Windows 10 Start Menu Search Not Working? Here are Some Fixes

1. Use the System File Checker

Given that this is one of the simplest things you can do to try and repair your Start menu search, we recommend trying it first. Open an elevated Command Prompt (right-click Command Prompt then ‘Run as administrator), then type the following command:

sfc /scannow

This will scan your system files for any errors and corruptions, and automatically attempt to fix them. Give that the Start menu search is a system process, any errors in it should be detected by using the SFC utility.

In addition, one of our readers in the comments suggested that running the SFC utility in Windows 10 Safe Mode solved the problem for them, so that’s worth a shot if doing it in regular Windows 10 fails. Thanks Dave morrison!

2. Disable/Restart Third-Party Antivirus, Enable Windows Firewall

To be clear, we’re not suggesting here that you should disable and completely remove all third-party antivirus software from your device, but based on feedback here and across the Internet, certain programs cause Windows Search to malfunction. Avast is one culprit, so try uninstalling that if you have it, then find an alternative if need be (Windows Defender itself has become a viable, secure option in recent years).

Or (credit to our reader Mayur N.), you could just try disabling your Avast shields temporarily, which should get the Start menu search back. In the case of Avast at least, once you switch the shields back on, the Start menu search may continue working as it should.

On the other hand, enabling Windows Firewall has also helped some users. It seems that Search and indexing is oddly sensitive to your security settings, so tinkering around with them by enabling and disabling things may yield results.

3. Move or Rebuild Swapfile.sys

The Pagefile and Swapfile are two inextricably linked and important functions of Windows 10. The pagefile eases the weight off your PC RAM by allocating a certain amount of hard drive space to functioning as RAM should you run low on memory. The swapfile performs the same function, but specifically for Modern Windows apps, so it’s more targeted in its scope.

Seeing as Cortana is a Modern Windows app, you can try rebuilding the Swapfile to kickstart it – and your Start menu search – back into action. This will also involve rebuilding the Pagefile, as the Swapfile is directly dependent on the Pagefile.

While we don’t recommend outright disabling the Pagefile, you can move it to another drive to effectively ‘restart’ it. Or, if you want it on the original drive, you can disable it, reboot your PC, then re-enable it after you’ve rebooted.

If your Start menu search still isn’t working after this, the next tip is a good one to follow up with…

4. Re-register Cortana

So we’ve established that Cortana is a likely culprit for the Start menu search not working. If restarting the process fails, then you can try re-registering the Cortana app.

To start, open the Windows File Explorer and navigate to the following location:

C:Windows\System32\WindowsPowerShell\v1.0

Right-click “powershell.exe,” and then click “Run as administrator.”

After opening the PowerShell, copy the below code snippet and execute it.

Get-AppXPackage -AllUsers | Foreach {Add-AppxPackage -DisableDevelopmentMode -Register "$($_.InstallLocation)\AppXManifest.xml"}

Once you are done executing the command, close the PowerShell, restart your system, and you should have the Start Menu Search back in top form!

5. Run Windows Troubleshooter

The simplest solution is to use the tools built into Windows to help you out. Granted, this is far from a 100% solution, but it’s a quick one so it’s worth a shot.

1. Navigate to the Control Panel (click Start, then scroll down the the Windows System folder and you’ll find it there).

2. Change the view to “Large icons” or “Small icons” if it’s not that already, then click “Troubleshooting -> System and Security -> Search and Indexing”.

3. Click “Next” in the troubleshooter, then check the box that applies to your issue (most likely “Files don’t appear in search results”, though if your Windows Search is working, albeit slowly, you should tick the third box down).

4. Finally, click Next to run the scan, which will automatically attempt to fix any problems.

6. Restart Windows Explorer

It goes without saying that the first thing you should try is rebooting your PC, but if that fails, then the slightly more niche solution is to restart the Windows Explorer process. This is responsible for managing files on your PC as well as the smooth functioning of the Start menu.

Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to jump straight into Task Manager, click “More details” in the bottom-left corner if that hasn’t been selected already, then scroll down to Windows Explorer, right-click it, and hit “Restart.” Have a moment of panic as it looks for a second like your computer might crash, then breathe a sigh of relief as you see that it’s still working, and your Start menu Search button is hopefully fixed!

7. Check Windows Search Service

Another reason why your Start menu search may not be working is because the Windows Search service is not running. Windows Search service is a system service and runs automatically on the system startup.

Check whether the service is running or not by hitting Win + R, typing services.msc, then scrolling down to find it. If it says “Running” in the Status column, it’s running (obviously). If not, you’ll have to start it manually.

Right-click “Windows Search” and then click “Properties.”

In the Properties window click on the “Start” button to start the service. Also, make sure that the Startup type is set to “Automatic” or “Automatic (Delayed Start).” This ensures that the service will automatically start at every system startup. Once you are done with the changes, click ‘OK.’

Once the service has been started, this is what it looks like in your Services window. For me, this method worked perfectly.

8. Restart Cortana Process

As we now know all too well, Cortana can be responsible for a misbehaving start menu search. If that is the case, restarting the Cortana process will solve the problem.

To do that, right-click the taskbar and then click “Task Manager.”

Once the task manager has been opened, find the Cortana process under the Processes tab, and click on the “End task” button.

The above action will restart the Cortana process, and you might as well solve the start menu search problem.

9. Or Try “Everything” as a Workaround

If these fixes still haven’t solved your problem, then it may be time for a workaround. Void Tools has released an excellent and very lightweight tool called “Everything” which indexes and searches all the files on your computer instantly. It’s easy to use and arguably faster than the built-in Windows option.