Windows search returns nothing
I type in the Start menu and nothing comes up. How do I fix search?
Written by The CommonFixes team · fact checked by CommonFixes review desk
Last updated
Short answer
The SearchHost process or the search index database gets corrupted, so Windows has nothing to look through. The quickest thing to try first: restart the search process — Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc, find Search or SearchHost in the Details tab, right click and choose End task. It restarts by itself in a few seconds. Most people are done in about 8 minutes.
Full walkthrough below: 4 steps for Windows, rated easy.
Sounds like this
- •Start menu search box stays empty
- •Results appear then vanish
- •Search spins forever
Why it happens
The SearchHost process or the search index database gets corrupted, so Windows has nothing to look through.
Work through these in order
0% done- 1
Restart the search process
Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc, find Search or SearchHost in the Details tab, right click and choose End task. It restarts by itself in a few seconds.
- 2
Run the built in troubleshooter
Settings, System, Troubleshoot, Other troubleshooters, then Run next to Search and Indexing. Tick Files do not appear in search results.
- 3
Rebuild the index
Search Indexing Options in Control Panel, click Advanced, then Rebuild. Leave the computer on for an hour while it re-reads your files.
- 4
Re-register the Start menu
Open Windows PowerShell as administrator and run: Get-AppxPackage Microsoft.Windows.Search | Reset-AppxPackage. Then sign out and back in.
If none of that worked
If search still fails, create a new Windows user account and test there. A broken user profile is the usual cause and copying your files to the new account fixes it for good.
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The CommonFixes team
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This guide was last updated on 10 August 2026. If a step no longer matches what you see on screen, tell us on the contact page and we will test it again.
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