Are you missing the taskbar search bar after upgrading to Windows 11? Want to know how to search in Windows 11 without the search box? Want to restore the search bar in Windows 11? In this guide, we will try to answer your questions.
In Windows 11, the taskbar does not display the large search bar or search box present in Windows 10 by default. The search bar on Windows 10 taskbar allows users to search for files, apps, and the web. However, the taskbar search bar is not present in Windows 11.
Show search bar on Windows 11 taskbar?
Unfortunately, no. Windows 11 does not allow adding a search bar or search box on the taskbar. The search box has been moved from the taskbar to the Start menu. So, you now need to open the Start menu, click on the search box and then start typing. If you want to make it quick, you can open the Start menu and start typing to begin the search (no need to lclick on the search field). Of course, you can also click on the search icon next to the Start button on the taskbar to open the search screen and start searching (a similar search icon is present in Windows 10 as well).
In short, the taskbar search bar has been moved to the Start menu in Windows 11, and there is no way to add it the taskbar.
How to search without the search bar in Windows 11?
In Windows 11, as said earlier, the search bar has been moved from the taskbar to the Start menu. So, you can now open the Start menu, click on the search field and type the keyword to begin the search.
To be honest, the search bar is not required to perform a search. One can click on the search icon on the taskbar to open the search flyout/screen and start searching. This is the fastest way to access the search UI. Users who love using keyboard shortcuts can use the Windows logo + S keys to open the search flyout. Alternatively, users can open the Start menu and then start typing to search for files and apps (you do not need to click the search bar).
Tip 1: You can remove the search icon from the taskbar to free up some space by right-clicking on it and then clicking the Unpin from the taskbar option. If the search icon goes missing, you can restore the same by navigating to Settings > Personalization > Taskbar > Taskbar items and then turning on the Search option.
Tip 2: Hovering the mouse pointer over the search icon on the taskbar displays three most recently searched items.
