A missing Windows 10 search bar from the taskbar is a common issue that surfaces when users upgrade from Windows 7 or Windows 8 (or eight.1) to Windows x. It likewise occurs if the users apply the Creators Update or the Anniversary update to an old Windows 10 build. The issue occurs because the new Cortana characteristic overrides the classic search box behavior that was used on Windows seven and Windows 8.

There are built-in means to get the Cortana equivalent search box feature, merely if you want the old feature, you have little choice but to apply a tertiary-political party application.

Search bar in Windows 10

Update: Before the Anniversary Update, yous would be able to disable Cortana and get the classic search box back. However, this is no longer an choice considering Microsoft eliminated the toggle that was previously used to disable Cortana conventionally.

If you're struggling to get the conventional search box back, in that location are a few methods that other users in a similar situation have used to resolve the upshot. Please follow the methods below in society until you come up across a ready that is satisfactory in helping you lot get the search box back.

Merely before moving on with the solutions, make sure your taskbar is located at the lesser of the screen.

Method 1: Enable the Search Bar From Cortana'southward Settings

If the issue has appeared after an upgrade to Windows 10 or later installing a major update, the beginning bar was most likely hidden past a alter in Cortana's settings. This is typically encountered with users who are using desktop mode and is quite a regular occurrence after applying the Anniversary update.

If this is the crusade of the issue, you lot can get the search bar back past right-clicking on your taskbar, expanding the Cortana carte du jour and clicking on the Prove search bar.

Show Search Bar

Proceed in heed that if you're using tablet mode, the search bar will non appear fifty-fifty if the Cortana menu is prepare to Prove search bar.

If this method didn't enable you lot to get your search box back, go along down to Method 2.

Method 2: Disable the Tablet Mode

The search box in your taskbar might non exist displayed because you lot are using Tablet mode. Tablet manner is a new Windows 10 characteristic that will automatically activate itself when if yous detach a tablet from its dock.

However, tablet manner is designed to utilise with a touchscreen. It volition only let y'all to run applications in full screen and you volition have certain restrictions. Among other restrictions, the search box is not available during tablet mode.

Disable Tablet Mode

If you want to become your search box back, brand sure that Tablet mode is disabled. The quickest way to do this is to open the notification tray menu and click on Table mode to disable it.

Enable Desktop Way When You lot Sign In

Note: If you find that Tablet Way automatically re-enables itself without your say and then, you can configure it to remain disabled. To do this,

  1. Open up a Run box (Windows cardinal + R), blazon
    ms-settings:tablet mode

    and hit Enter to open the Tablet mode tab of the Settings app.

  2. In the Tablet manner tab, use the drib-down menu associated with When I sign in to change the default behavior to Apply desktop mode. With this setting agile, you just ensured that Tablet style will non re-actuate past itself.

One time Table mode is deactivated, you should regain the search box characteristic in your taskbar. If the search box is all the same non visible, continue down with Method 3.

Method 3: Disable the Use of Small Taskbar Buttons

Another popular reason why your taskbar no longer shows the search bar is because the Employ of pocket-size taskbar buttons is enabled. Proceed in mind that if the Apply pocket-size taskbar buttons checkbox is enabled, the search box won't be visible if you specifically enable it from Cortana's settings.

Here'due south a quick guide on how to make sure you're not using pocket-sized taskbar buttons:

  1. Right-click anywhere on your taskbar and choose Taskbar settings.
    Open up Taskbar Settings
  2. Within the Taskbar tab of the Windows Settings app, brand sure the toggle associated with Utilize small taskbar buttons is set to Off.
    Note: You can attain the same location past opening a Run box (Windows key + R), typing
    command.exe /name Microsoft.TaskbarandStartMenu

    and pressing Enter.

  3. In one case the Utilize of small taskbar buttons is disabled, right-click on your taskbar, get to the Cortana card and make sure that Show search box option is checked.

