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A user-friendly guide to enabling or disabling the search bar on Windows
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Is the Windows search bar missing from your taskbar? The search bar can be used to search files and programs on your computer as well as the internet. If you want to add the search feature to your desktop's taskbar, you can enable it in the settings. If your search bar is not working, you can easily troubleshoot it. This wikiHow will show you how to show or hide the search box on the taskbar in Windows 10 or 11.
Quick Steps
- On Windows 11, right-click the taskbar.
- Click Taskbar settings .
- Click Taskbar items to expand the section.
- Toggle on Search .
Steps
Section 1 of 3:
Using Windows 11
-
Right-click the taskbar. This is the bar that contains the Start menu logo. You can also press and hold it. A pop-up menu will open.
- Use this method to add or remove the search bar in Windows 11 .
-
Click Taskbar settings . This is at the top of the menu.Advertisement
-
Click Taskbar items . This will expand the section.
-
Toggle on "Search". This will show the search box on your taskbar.
- If needed, you can also hide the taskbar .
-
Hide the search box (optional). If you have a new device or if you want to maximize the taskbar space, you can hide the search box instead. Do the following:
- Right-click the taskbar and click Taskbar settings .
- Click Taskbar items .
- Toggle off Search .
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Section 2 of 3:
Using Windows 10
-
Right-click the taskbar. This is the bar that contains the Start menu logo. It should be at the bottom of the screen, unless you changed the taskbar position . A pop-up menu will open.
- Use this method to add or remove the search bar in Windows 10 .
-
Hover your cursor over Search . You can find this underneath Toolbars .
-
Click to select Show search box . This adds the Windows 10 search box to your taskbar. Alternatively, you can select Show search icon if you only want to see a magnifying glass icon.
- If you don't see this option, right-click the taskbar and click Taskbar settings
. Toggle off Use small taskbar buttons.
- When "Use small taskbar buttons" is enabled, you'll only get to pick between having the search feature hidden or displaying the search icon. [1] X Trustworthy Source Microsoft Support Technical support and product information from Microsoft. Go to source
- If you don't see this option, right-click the taskbar and click Taskbar settings
. Toggle off Use small taskbar buttons.
-
Hide the search box (optional). If you have a new device or if you want to maximize the taskbar space, you can hide the search box instead. Do the following:
- Right-click the taskbar.
- Hover over Search .
- Click Hidden .
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About This Article
Article Summary
X
1. Right-click the taskbar.
2. Hover your mouse over Search
.
3. Click to select Show search box
.
4. Enter your password and click Sign in
.
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Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 105,530 times.
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