Search boxes inside windows not working

The search boxes placed inside each window for each folder don't work.

I can't even place the cursor inside them. I click and click to no avail. So I can't write what I look for.

I mean the boxes on the upper right part of each window.

Any idea?

ellellell1 said:

Hi there kmint

Have you tried typing letters from the keyboard after clicking on the search box?
Sometimes my cursor doesn't show the writing cursor (blinking straight line) until I start typing.

Do you have the same problem when using the search button/box from the task bar?

You could also try to enable this setting to 'force' a search in the window from just using the keyboard:

• File > Change folder and search options > View
• Scroll down until you see 'When typing into list view'
• Choose 'Automatically type into the Search Box'
• Then 'Apply'

In the task bar it works normal, it's only the boxes inside the windows as described in this site by someone else.

https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/...1-b9bdc0aa4734

If I click and type it won't work either. It's really annyong and weird, I cant search anymore in my thousands of files.

- - - Updated - - -

ellellell1 said:

• File > Change folder and search options > View
• Scroll down until you see 'When typing into list view'
• Choose 'Automatically type into the Search Box'
• Then 'Apply'

Where do I have to do that? I dont understand what that is.

"ellellell1 said:

• File > Change folder and search options > View
• Scroll down until you see 'When typing into list view'
• Choose 'Automatically type into the Search Box'
• Then 'Apply'

Where do I have to do that? I dont understand what that is."

Let's you click in File explorer Search box and type whether you see cursor or not. type in the

mrgeek said:

"ellellell1 said:

• File > Change folder and search options > View
• Scroll down until you see 'When typing into list view'
• Choose 'Automatically type into the Search Box'
• Then 'Apply'

Where do I have to do that? I dont understand what that is."

Let's you click in File explorer Search box and type whether you see cursor or not. type in the

Didn't work

Thanks a lot anyway. Any more ideas?

Thanks @ellellell1

I'll do all of that.

kmint said:

The search boxes placed inside each window for each folder don't work.I can't even place the cursor inside them. I click and click to no avail. So I can't write what I look for.I mean the boxes on the upper right part of each window. Any idea?

Let's make sure we're talking about the same thing. You mean the highlighted box below ? I just click in there and I can type 'cat' in there despite not seeing the cursor until I start typing. I can directly open any of the results in the drop box just by clicking and click the green arrow if I want to see a traditional full list of results. Much more powerful file Search engine than before. Also, I could do all that even before ellellell1's suggestion.
If you still can't, you might try running this in an elevated command prompt to repair Windows image -
Dism /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth

kmint said:

I can't even place the cursor inside them.

This is a known issue with File Explorer Search that started with version 1909 and that many have reported on.

Current workarounds appear to be temporary and the problem recurring.



File search box
Can't perform advanced search in Windows 1909 file Explorer
Windows 10 1909 KB4517245 Update Causes File Explorer Issues