Cortana search box is now huge

Problem resolved on my end, Solved it by using the reg edit to disable web search and the group policy to disable it as well. After applying both and restarting everything is back to normal. Thanks guys!

I have the same problem. The problem is not the search box but the search area in start menu. I recently had to create myself a new user with all new settings and well it came with this. Funny enough, same day I install Win10 to my laptop and it does not have this problem...

In addition if I open the start menu and type name of a program, it shows me some options on the right side and even recently opened files by that program etc. I want it gone. But how? How can I shrink it back?

I already have BingSearchEnabled set to 0 so I don't see web suggestions and what not.

stuarttunstall said:

Now nothing has updated but mind has gone back to the old style narrow :) no idea why...

The wider Cortana with a second pane to the right giving additional info/options is now the standard for 1809. It appears that MS had tested this out on a few 1803 users before adopting it for the new version. At least, that is @dalchina's opinion as expressed on this thread, with which I agree.

dalchina said:

MS was experimenting. Some users saw that changed appearance...

cortana updated look and now reverted back to old look... - Windows 10 Forums

@Bree that is interesting thank you. My problem was with the recents list under apps actually. I now enabled "Do not keep history of recently opened documents" in group policy editor and clean few windows apps data from uninstall programs menu and things are back to normal. I guess eventually there will be no way to disable these functionality but anyway, thank you.

I've still got that "issue"

I really don't like the look of that wide search bar. :/
I guess those little buttons for opening it as admin might be useful but I'll never use them.

dalchina said:

Those options are otherwise available if you rt click on shortcuts in the start menu.

Here I guess MS's intention is to expose them explicitly for your convenience. And yes, people do use them.

Initially, I disliked double-sizing Cortana search window and used shortcuts instead. It has grown on me and rather convenient to just type in the program name and run it as admin:



At least, I don't have to look for the shortcut...