Missing Search Box and Settings Icon on SharePoint Sites

Question

I am a SharePoint administrator, and I am currently investigating an issue where my colleagues and I cannot see the search box or the settings icon on the SharePoint homepage. Many colleagues are affected, while others can still see these elements without any issues.

Could you please let me know if there have been any recent changes or updates from the Microsoft service team that might be causing this behavior?

Answer 1

Hello @Bahram,

Thank you for reaching out to the Microsoft Q&A forum.

Since some users can still see the search box and Settings (gear) icon while others cannot, I'll need to narrow down whether this is related to browser behavior, permissions, or site customization.

Could you please help check the following:

1. Browser test

• Open the affected site in InPrivate / Incognito mode.
• Try accessing the site using a different browser (for example, Edge and Chrome).
• Temporarily disable browser extensions.

Please confirm whether the search box and Settings icon appear in these scenarios.

2. Scope of impact

• Does this happen on all SharePoint sites or only the homepage?
• When did the issue first start?
• Are all affected users using the same browser or device type?

3. Permission comparison: Do affected users have the same roles as those who can still see the icons (for example, Site Collection Admin or Global Admin)?

4. Customization check: Has there been any recent change related to branding, custom scripts, or SPFx extensions?

Additionally, please share:

• A screenshot from an affected user
• A screenshot from an unaffected user for comparison

Before sending the screenshots, please make sure to mask or blur any sensitive information for data privacy.

Once we have this information, we can better determine the next steps.