Many users report problems with the search function of Windows 10: here’s how to fix them
If in recent times the search function in the Start menu of Windows 10 no longer works, the most likely thing is that this is due to a recent update of the operating system. In fact, since the KB4512941 update at the end of August 2019, reports of errors and problems with Windows search have been multiplying.
Microsoft claims to have fixed them all, because it was a problem external to the operating system: some servers used to handle web searches launched from the taskbar had connection problems. However, there are still people who have such problems and can’t solve them. If even uninstalling update KB4512941 does not get the search box working again, then the problem might be somewhere else. Unfortunately, it is not easy to find the cause, because there could be several of them. So here are some attempts you can make to try to “reset” the Windows 10 search function, in the hope that it will come back to work as before.
Use the troubleshooting tool
It sounds trivial, but the first thing you should do when you have a problem with Windows 10 is to launch the appropriate “troubleshooting” tool. We find it inside Settings > Update & Security > Troubleshooting. In this window, scrolling down, we’ll find “Search and Indexing”. Once the tool is launched we will be asked to specify what kind of problems the search has. In our case we will have to check “Files are not displayed in the search results” and we will have to click “Next” and then run the tool again as administrator. If Windows finds a problem, it will tell us and give us a way to fix it.
Modify File Indexing Settings
Sometimes Windows 10 search doesn’t work because you haven’t set the correct file indexing options. So let’s go to Settings > Search and click on “Windows Search” on the left. In the “Find my files” section we choose “Advanced”, then click on “Advanced search indexer settings” and then again on “Advanced”. We choose the “File types” tab and check “Index file properties and content”. All this will force Windows to re-index the entire hard disk: all files and all their contents. It will take quite some time, but we will be sure that the index will be rebuilt from scratch. At the end of the whole process, if the search is working again, we can go back to classic indexing.