Windows 11 Start menu search and search shows blank results, but items are clickable

Hello, I have an issue with Windows 11 search in the Start menu. When I click the search icon or start typing in the Start menu, the search panel opens but it looks completely empty (just a dark/blank area). However, when I move the mouse over the blank area and click, I can sometimes open apps, so it seems that the search results are actually there but invisible.

What I have already tried (none of this helped):

Restarted Windows Explorer and SearchHost.exe.

Restarted the “Windows Search” service and rebuilt the search index.

Ran the Search and Indexing troubleshooter. It reported: “Incorrect permissions on Windows Search directories – Not fixed.”

Reset permissions on C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Search using icacls … /reset.

Stopped and started the Windows Search service (net stop wsearch / net start wsearch).

Disabled and re‑enabled the Search feature with DISM.

Ran sfc /scannow and DISM /RestoreHealth.

Switched Windows themes (light/dark), turned off high‑contrast themes, and reset color settings.

The issue is still the same: the search panel is visually empty, but invisible items can be clicked with the mouse.

My configuration:

Windows 11 edition and build: (please fill in from winver)

Language/region: (your language/region)

Type of account: local or Microsoft account

Any third‑party customization tools installed (ExplorerPatcher, StartAllBack, custom themes, etc.): (list or “none”)

Could you please tell me:

1. What could cause search results to be invisible but still clickable?

Is there a way to fully reset Windows Search UI and its permissions for my user profile without doing a clean install?

If this is a profile‑specific problem, which registry keys or folders should I reset or compare with a new user profile?

Any help or official guidance would be appreciated. Thank you.Hello,

I have an issue with Windows 11 search in the Start menu. When I click the search icon or start typing in the Start menu, the search panel opens but it looks completely empty (just a dark/blank area). However, when I move the mouse over the blank area and click, I can sometimes open apps, so it seems that the search results are actually there but invisible.

What I have already tried (none of this helped):

Restarted Windows Explorer and SearchHost.exe.

Restarted the “Windows Search” service and rebuilt the search index.

Ran the Search and Indexing troubleshooter. It reported: “Incorrect permissions on Windows Search directories – Not fixed.”

Reset permissions on C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Search using icacls … /reset.

Stopped and started the Windows Search service (net stop wsearch / net start wsearch).

Disabled and re‑enabled the Search feature with DISM.

Ran sfc /scannow and DISM /RestoreHealth.

Switched Windows themes (light/dark), turned off high‑contrast themes, and reset color settings.

The issue is still the same: the search panel is visually empty, but invisible items can be clicked with the mouse.

My configuration:

Windows 11 edition and build: (please fill in from winver)

Language/region: (your language/region)

Type of account: local or Microsoft account

Any third‑party customization tools installed (ExplorerPatcher, StartAllBack, custom themes, etc.): (list or “none”)

Could you please tell me:

What could cause search results to be invisible but still clickable?

Is there a way to fully reset Windows Search UI and its permissions for my user profile without doing a clean install?

If this is a profile‑specific problem, which registry keys or folders should I reset or compare with a new user profile?

Any help or official guidance would be appreciated. Thank you.