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My Search Bar does not show apps or shortcuts of applications on my computer and messes with the icons of the apps that do show up

Anonymous
2023-02-04T20:30:18+00:00

Hello, I have a problem where when I try to search (from the start menu) for an app that I have downloaded and installed, it just wouldn't show up.

For example, I downloaded and installed a 3d modeling application named Blender. It currently shows on Installed Apps in the Settings and it works normally. If I were to open the Search Bar on the Desktop and search for the name 'Blender' however, it would not show me its shortcut unlike Windows 10. This happens to all my applications that I have installed too, not just Blender.

There are apps that do show up on the search bar (example: Paint, Calendar, Camera, Settings, Notepad, StickyNotes), However the apps and their icons do not match (For example: Settings may have the camera icon instead of the usual cog icon, and notepad could have no icon at all, just a gray square)

I've been trying to upload screenshots to this post, however the upload keeps failing.

What I tried doing is:

  • Updating Windows (its on the latest update now)
  • Reindexing search (did not work)
  • Ending the SearchHost.exe from the TaskManager
  • Used the Search and Indexing troubleshooter, but it hasn't detected any errors
  • Restarted Windows

So far none of these fixed the problem. I've upgraded from Windows 10 to Windows 11 in the same month it came out. Thank you in advance

Windows for home | Windows 11 | Files, folders, and storage

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  1. Tin Luna 24,405 Reputation points Independent Advisor
    2023-02-04T21:08:05+00:00

    Hi Akhras2,

    I'm Christine, a Windows user like you. I'll do my best to help you.

    I can see here that your Windows Search is not working properly.

    Please try to follow the steps below:

    1. Please try to run the sfc scannow to check if there's a corrupted system file. Kindly follow the steps from the link below:

    Please click start menu and type cmd, right click on it and choose CMD with Admin.

    Type sfc /scannow and hit enter. NOTE: There's a space between c and /

    https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/topic/use-t...

    1. Refresh the explorer.exe

    On Windows 11:

    Right click on start menu and choose Task Manager

    Click Details Tab and end the task of explorer.exe

    Then click Run New Task and type explorer.exe and hit enter

    1. Check if the Windows Search is not disabled

    Click Windows key + R and type services.msc then hit enter

    Look for Windows Search and check if the status is not disabled.

    Please let me know the result. I'll be happy to assist you all the way until it's resolved.

    Thank you,

    Christine L

    Independent Advisor

    7 people found this answer helpful.
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  1. Anonymous
    2023-02-08T20:28:12+00:00

    Hi Akhras2,

    I'm Christine, a Windows user like you. I'll do my best to help you.
    I can see here that your Windows Search is not working properly.

    Please try to follow the steps below:

    1. Please try to run the sfc scannow to check if there's a corrupted system file. Kindly follow the steps from the link below:

    Please click start menu and type cmd, right click on it and choose CMD with Admin.

    Type sfc /scannow and hit enter. NOTE: There's a space between c and /

    https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/topic/use-t...

    1. Refresh the explorer.exe
      On Windows 11:
      Right click on start menu and choose Task Manager
      Click Details Tab and end the task of explorer.exe
      Then click Run New Task and type explorer.exe and hit enter
    2. Check if the Windows Search is not disabled
      Click Windows key + R and type services.msc then hit enter
      Look for Windows Search and check if the status is not disabled.

    Please let me know the result. I'll be happy to assist you all the way until it's resolved.

    Thank you,
    Christine L
    Independent Advisor

    Hello, thank you for your answer.

    It seems that the explorer.exe just needed to be refreshed and now everything works normally!

    The icons are still jumbled but I can live with it

    Again, I appreciate the answer and I hope you have a great day.

    1 person found this answer helpful.
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