How to Hide or Show Search Box or Search Icon on Taskbar in Windows 10
Search Windows and the web from the taskbar to find help, apps, files, settings—you name it. You can also get quick answers from the web—like weather, stock prices, currency conversion, and much more—and get to websites faster by using links in the preview pane.
Starting with Windows 10 build 18305.1003, Microsoft separated the Search and Cortana UI by giving them individual buttons and flyouts on the taskbar.The separate Search and Cortana features are currently only available for some Windows Insiders using A/B testing. If you have been included in this A/B testing, you can select to hide or show the separate Search and Cortana buttons on the taskbar now.
Starting with Windows 10 build 18317, Microsoft will be decoupling Search and Cortana in the taskbar. This will enable each experience to innovate independently to best serve their target audiences and use cases. Some Insiders have had this update for a few weeks now. For those new to this update, when it rolls out to you, you’ll find clicking the search box in the taskbar now launches our experience focused on giving you the best in house search experience and clicking the Cortana icon will launch you straight into our voice-first digital assistant experience.
UPDATE: Search and Cortana are now separated for everyone.
How to Hide or Show Cortana Button on Taskbar in Windows 10
Starting with Windows 10 build 19042.2311, 19043.2311, 19044.2311, and 19045.2311, the search box now appears, by default, on the taskbar when the taskbar is at the top of your screen or when you turn on small taskbar button mode.
Starting with Windows 10 build 19045.3030, this update brings back an improved search box experience on the Windows 10 taskbar. If you have a top, bottom, regular, or small icons taskbar, you will see the search box appear.
This tutorial will show you how to show search icon, show search box, or hide search on your taskbar in Windows 10.
You can press the Win + S keys to open Search.
If you have multiple displays, then the search box (if set to show) will only show on the main display with the other displays showing the search icon.
If you have tablet mode turned on, then you will see this below when you right click on the taskbar instead.
Contents
- Option One: To Hide or Show Search Box or Search Icon on Taskbar in Taskbar Context Menu
- Option Two: To Hide or Show Search Box or Search Icon on Taskbar in Taskbar Settings
- Option Three: To Hide or Show Search Box or Search Icon on Taskbar using REG File
EXAMPLE: Search box and search icon on taskbar
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This option is no longer available starting with Windows 10 build 21337 and higher.
1 Right click or press and hold on the taskbar on your main display, click/tap on Search, and click/tap on Hidden, Show search icon, or Show search box for what you want to check.
The search box will only display on the main display.
Show search box will not be available if the taskbar location is not on the bottom of the main display.
Show search box will not be available if you use small taskbar buttons unless you have Windows 10 build 19045.3030 or higher.
Show search box will not be available if the screen resolution of the main display is set below 1024 x 768.
This option is only available starting with Windows 10 build 21337 and higher.
1 Open Settings, and click/tap on the Personalization icon.
2 Click/tap on Taskbar on the left side. (see screenshot below)
3 Select Hidden, Show search icon, or Show search box for what you want in the Search drop menu on the right side.
4 You can now close Settings if you like.
1 Do step 2 (search box), step 3 (search icon), or step 4 (hide) below for what you want.
The search box will only display on the main display.
Show search box will not be available if the taskbar location is not on the bottom of the main display.
Show search box will not be available if you use small taskbar buttons unless you have Windows 10 build 19045.3030 or higher.
Show search box will not be available if the screen resolution of the main display is set below 1024 x 768.A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the .reg file below, and go to step 5 below.
Show_search_box_on_taskbar.reg
Download
A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the .reg file below, and go to step 5 below.
Show_search_icon_on_taskbar.reg
Download
A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the .reg file below, and go to step 5 below.
Hide_search_on_taskbar.reg
Download
5 Save the .reg file to your desktop.
6 Double click/tap on the downloaded .reg file to merge it.
7 When prompted, click/tap on Run, Yes (UAC), Yes, and OK to approve the merge.
8 Restart the explorer process, sign out and sign in, or restart the computer to apply.
9 You could now delete the downloaded .reg file if you like.
That's it,
Shawn Brink
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