When i search something with the windows key it loads forever

Jacob Plunkett 40 Reputation points
2026-09-16T20:45:56.62+00:00

image_2026-09-16_164333495

recently almost every time that i try to search something with the windows search bar it loads endlessly, the only way to somewhat fix this is to restart the PC until it works, however most of the time it just flat out doesn't. How can i fix this?

Windows for home | Windows 11 | Desktop, Start, and personalization | Start Menu
0 comments

3 answers

Sort by: Most helpful
Most helpful Newest Oldest
  1. John DeV 170.4K Reputation points Independent Advisor
    2026-09-18T21:36:12.42+00:00

    Thank you for updating me and sharing that information. Please try to return to the login screen

    While holding the Left Shift key, click the Power icon at the bottom right > Restart

    This will bring you to Windows Recovery Environment

    Select Troubleshoot > Advanced Options > Uninstall Updates

    Uninstall latest quality update

    If this doesn't work, Select Troubleshoot > Advanced Options > System Restore

    Choose the restore point at an earlier date where everything is still working.

    Click Next then Finish

    Was this answer helpful?

    0 comments
  2. John DeV 170.4K Reputation points Independent Advisor
    2026-09-16T21:26:14.7266667+00:00

    Hi, good day!

    To narrow down the cause,

    • When was the last time Windows Search worked properly and showed your apps?
    • Have you made any changes to your computer recently, such as installing/uninstalling software, Windows updates, or changing system settings?
    • Have you already tried any of the AI-suggested solutions? If so, could you let me know which steps you tried so we don’t repeat the same troubleshooting?

    In the meantime, please try to run SFC and DISM to check for any system errors and corrupted files.

    https://support.microsoft.com/windows/using-system-file-checker-in-windows-365e0031-36b1-6031-f804-8fd86e0ef4ca

    After that, restart your computer

    I look forward to your update and am willing to collaborate with you until we resolve the issue. Keep me posted by clicking "Add comment" below.

    Was this answer helpful?

  3. AI answer

    2026-09-16T20:46:15.7+00:00

    Try these fixes in order, from safest to more advanced:

    1. Check for Windows updates
      • Go to Start > Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update > Check for updates.
      • Install any available updates, then restart the PC.
    2. Restart the Windows Search process
      • Press Ctrl+Alt+Delete and open Task Manager.
      • Select Details.
      • Find SearchHost.exe on Windows 11.
      • Right-click it and select End task.
      • Confirm End process.
      • Try searching again.
    3. Run the Search and Indexing troubleshooter
      • Open Command Prompt.
      • Run: 
             msdt.exe -ep WindowsHelp id SearchDiagnostic
      • Select the symptoms that match the issue and let Windows try to repair them.
    4. Reset Windows Search
      • Go to Start > Settings > System > About and confirm the Windows version.
      • On Windows 11, Windows Search can be reset with the ResetWindowsSearchBox.ps1 PowerShell script.
      • This requires administrator permissions.
      • If PowerShell script execution is blocked, the execution policy must be temporarily changed: 
             Get-ExecutionPolicy
     Set-ExecutionPolicy -Scope CurrentUser -ExecutionPolicy Unrestricted
      • Run the reset script, then restore the previous execution policy afterward.
      • Note: changing execution policy has security risk, so only do it for this reset and then set it back.
    5. Regenerate the Windows Search package data
      • This is more advanced and includes registry changes. Back up the registry first.
      • Sign in to another user account or use Windows Recovery Environment.
      • For Windows 11, delete this folder: %USERPROFILE%\AppData\Local\Packages\MicrosoftWindows.Client.CBS_cw5n1h2txyewy
      • While signed in to the affected account, open Registry Editor and go to: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Search
      • Delete the Search registry key.
      • Open an elevated PowerShell window and run: 
             Add-AppxPackage -Path "C:\Windows\SystemApps\MicrosoftWindows.Client.CBS_cw5n1h2txyewy\Appxmanifest.xml" -DisableDevelopmentMode -Register
      • Restart the PC.
      • This recreates the Search registry key and AppData folder.
    6. If indexing is stuck or paused
      • Open services.msc.
      • Check that Windows Search (wsearch) is:
        • Running
        • Startup Type: Automatic (Delayed Start)
      • If indexing is paused because of battery or activity, connect the device to power and leave it on for a while.

    If none of these fixes work, submit feedback through Feedback Hub under Desktop Environment > Search.

    AI-generated content may be incorrect. Read our transparency notes for more information.

    Was this answer helpful?

Your answer

Answers can be marked as 'Accepted' by the question author and 'Recommended' by moderators, which helps users know the answer solved the author's problem.