If you lot're still unable to employ to see the search box in your taskbar, continue down with Method iv.

Method four: Ready a Local User

Microsoft decided to forbid users from disabling Cortana – the thing that is interfering with the classic search box. You can no longer disable the assistant from Cortana's carte du jour on PC's that have already practical the Ceremony update. However, at that place is a style of disabling Cortana forcibly and go the old search box dorsum.

Past setting up and using a local user with admin rights, yous volition ensure that Cortana will not replace the classic search bar. Cortana will only work as long as y'all are using a Microsoft account.

Here's a quick guide on creating a new local account:

  1. Press Windows fundamental + R to open up upwardly a Run box. Then, type
    ms-settings:otherusers

    and hit Enter to open up the Family & other people tab of the Settings app.

    Run ms-settings:otherusers Command
  2. In the Family & other people tab, click on Add together someone else to this PC (under Other people)
    Add someone else to this PC
  3. At the next screen, click on I don't have this person'southward sign-in information. Then, click on Add together a user without a Microsoft business relationship.
    Add together a user without a Microsoft account
  4. Enter a username and countersign (optionally), then hitting Side by side to complete the creation of the new user business relationship.
  5. Next, click on the newly created account in the Family & other peopleand select Change account blazon.
    Change account type
  6. In the adjacent screen, use the drop-downwardly card to alter the Business relationship type from Standard User to Administrator and striking Ok to relieve the changes.
    Modify Account Blazon to Administrator
  7. So, log out from your current user and log in with the newly created local account. Next, follow the on-screen prompts to initialize the new account.
  8. Yous volition notice that Cortana is disabled. In improver to this, a search box is integrated inside the Get-go menu.
    Search Bar is Shown
  9. If you want to include a visible search box in the taskbar, right-click anywhere on your taskbar and become to Search > Show search box.
    Select Testify Search Box

If this method doesn't apply to your situation or yous desire to keep using a Microsoft account, continue with the side by side method below.

Method 5: Enable Search Box Via Registry Editor

Yous can as well strength the onetime search box to appear on your Taskbar by operating some changes using Registry Editor. By creating theSearchboxTaskbarModevalue and setting the advisable value, you tin can hide, unhide or supercede the search box with the Cortana icon.

Hither's a quick guide on how to enable the search box via Registry Editor:

  1. Press Windows key + R to open up a Run box. And then, type "Regedit" and hit Enter. Next, hitting Yes at the UAC (User Account Control) prompt to open Registry Editor with administrative privileges.
    Run Regedit Control
  2. Inside Registry Editor, use the correct-mitt pane to navigate to the following location:
    HKEY_CURRENT_USER \ SOFTWARE \ Microsoft \ Windows\ CurrentVersion \ Search

    Note: if the Search key is not created, right-click on CurrentVersion and choose New > Key and proper name it Search.

  3. With the Search key selected, right-click inside the right-pane and cull New > Dword (32-chip) value. Then, name the newly created DwordSearchboxTaskbarMode.
  4. Double click on SearchboxTaskbarMode,set up the Base to Hexadecimal and the Value information to 2.
    Change Registry Value to 2

    Note: Yous can play with this value to trigger different behaviors: 0 = Subconscious Search bar, 1 = Cortana icon instead of the search bar.

  5. Once the modification is washed, close Registry Editor and reboots your reckoner to enforce the changes. At the adjacent startup, you lot should run across that the startup is back into your startup.

If this method wasn't constructive or yous're looking for a dissimilar approach, continue down with Method 6.

Method 6: Disable Cortana Via Registry Editor

If you desire to keep using your Microsoft account, another workaround that will enable you to get the search box back into your taskbar is to operate a modest Registry change that will disable Cortana.

