The Problem

You type in the taskbar search box and get nothing—or web results only, no apps or files. Sometimes search opens but Indexing never finishes. Broken search often shows up with a dead Start menu because both use the same Windows Search package.

Quick Fixes

Restart Windows Search

Win + R → services.msc → Enter.
Find Windows Search → Restart (startup type Automatic (Delayed Start)).
Reboot and test search.

Sign Out / Reboot

After sleep or hybrid shutdown, search hangs until a full sign-out or reboot.

The Fix: Step-by-Step

Step 1: Run Search and Indexing Troubleshooter

Settings → System → Troubleshoot → Other troubleshooters → Search and Indexing → run on Files don't appear in search results.

Step 2: Check Indexing Options

Settings → Privacy & security → Searching Windows (or search "Indexing Options" in Settings).
Under Find my files, try Classic vs Enhanced—switch, reboot, test.
Open Indexing Options → Advanced → Rebuild → confirm. Rebuild can take an hour on large drives; use the PC on power.

Step 3: Reset Windows Search (PowerShell Admin)

Get-AppxPackage Microsoft.Windows.Search | Reset-AppxPackage

Reboot. If search still fails:

Stop-Service SearchIndexer -Force
Remove-Item -Path "$env:ProgramData\Microsoft\Search\Data\*" -Recurse -Force -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue
Start-Service SearchIndexer

Then rebuild the index again from Indexing Options. Do not delete Search data on a work PC without IT approval.

Step 4: Restart Search Host Process

Task Manager → Details → end SearchHost.exe (it restarts). Also restart Windows Explorer.

Step 5: Cortana and Region

Settings → Apps → Installed apps → remove Cortana only if you do not use it—on some builds a broken Cortana package breaks search. Confirm Region and Speech language match your keyboard.

Step 6: Group Policy (Pro / Enterprise)

gpedit.msc → Computer Configuration → Administrative Templates → Windows Components → Search — ensure search is not disabled by policy.

Step 7: System Health

Low disk space stops indexing—free up C: drive space. Corrupt OS files:

sfc /scannow
DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth

Search Finds Apps but Not Files

Folder excluded: Indexing Options → Modify → expand drives and check the folders you need.
Files on external USB: index only if the drive stays connected and indexing is enabled for that path.
BitLocker drives must be unlocked to index.

Web Results Only

Settings → Privacy & security → Search permissions — review cloud search and Microsoft account sign-in. Home PCs: stay signed into a Microsoft account if you want Store apps in results.

After an Update Broke Search

Uninstall the latest quality update: rollback guide. If search broke after a feature upgrade, run Windows update stuck steps before rebuilding the index a second time.

How to Fix Windows 11 Search Not Working