders just to name a few. If it doesn’t work then here’s what you need to do.

Check for Updates

The first thing you will need to do is to check for a new update. If this problem occurred right after your computer installed an update then you will need to manually check for a newer update as this will have the fix for this issue.

Time needed: 5 minutes.

Get the latest Windows update

  1. Select the Start button

    This is located on the lower left side of the screen.
    Fix Windows 10 Search Stops Working

  2. Go to Settings

    This will open up a Settings window.
    Fix Windows 10 Search Stops Working

  3. Click on Update & security.

    This is usually the last option on the Settings window
    Fix Windows 10 Search Stops Working

  4. Click on Windows Update.

    This is where you will get the updates.
    Fix Windows 10 Search Stops Working

  5. Click on the Check for updates button.

    This will manually check the Microsoft server for any new updates.
    Fix Windows 10 Search Stops Working

  6. Install any available updates.

    If an update is available then download it.
    Fix Windows 10 Search Stops Working

After performing the steps listed above you should restart your computer. This ensures that the update will be applied. Once done, try to check if the problem still occurs.

Run the Search and Indexing troubleshooter

In case the issue still occurs even if your computer is already running on the latest update then you should try using the troubleshooter tool. This will automatically detect and fix any issues related to the search feature.

  • Select the Start button. This is located on the lower left side of the screen.
  • Go to Settings. This will open up a Settings window.
  • Click on Update & security. This is usually the last option on the Settings window.
  • Click on Troubleshoot. This option is located on the left pane.
  • Click on Search and indexing. This is found under the Find and fix other problems section on the right pane.
  • Click on the Run the Troubleshooter button. Windows will detect and fix any problems affecting the search feature.
  • Press Ctrl+Alt+Del, and select Task Manager.
  • In the Task Manager window, select the Details tab.
  • In the Name column, right-click SearchUI.exe, and then select End task.
  • When you are prompted to end SearchUI.exe, select End process.
  • Windows Search process will automatically restart the next time that you search.

After performing the troubleshooting steps listed above the Windows 10 Search Stops Working issue will be fixed.

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