Microsoft today published a support article detailing solutions on how to fix problems in Windows Desktop Search after previously fixing a known issue where users reported not receiving results on Windows 10, version 1903 devices.

The company previously fixed this issue where searching did not return any results and Cortana had high CPU usage or sudden CPU spikes with the release of the Windows 10 KB4515384 cumulative update.

The known issue was caused by last month's Windows 10 KB4512941 cumulative update and Microsoft concluded that it only affected devices on which searching the web from Windows Desktop Search was disabled.

High CPU usage in Cortana

New Windows Search problems

However, some users are still reporting that the Windows 10 search feature is still broken, with some saying that Windows Search doesn't start at all on their computers after installing the KB4515384 cumulative update.

Microsoft also added a new known issue to the Windows Release Health Dashboard stating that "Some users report issues related to the Start menu and Windows Desktop Search."

The issue impacts Windows 10, version 1903 users and Microsoft is "presently investigating and will provide an update when more information is available."

Microsoft provides a number of suggestions that could fix the search problems experienced by some Windows 10 users in today's published support article related to Windows Search.

[Windows Release Health Update – New Known Issue: Acknowledged] Some users report issues related to the Start menu and Windows Desktop Search. Read more here: https://t.co/NHEQuEjsVX. — Windows Update (@WindowsUpdate) September 12, 2019

Check for updates

The first solution recommended by Microsoft is to check for updates from Windows 10's Settings or by following the procedure detailed below:

• Select the Start button, and then go to Settings > Update & security > Windows Update > Check for updates.

• Install any available updates, and then restart your computer if the updates require this.

Reindex your PC

Those who did not get the Windows Search feature up and running this way are advised to run the Search and Indexing troubleshooter on their device to reindex their PC's contents.

This can be done using the Command Prompt by selecting Start, entering cmd, and then selecting Command Prompt in the results. At the command prompt, run the following command: msdt.exe -ep WindowsHelp id SearchDiagnostic

Reindexing the contents of the PC can also be done by using the following these steps:

• Select Start, then select Settings.

• In Windows Settings, select Update & security > Troubleshoot. Under 'Find and fix other problems', select Search and Indexing.

• Run the troubleshooter, and select any problems that apply. Windows will try to detect and solve them.

Reset Windows Search

Microsoft also provides a PowerShell script designed to reset Windows Search downloadable from HERE that has to be executed using Windows PowerShell:

1. First save the PowerShell script anywhere on your computer as a ps1 file then right-click it and select 'Run with PowerShell'.

2. The script will then launch to reset the Windows Search feature and you should leave it running until the word 'Done' appears.

3. After this, Windows Search is reset and you can close the PowerShell window.

Users who cannot run the PowerShell script and get an error saying that it "Cannot be loaded because running scripts is disabled on this system" will have to go through the following step to enable running scripts on their system:

1. Start Windows PowerShell as an Administrator: • Press Ctrl+Alt+Del, and select 'Task Manager'.

• When the Task Manager window opens, select File, and then select 'Run new task'.

• In the 'Create new task' window that opens, enter PowerShell as the Type, and then select the 'Create this task with administrative permissions' check box.

• Click OK.



2. Paste the following command on the command line of the PowerShell window, and then click Enter:

Set-ExecutionPolicy -ExecutionPolicy Unrestricted



3. Close the window, and try to run the script again.

Use the System File Checker

While Microsoft doesn't mention it in the support article, some users have reported successfully fixing their Windows Search problems [1, 2] by using the System File Checker tool to repair missing or corrupted system files and then restarting their PCs.

To do that you can use a seemingly complicated procedure detailed by Microsoft in a separate Windows support article, requiring you to open an elevated command prompt, to run the inbox Deployment Image Servicing and Management (DISM) tool, and then type the following command in the Command Prompt window:

sfc /scannow

The full step-by-step procedure is described in detail in this Windows support article.

Send feedback

Besides providing solutions to potential Windows Search issues, Microsoft also asks users to send feedback using the Feedback Hub if the suggestions did not fix their problem.