Windows 11 File Explorer no longer remembers search history; how to reenable?

I figured it out on WIndows 10 but I upgraded to Win 11 this morning and it's GONE. I forgot how I did it on Windows 10 but I did it.

After reading multiple message threads from people complaining that seach on Windows 11 is not working, I have determined that the most likely problem is due to disk cloning. When most people clone their Windows drive, they will typically chnage the boot sequence in BIOS to the new drive and keep their old Windows drive connected to the system in case there are issues with the new drive. Unfortunately, this leaves two disks on the system with the same volume ID. Windows search indexes the old D: drive but does not allow the new C: drive to be added to the search index even when the C: drive is manually added to the search index. To resolve the problem and keep the old drive connected to the system, use the DOS CMD command in administrative mode to force delete the partitions on the old drive (delete partition override). Note that the first time the system and reserved partition is deleted, a single merged partition is created which will need to be force deleted again. You will then be able to create a single D: partition on your old drive using Windows Create and Format Hard Disk partitions. Once you have reformatted your old D: drive, you can go into Settings==>Privacy & security==>Classic Customize search locations==>Modify and you can now add the folders in C: drive you want to index. Once you take OK, it will take awhile for Windows to index the C: drive.

Microsoft MVPs, can you please add this solution to the search index message threads because many users who are cloning their drive are encountering this issue?

This thread is about the Search History missing. Here's the title of the tread again because apparently you misread it or something.

"Windows 11 File Explorer no longer remembers search history; how to reenable?"

My drive was not cloned. This was a fresh install of Windows 11 on a virgin drive. I can search just fine, but the history of things I've searched for is no longer available when I click in the search box. For instance, I frequently do video encoding and need to search for certain file types. Previously I could just click in the search bar and select the same search I used last time without having to go back to the keyboard and type it in again. Now I have to click in the search bar and type the same thing each time I need to do a search. What used to take 2 clicks of the mouse on subsequent searches now takes the whole effort every time I search. This is going back in time rather than improving processes and moving forward!

What was once a great feature is now gone and those of us posting about it here would like that feature returned.

Same here... I did no such cloning around !

Mine was a "forced" upgrade to Windows 11 from Windows 10, so I just went with it... until I found some of the stupid things Microsoft did with it !

Kind of hard to imagine that Microsoft developers do not use (or miss) the search feature !

This thread is about the Search History missing. Here's the title of the tread again because apparently you misread it or something.

"Windows 11 File Explorer no longer remembers search history; how to reenable?"

My drive was not cloned. This was a fresh install of Windows 11 on a virgin drive. I can search just fine, but the history of things I've searched for is no longer available when I click in the search box. For instance, I frequently do video encoding and need to search for certain file types. Previously I could just click in the search bar and select the same search I used last time without having to go back to the keyboard and type it in again. Now I have to click in the search bar and type the same thing each time I need to do a search. What used to take 2 clicks of the mouse on subsequent searches now takes the whole effort every time I search. This is going back in time rather than improving processes and moving forward!

What was once a great feature is now gone and those of us posting about it here would like that feature returned.

I appreciate your offer, but I will not be creating and deleting partitions.

Plus, this drive is not cloned.

In addition, the search history is not only failing on the C:\ drive, but also on any network drive searches that are performed through File Explorer.

The solution should be that Microsoft restores the formerly established search history functionality without requiring administrator level manipulation of the system settings.