We all love Windows 10. It’s simple to use, effective and works (most of the time). However, it is known for having a few recurring problems and one of the most infamous being the search function in the taskbar taking the day off.
If you’re looking to clean up windows and make sure it’s running its best then take a look at our guide here.
Unfortunately for the search function in the taskbar, it doesn’t get to have the day off because we need to search for things. Those cat pictures aren’t going to find themselves. We’re going to show you how to fix some common problems that can cause your search bar to refuse to cooperate.
How to fix taskbar errors in Windows 10
We’re going to go through the most simple and quick solutions first to get you back on your feet. Let’s get that search function back up and running.
Restart your computer
Sometimes all it takes is a swift restart. This allows Windows to reboot and restart all its processes and generally untangle itself. This is the first thing to try, and more often than not, will sort the problem out.
How to end Cortana’s process
Even if you’re not using Cortana it is always there in the background, its process always active. If this is something you want to disable, then have a look at our guide on how to do that here.
It’s possible that the Cortana process is the problem causing your taskbar to struggle. You can end the process by doing the following:
- Right click on the Start button at the bottom right of your screen.
- Click Task Manager.
- Find the Cortana process.
- Select end task at the bottom right of the Window.
The process will automatically restart and will hopefully be fixed when it fires back up.
How to restart Windows Explorer
Windows Explorer is the software that allows you to navigate around your PC, so there may be something wrong here too. Restarting it manually could also solve the problem, so try this:
- Right clock on your Start button again and head back into your Task manager.
- Find the Windows Explorer process in the list, select it and his restart at the bottom right.
How to restart Windows Search service
Restarting the Windows Search service can also help, and it’s nice and quick to try so do the following:
- Hold your Windows Key and press R to bring up the Run command.
- Type ‘services.msc’ into the search box and hit enter.
- Right click on ‘Windows Search’ from the list and hit Restart
Use the Windows troubleshooter
Not the most reliable solution but it’s certainly worth a punt at this point. Try firing up the Windows Troubleshooter by doing the following:
- Hit your Windows Key + R again, type in ‘Control Panel’ followed by Enter.
- Find Troubleshooting and open it up.
- Go through to System and Security, and right-click on Search and Indexing.
- Hit ‘Run as Administrator’ and click Next.
Hopefully one of these did the trick, and your search bar is back to its functioning best.