Go along in heed that with Cortana disabled, the old search bar behavior will be enforced as soon as yous reboot your estimator. Here's a quick guide on how to disable Cortana via Registry Editor:

  1. Press Windows key + R to open a Run box. So, type "Regedit" and hitting Enter, and then cull Yes at the UAC (User Account Command) prompt to open Registry Editor with administrative privileges.
    Run Regedit Command
  2. Inside Registry Editor, utilise the right-manus pane to navigate to the following location:
                    HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE \ SOFTWARE \ Policies \ Microsoft \ Windows \ Windows Search.
  3. With the Windows Search key selected, right-click on the correct pane and cull New > Dword (32-chip) Value. Then, proper noun the newly created Dword to AllowCortana.
    Create AllowCortana Registry Entry
  4. Double-click on the AllowCortana value and set the Base to Hexadecimal and the Value data to 0. Then, hit Ok to save the new value.
  5. Shut Registry Editor and reboot your computer to forcefulness the changes to take outcome. At the next startup, you volition notice that Cortana is disabled. If the old search bar is not visible right away, right-click on the taskbar and choose Search > Show Search box.

Note: If you always want to re-enable Cortana, only return to the location of the AllowCortana value in Registry Editor and alter the value to ane or delete it altogether.

If yous're looking for a different mode of re-enabling the old search box behavior, move downwardly to Method half dozen.

Method 7: Turn On Taskbar For All Displays

If you lot are using more than one display with your system, then, by default, the taskbar volition non testify for multiple displays. In that case, enabling the taskbar for multiple displays will bring out the Search Box on all displays and the problem volition be solved.

  1. Press Windows key and type Taskbar in the primary window where search bar is present. Then in the resulting list, click on Taskbar Settings.
    Open Taskbar Settings
  2. In the Taskbar Settings window, scroll down till y'all find the option of Multiple Displays.
  3. Now toggle the switch of Show Taskbar on All Displays to Onand then check if the trouble is solved. If in that location is no effect, restart your computer or disconnect and connect all your multiple displays again.
    Show Taskbar on All Displays

Method vii: Use Outset Is Dorsum or Archetype Vanquish

The fact of the matter is, the only fashion to go back a search box that is identical to the old search box is to apply a third-para third-party solution. Classic Beat out or Kickoff Is Back are both great candidates that will enable you lot to return your kickoff menu to the style that was featured on XP, Windows 7 and Windows 8.

In addition to the artful aspect, these programs will also implement the avant-garde search feature onto a taskbar next to the get-go menu (but not in it).

Most users concur that Start Is Dorsum is more stable and more efficient than Classic Beat, merely the disadvantage is that it'due south just available for a free trial and becomes paid later on a short while. Hither's a quick guide on installing Starting time Is Dorsum:

  1. Visit this link (hither) and download the latest version of StartIsBack.
    Download StartIsBack
  2. Open the StartIsBack installer and click on Install for anybody or "Install for me", depending on your personal preferences.
    Select Blazon of Installation
  3. Cull the location where you want the software to be installed, so click the Install button to begin the installation process.
  4. One time the software is installed, you will encounter that the Start bill of fare along with the search office was promptly changed to the old format.
    Erstwhile Search is Showing
  5. If you ever decide to remove it, you lot can practise it conventionally from Programs and Features.

If you want to avoid paying any money, you lot can utilize Archetype Shell instead, just make sure to download the latest version available to avoid any incompatibilities with the latest Windows ten updates. Here'due south a quick guide on how to install Classic Beat out:

  1. Visit this link (here) and click the Download Now button. Then, download the latest stable version of Classic Shell.
    Download Classic Shell
  2. In one case the download is complete, open the installation executable and follow the prompts to install Classic Crush to your computer.
    Install Archetype Shell
  3. Click Yeah at the UAC (User Account Control) prompt to accept the changes.
  4. Click the Start icon to open up the initial settings preferences of Archetype Shell and choose the style of your Start menu.
    Classic Shell Settings

    If nothing has worked for you lot, then you may try SFC scan to rule out any system's files corruption.