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Search bar and windows key are not letting me click on it

All Good Dogs 0 Reputation points
2025-12-16T15:08:03.7+00:00

When I click on the windows key on the keyboard, nothing happens. Also, when I click on the windows key and search bar with my mouse on the screen, they will not open.

Microsoft Edge | Other | Windows 10
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  1. David-M 114.7K Reputation points Independent Advisor
    2025-12-16T15:40:47.9733333+00:00

    Hi. I'm David, and I'm happy to help you.

    I suggest doing the following:

    Use the system file checker to repair possible corrupted or missing system files.

    1. Press "Ctrl + Shift + Esc" to open Task Manager;
    2. Select "File > Run new task";
    3. In the "Open" field, type cmd, check "Create this task with administrative privileges", and click Ok;
    4. Run the following commands at the Command Prompt one at a time:
    dism.exe /online /cleanup-image /scanhealth
dism.exe /online /cleanup-image /restorehealth
dism.exe /online /cleanup-image /startcomponentcleanup
sfc /scannow

    Note: Pay attention to the results of the commands to make sure that the procedure was completed successfully or if there was a problem. If you have any problems, let me know the error that was shown.

    1. Restart the PC and see if the problem is resolved.

    If it persists, re-register the Shell Experience Host as instructed below.

    1. Press "Ctrl + Shift + Esc" to open Task Manager;
    2. Select "File > Run new task";
    3. In the "Open" field, type powershell, check "Create this task with administrative privileges", and click Ok;
    4. Type or paste the following command and press Enter:
    Get-AppxPackage -AllUsers Microsoft.Windows.ShellExperienceHost | Foreach {Add-AppxPackage -DisableDevelopmentMode -Register "$($_.InstallLocation)\AppXManifest.xml"}
    • Note if the command will run correctly or will have a red message.
    • If you get a red message, you will need to kill the "Windows Shell Experience Host" process in Task Manager and run the command again.
    1. Restart the PC.

    If the problem persists, please let me know.

    Feel free to ask back any questions.

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  2. All Good Dogs 0 Reputation points
    2025-12-16T16:27:16.26+00:00

    Thank you! This worked!

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  3. All Good Dogs 0 Reputation points
    2025-12-16T16:00:09.1933333+00:00

    I am currently on code 2 under step 4. It has been stuck on 62.3% for a while now.

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  4. All Good Dogs 0 Reputation points
    2025-12-16T15:12:52.7033333+00:00

    This does not help. I said the window key does not work and my first suggestion was to press the windows key.

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  5. AI answer

    2025-12-16T15:08:25.1833333+00:00

    If the Windows key and search bar are unresponsive, you can try the following troubleshooting steps:

    1. Restart Windows Font Cache Service: Sometimes, issues with Windows Search can be resolved by restarting the Windows Font Cache Service. You can do this by:
      • Pressing the Windows key + R to open the Run dialog, then typing services.msc and pressing Enter.
      • In the Services window, locate Windows Font Cache Service, right-click it, and select Stop. After stopping it, right-click again and select Start.
    2. Check for Windows Updates: Ensure your system is up to date. Go to Start > Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update and check for updates. Install any available updates and restart your computer if necessary.
    3. Group Policy Configuration: If you are using a version of Windows that supports Group Policy, you can change the configuration for Desktop Search. Open the Group Policy Editor by pressing Windows key + R, typing gpedit.msc, and navigating to Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > Search. Look for the setting that says "Don't search the web or display web results in Search" and set it to Enabled.

    These steps should help resolve the issues with the Windows key and search bar not responding.

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

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