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Fixing Search Not Working on Windows 10
While Microsoft's integrated search tool on Windows 10 is quite good, there are times when it encounters some minor glitches, causing you to waste more time during work. If the search tool isn't working as expected or isn't working at all, you can easily address this issue using the methods outlined by Mytour below.
Fixing Windows 10 Search Not Working
Method 1: Restart Your Computer
The simplest way to deal with computer issues is to restart your computer, and the Windows 10 Search error is no exception. Although this method may seem quite straightforward, it often yields unexpected results. Simply right-click on the Windows icon in the bottom left corner of the screen > right-click on Power > Restart.
Method 2: Restart Windows Explorer
It's highly likely that Windows Explorer might hang, so all you need to do is restart Windows Explorer to clear any minor issues and fix the search problem on Windows 10.
Step 1: Right-click on the taskbar on Windows > select Task Manager
Step 2: In the Task Manager window, scroll down and locate Windows Explorer. Right-click on Windows Explorer and select Restart.
With this method, the system will refresh and restart the Windows Explorer application on your computer. After the restart, check if the Windows 10 Search error has been resolved.
Method 3: Restart Cortana
The search function on Windows 10 is provided by the Cortana app, so if you can't search on Windows 10, there's a possibility that Cortana is hanging. End the working process of Cortana and restart your computer.
Step 1: Open Task Manager (same as method 2)
Step 2: In the Task Manager window, scroll up and down to find the Cortana app. Right-click on Cortana and select End task.
This task will terminate all processes that Cortana is currently working on your computer, then you restart your computer and check if the Windows 10 Search error has been resolved.
Method 4: Use Windows Troubleshooter
Microsoft provides a built-in troubleshooter in the Windows 10 operating system package, and this utility might help you resolve all issues occurring on your computer.
Step 1: Right-click on the Windows icon in the bottom left corner of the screen and select Control Panel.
Step 2: In the Control Panel window, select the view mode as Category and click on Find and fix problems under System and Security.
Step 3: In the next window, select System and Security.
Step 4: Continuing in the Windows section, right-click on Search and Indexing and select Run as administrator.
Step 5: In the Search and Indexing section, press Next to begin the troubleshooting process.
Step 6:: In the next window, check the box Files don’t appear in search results and then click Next.
The troubleshooting window will begin the process of searching for errors on your computer. If any issues requiring repair are detected, the program will apply automatic fixes and notify you of the results.
Method 5: Check Windows Search Service Activity
In case the above methods fail to yield specific results, it's possible that settings within the Windows 10 search function are corrupted. To fix search errors on Win 10, follow these steps:
Step 1: Press the Windows + R key combination to open the Run dialog, type services.msc into the Open box, and press Enter.
Step 2: On the Services screen, scroll down to the Windows Search section, right-click on it, and select Properties.
Step 3: In the Windows Search window, under the Startup type section, select the Automatic (Delayed Start) option, then click OK.
Step 4: After configuring Windows Search, restart Windows Search by right-clicking on Windows Search and selecting Restart.
Method 6: Disable Antivirus Software
If you've exhausted all the methods above and still can't fix the Windows 10 search not working issue, try enabling or disabling Windows Defender or other antivirus programs running on your computer to check if the search problem on Windows 10 persists. In fact, toggling Windows Defender is an effective solution for this search error. If the issue is indeed caused by antivirus programs, make sure you have updated them to the latest version.
So, with these summarized methods provided by Mytour, it is hoped that these approaches will effectively address and resolve the search error on Win 10. Additionally, for cases where the Windows 10 search error cannot be resolved, consider reinstalling the operating system. There are various methods to reinstall Windows 10, such as installing Win 10 via USB or hard drive. However, installing Win 10 via USB is considered simpler as creating a Win 10 installation USB is easy to perform and less costly than purchasing a Windows 10 installation disc.
During the use of Win 10, if you encounter the Background Intelligent Transfer Error leading to interrupted Windows upgrades, refer to how to fix the Background Intelligent Transfer Error here
