Explorer Search Field/Folder Search Field is not working/unavailable


  1. Sempiro
    Posts : 14
    Windows 10 Pro 2004 (OS Build 19041.450)
       New #1

    Explorer Search Field/Folder Search Field is not working/unavailable


    Hello,

    I am experiencing a weird issue, my Explorer search field/Folder search field seems not working:

    1. When I click on it nothing happens, no blinking cursor appears as it should, to input searching query, nothing.
    2. When I use combination Ctrl+F, I can input only 1 letter in Search field.

    It would be much appreciated if anyone could help me with my problem.

    - - - Updated - - -

    Taskbar search button (near Cortana button) stopped to work for me as well - nothing happens when I press on it.

    - - - Updated - - -

    That is weird, Start orb button stopped to work too... what is going on...
      My Computer
    Quote Quote

  3. dalchina
    Posts : 42,991
    Win 10 Pro (22H2) (2nd PC is 22H2)
       New #2

    Hi, what is your full Windows build number? The forum prompted you for this and told you how to get it so we don't have to keep asking... Thanks.

    This is important, as causes can vary with build.

    There are many reports of 'can't type in search field' on the forum. Please feel free to search for these, note what you've tried and report back.

    I have done that search for you- here are some examples:
    Can't Type In Search Bar and Windows 10 Built-in Apps.
    How To Enable Typing Into Search Field (Cortana field?)
    Search bar in windows file explorer doesn't work

    You will be able to find more.

    Have you tried using a System Restore point?
      My Computers
    Quote Quote

  4. Wynona
    Posts : 29,078
    Windows 10 21H1 Build 19043.1023
       New #3

    Sempiro said:
    Hello,

    I am experiencing a weird issue, my Explorer search field/Folder search field seems not working:

    1. When I click on it nothing happens, no blinking cursor appears as it should, to input searching query, nothing.
    Are you talking about "Search This PC" in the File Explorer Window? If so, it works perfectly for me.

    Sempiro;2009510
    2. When I use combination Ctrl+F, I can input only 1 letter in Search field.
    While in the File Explorer Window, Ctrl+F puts my cursor into the "Search This PC" box and lets me search.

    Sempiro;2009510
    It would be much appreciated if anyone could help me with my problem.

    - - - Updated - - -

    Taskbar search button (near Cortana button) stopped to work for me as well - nothing happens when I press on it.

    - - - Updated - - -

    That is weird, Start orb button stopped to work too... what is going on...
    With things going haywire for you, I'd suspect possible malware or some such.

    It would help a whole lot if you'd complete the My Computer section so we could see exactly what you're dealing with. All we have is that you're running Windows 10, but not which version/build. Neither do we have the specs for your computer.

    If you haven't tried it, you might shut down and restart the computer. Sometimes something as simple as that will fix your issues.
      My Computer
    Quote Quote

  6. Sempiro
    Posts : 14
    Windows 10 Pro 2004 (OS Build 19041.450)
    Thread Starter
       New #4

    dalchina said:
    Hi, what is your full Windows build number? The forum prompted you for this and told you how to get it so we don't have to keep asking... Thanks.

    This is important, as causes can vary with build.

    There are many reports of 'can't type in search field' on the forum. Please feel free to search for these, note what you've tried and report back.

    I have done that search for you- here are some examples:
    Can't Type In Search Bar and Windows 10 Built-in Apps.
    How To Enable Typing Into Search Field (Cortana field?)
    Search bar in windows file explorer doesn't work

    You will be able to find more.

    Have you tried using a System Restore point?
    I have updated My PC profile.

    My Specs as follow:

    Windows 10 Pro x64 2004 (Build 19401.450)

    Symptoms:

    1. Task bar buttons do not work: Start, Search, Cortana - nothing happens when you press them. I was ought to install Start replacement "StatIsBack".

    2. Explorer's search field does not work. When you click on it, no response, when you use Ctrl+F combination, you can input only one letter in the search field: input 1st, then input 2nd - 1st getting deleted, input 3rd - 2nd getting deleted and so on.

