Are you unable to see the Search box on your computer? The Search box is usually located towards the bottom left of your screen. If you cannot find it present on the taskbar, then it has probably been hidden accidentally. So if your Search box is missing on Windows 10, then follow the instructions below to get it back.
Enable the Search Box from Cortana
The Search box can be brought up by pressing together the Windows key and S key. If the Search box still doesn’t come up, then here is what you can do:
Right click anywhere on the taskbar (empty space)
Click on Cortana from the options select Show search box and ensure that it has been checked
If it hasn’t then check it and exit to see if the Search box is visible on the taskbar
Check if you are using Tablet Mode
If you are using tablet mode on your laptop, then the entire taskbar is not seen. This comes in the default settings. Therefore make sure you exit the tablet mode, and the taskbar will be back along with the Search box in it’s original place. Here is what you should do:
Click on the Action Centre which is located at the bottom right corner on your screen
Check the Tablet Mode and if it has been selected (the icon and space will be blue in color)
Click on it once again, so this section is grayed out. This will bring back your Search box on the taskbar.
Some users would like to continue using the tablet mode but still want the taskbar back along with the Search box. Here is what they can do:
Open Settings of your laptop by pressing together Windows Logo key and I.
Click on Personalization
On the personalization, page locate taskbar and click on it
You will get a list of features which you can activate or deactivate
Look for ‘Automatically hide the taskbar in tablet mode’ and toggle this feature off
The taskbar along with the Search box will return back on the computer screen
Check if the Taskbar Buttons are Disabled
Another reason to why the Search box could be missing from the taskbar is if the Small taskbar buttons feature is enabled. This feature needs to be disabled and here is how you can do it:
Right click on the taskbar in any empty area and from the options you get scroll down to locate taskbar Settings
A new page will open with the taskbar settings, and you should look for ‘Use small taskbar buttons’ toggle this option off
Now close the page or pane and probably your Search box will have appeared
Check if the Taskbar has been Set to Show All Displays
The taskbar and Search box tend to hide in multiple displays. If you are using more than a single display you must make the changes in the settings:
Press together the Windows logo key and I to open the Settings app
Click on Personalization
Next click on Taskbar
Locate Multiple displays in the column
Under this option toggle the ‘Show taskbar on all displays’ On
Now restart your laptop and check if the Search box and the taskbar are back
Create a New User Account
If none of the fixes seem to have worked for you, then you can try creating a new user account and your Search box might come back on your screen
Press together the Windows logo key and I to open the Settings app
Click on Accounts and scroll to locate Other People
Just beside the column, you will get an option ‘Add Someone Else to this PC’
A new page/pane will open where you need to provide an email address or phone number to proceed with the Sign-up process
Just follow the steps provided by the wizard and finish the procedure
Now restart your computer and login to your system
This will have fixed the issue, and your Search box will be back on the taskbar.
Follow these easy steps and it will fix the Search box issue on your Windows 10 device.
Experiencing difficulties with your Device, check out our “How To” page on how to resolve some of these issues.
Thanks. The “small buttons” setting was the trick. Nobody else caught that.