File Explorer search not working in Windows 10 1909

Anonymous
2019-11-20T13:56:08+00:00

Ever since I updated to Windows 10 1909 the Search Box in the File Explorer is completely unuseable. It shows a text cursor but I cannot click inside the box or type any text into it. Essentially it's a text box with no "wiring". 

Any ideas how to resolve this issue? I'm having to resort to using a third-party search app just to find files in my projects.

Kind regards

Byron

Windows for home | Windows 10 | Files, folders, and storage

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  1. Anonymous
    2020-01-15T13:44:59+00:00

    This is just a temporary solution that I found it to work for me:

    Open File Explorer, Go to File, select Open new window (Alt + n) then select, Open new window in new process (Alt + p). When the new window opens the search works.

    Jack

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  2. Anonymous
    2020-01-05T18:50:42+00:00

    I too have experienced this exact same issue on two different computers, one of which is literally only a day old.

    I cannot speak for the long-term reliability of this method, but here's a way I found to (at least temporarily) fix the broken search bar without having to kill explorer.exe in Task Manager or having to use PowerShell commands on my own computer:

    1. Open a folder, any folder (doesn't matter which)
    2. In the Ribbon, click on View and then Options
    3. When the Folder Options window appears, click the View tab
    4. Scroll the "Advanced settings" list about halfway down
    5. Look for the setting "Launch folder windows in a separate process".

          a. If it is NOT checked, then click the box to check it

          b. If it IS checked, then uncheck it, click Apply, and finally re-check it

    1. Click Apply, and then OK.

    This seems to have worked for me, but like I said only time will tell if the problem comes back or not.

    Thanks, unfortunately it worked for a while and then didn't work. Hope Microsoft fixes this soon

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  3. Anonymous
    2019-12-04T17:09:08+00:00

    Folks,

    After following this for a while and seeing no solution I have done the following.

    Uninstalled the 1909 update, restarted and I am back to everything working as it was with 1903.

    I have also delayed the updates for a few months to see if a solution is found.

    TMWgray

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  4. Anonymous
    2019-12-02T13:41:01+00:00

    If you close windows explorer instead of restarting it, just open run from the task manager and type explorer.exe to restart it.

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  5. Anonymous
    2019-11-27T16:06:17+00:00

    We are having the same issues on MANY PCs and laptops here.  Please fix this as soon as possible.

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