    What I have tried:

    Rebuild Index
    Windows Troubleshooter
    Reset all tweaks in Winaero Tweaker
    Delete and then, when notice there is no improvement, install StartIsBack again
    Restart Explorer

    Have checked Event Viewer and under system folder there are a lot of messages regarding Cortana, that start with:

    The server Microsoft.Windows.Search_1.14.0.19041_neutral_neutral_cw5n1h2txyewy!CortanaUI

    They are all pretty similar, just last part changes:

    The server Microsoft.Windows.Search_1.14.0.19041_neutral_neutral_cw5n1h2txyewy!CortanaUI.AppXf8r3d8cn5hd71h9jyz ah6ak9f3shj2d2.mca did not register with DCOM within the required timeout.

    The server Microsoft.Windows.Search_1.14.0.19041_neutral_neutral_cw5n1h2txyewy!CortanaUI#{1307060C-840D-4456-9127-35067BD1AF51} did not register with DCOM within the required timeout.

    The server Microsoft.Windows.Search_1.14.0.19041_neutral_neutral_cw5n1h2txyewy!CortanaUI.AppXf8r3d8cn5hd71h9jyz ah6ak9f3shj2d2.mca did not register with DCOM within the required timeout.

    The server Microsoft.Windows.Search_1.14.0.19041_neutral_neutral_cw5n1h2txyewy!CortanaUI#{0AD222A9-0714-400F-BE43-B013B1F26149} did not register with DCOM within the required timeout.

    The server Microsoft.Windows.Search_1.14.0.19041_neutral_neutral_cw5n1h2txyewy!CortanaUI.AppXf8r3d8cn5hd71h9jyz ah6ak9f3shj2d2.mca did not register with DCOM within the required timeout.

    The server Microsoft.Windows.Search_1.14.0.19041_neutral_neutral_cw5n1h2txyewy!CortanaUI did not register with DCOM within the required timeout.

    The server Microsoft.Windows.Search_1.14.0.19041_neutral_neutral_cw5n1h2txyewy!CortanaUI.AppXf8r3d8cn5hd71h9jyz ah6ak9f3shj2d2.mca did not register with DCOM within the required timeout.

    Etc. it seems each time I press Cortana button, a log string regarding it appears in Event Viewer

    There are no restore points available to use.

    - - - Updated - - -

    Are you talking about "Search This PC" in the File Explorer Window? If so, it works perfectly for me.
    While in the File Explorer Window, Ctrl+F puts my cursor into the "Search This PC" box and lets me search.
    Not sure how the fact that "Search This PC" or Ctrl+F combination works perfectly for you helps my problem :/


    With things going haywire for you, I'd suspect possible malware or some such.
    It is a clean system, installed it today.

    It would help a whole lot if you'd complete the My Computer section
    Done
      My Computer
    Quote Quote

  7. dalchina
    Posts : 42,991
    Win 10 Pro (22H2) (2nd PC is 22H2)
       New #5

    Thanks, please work through the links I posted.. there are are more as I suggested.

    Based on e.g.
    Taskbar/Start button not working!

    you might like to try resetting all services to default. A convenient way to do that is to use only the relevant repair offered by Tweaking.com's free repair tool.

    If you find no solution in the various solved threads, please create a new user for test purposes.
    If you see the SAME problems, proceed to perform an in-place upgrade repair install (tutorial available if needed).
    If you do not, the problem is specific to your user profile.
      My Computers
    Quote Quote

 

  Related Discussions
Hello. Am I correct that Microsoft does not give users an easy toggle to disable searching the web in the desktop search bar? I find it very annoying to see websearches when I use the search bar and would like to turn it off. Thanks!
Hello people. My first post, so I'm sorry if you make any gaffes, ok? Well, I have a very large video collection. I want to classify them by total video time, or length, as it is in Windows. It turns out that the options that Windows...
I now find, to my great surprise, that I can't type in the Search field at bottom left. The cursor will go there but nothing will happen to it when I start typing. This is amazing. This computer. Endless problems. I have two computer each...
Yesterday I turned on my laptop and in my lower taskbar my snipping tool and the shortcut for Microsot Edge was missing. I clicked on the windows icon in the lower left corner and found edge but no snipping tool. I can't search for it because the...
Hi all I installed a new version of Windows 10 pro. The search function and cortana was working fine. My IT person joined the company domain and everything still worked correctly. We did updates and lost the use of the search bar and cortana. ...
Our Sites
Site Links
About Us
Windows 10 Forums is an independent web site and has not been authorized, sponsored, or otherwise approved by Microsoft Corporation. "Windows 10" and related materials are trademarks of Microsoft Corp.

 © Designer Media Ltd
All times are GMT -5. The time now is 23:23.
Find Us




Windows 10 Forums