7 Ways to Fix Can’t Type in Windows 11 Search Bar

Quick Tips

• Install any pending Windows updates, as a buggy or outdated build can cause issues.
• Restarting the Windows Explorer process and Windows Search service can help fix such issues.
• You may have to rebuild the search index or reset your PC if the search bar won’t work.

Fix 1: Restart the Windows Explorer Process

Windows Explorer is a system process that handles the graphical user interface (GUI) for several utilities, including the taskbar. If this process encounters any problems, it can affect your ability to use the search bar. Try restarting the Windows Explorer process to see if that fixes the problem.

Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open the Task Manager. In the Processes tab, locate Windows Explorer. Right-click on it and select Restart.

Fix 2: Run the CTF Loader

The CTF (Collaborative Translation Framework) loader allows you to switch between various input languages. Naturally, if the process is not running, you might have trouble typing in the search bar.

To fix this, press the Windows key + R to launch the Run command. Type the following command and press Enter.

C:\Windows\system32\ctfmon.exe

If running the CTF Loader solves your problem, configure it to launch automatically at startup. To do so, use these steps:

Step 1: Press the Windows key + R to open the Run dialog box. Type C:\Windows\system32\ in the Open field and press Enter.

Step 2: In the System32 folder that opens, locate the ctfmon.exe file. Right-click on it and select Show more options.

Step 3: Select Send to > Desktop (create shortcut).

Step 4: Press the Windows key + R to open the Run command again. Type shell:startup and press Enter.

Step 5: Drag and drop the ctfmon.exe – Shortcut from your desktop to the startup folder.

Fix 3: Restart Windows Search Service

The Windows Search service is a background program responsible for content indexing, property caching, and delivering search results for files, emails, and more. If the service fails to start correctly, it can cause the Windows search bar to malfunction. You can try restarting the Windows Search service to see if that helps.

Step 1: Press the Windows key + R to launch the Run command, type services.msc, and press Enter.

Step 2: In the Services window, scroll down to locate Windows Search. Right-click on it and select Restart.

Fix 4: Run the SFC and DISM Scans

Search issues on Windows can also arise due to corrupt or damaged system files. To repair problematic system files on your PC, try running the SFC (System File Checker) and DISM (Deployment Image Servicing and Management) scans.

Step 1: Right-click on the Start icon and select Terminal (Admin) from the resulting menu.

Step 2: Paste the command mentioned below and press Enter.

sfc /scannow

Step 3: Run the following commands one by one to execute the DISM scan:

DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /CheckHealth

DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /ScanHealth

DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth

Restart your PC after the scan is complete and then try using the search bar again.

Fix 5: Re-Register Microsoft Store Apps

At times, issues with the default apps on Windows can also lead to such abnormalities. You can try re-registering the default apps on your PC to see if that solves your problem.

Step 1: Open the Start menu, type Windows PowerShell, and click on Run as administrator.

Step 2: In the PowerShell window, paste the following command and press Enter.

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

Restart your PC after this and check if the issue is still there.

Fix 6: Rebuild the Search Index

If the search index library on your PC is corrupt or inaccessible, you might have trouble using the Windows search bar. To fix this, you must rebuild the search index on your PC. Note that this process can take anywhere from a few minutes to several hours, depending on your system and the amount of data.

Step 1: Press the Windows key + R to open the Run dialog box. Type control.exe srchadmin.dll in the text field and hit Enter.

Step 2: Click the Advanced button.

Step 3: Click the Rebuild button under Troubleshooting.

Fix 7: Reset Your PC

If you still can’t type into the Windows search bar at this point, your only option is to reset all the settings on Windows and start over. Don’t worry; it’s possible to reset Windows 11 without losing your data. Here’s how to go about it.

Step 1: Press the Windows key + I to open the Settings app > head to System > Recovery.

Step 2: Click the Reset PC button.

Step 3: Select the Keep my files option and follow the on-screen prompts to finish resetting Windows 11.

After Windows 11 resets everything, you should be able to type into the Windows search bar as before.