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[Review] New Updated Search Box in File Explorer in Windows 10

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If you upgraded or installed the new version of Windows 10 in your computer system, you might have noticed the new updated Search box in File Explorer (also known as Windows Explorer, This PC, My Computer).

Newer versions of Windows 10 come with new File Explorer search experience which is now powered by Windows Search which means if you search for something using the Search box present in File Explorer toolbar, it’ll integrate your OneDrive account online content with offline or local search results.

So now the new Search box in Windows 10 File Explorer has the ability to show both online as well as offline search results due to OneDrive integration via Windows Search.

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Following screenshot shows new updated Search box in File Explorer showing online content suggestions from OneDrive account:

OneDrive_Online_Content_Suggestions_File_Explorer_Search_Box_Windows_10.png

Now as soon as user starts typing the search term in Search box, it starts showing online files suggestions in drop-down list if the user is signed into OneDrive account. You can click on any file name shown in suggestions list to launch it. To get only offline search results, users need to click on “Arrow” button or press Enter key.

PS: I told you about this new updated Search box implementation in Windows 10 when Windows 10 November 2019 Update (version 1909 or 19H2) was under development and testing phase.

Now there are some UI and functionality issues in the new updated Search box in Windows 10 File Explorer which I’m going to share in this review article:

1. The most annoying issue in new updated Search box is the removal of instant search results display. In older Windows 10 versions, as soon as the user started typing something in File Explorer search box, Windows 10 automatically used to search for it and display search results in File Explorer window.

Following screenshot shows the old classic Search box in Windows 10 File Explorer which is showing instant search results without any need of clicking on arrow button or pressing Enter key:

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Instant_Search_Results_File_Explorer_Search_Box_Windows_10.png

Now in new Search box, it doesn’t show search results until we click on arrow button or press Enter key. It’s quite annoying and time wasting as every time we want to search for something, we need to click on arrow button or press Enter key.

Also in older Search box, if we clicked on close (x) button present inside Search box while it was searching and showing search results, Windows 10 automatically used to close search results screen and bring back to the previous folder in File Explorer.

Now in new Search box, clicking on close (x) button, only removes the search term from Search box, nothing else. So we need to click on Back button to go to previous folder location.

2. Since the new Search box is larger in size, Microsoft has decided to increase size of address bar as well to match with the new Search box size. Now height of both address bar and new Search box has been increased a lot in newer Windows 10 versions.

Following screenshot shows the address bar and search box size in older Windows 10 versions:

Old_Classic_File_Explorer_Search_Box_Windows_10.png

Following screenshot shows the address bar and search box size in newer Windows 10 versions:

New_Updated_File_Explorer_Search_Box_Windows_10.png

You can see clearly that in newer Windows 10 versions, both address bar and Search box height has been increased a lot than previous.

Now the new address bar and search box don’t look good to me. It looks like I have increased DPI scaling size. I wonder what people on custom DPI scaling feel when they’ll notice extra large address bar and search box in File Explorer.

3. This is a small but ugly UI issue in new Search box. When we click inside the new Search box, the text written inside Search box “Search” moves a little downwards (I think 1 pixel). It looks very ugly and unprofessional.

Following animated image shows the text inside Search box moving downwards upon clicking inside the search box:

New_Updated_File_Explorer_Search_Box_UI_Glitch_Windows_10.gif

Microsoft should fix this GUI glitch in future versions on Windows 10.

4. This is very annoying issue. Many times the Search box stopped working and doesn’t accept any input. Nothing happens when I click on Search box, it doesn’t allow me to type anything. It looks like the Search box is grayed out or disabled.

Most of the time it happens when I stop the search process by clicking on close button present inside the search box and click on Back button to go to previous folder. After that if I click inside Search box, nothing happens.

To fix this issue, I need to close File Explorer window and re-open it or restart Explorer.

More Info with Fix: [Fix] Search Box in Windows 10 File Explorer Not Responding

PS: Recently an AskVG reader asked me is it possible to remove new Search box and restore the old classic search box in Windows 10 File Explorer? Unfortunately, I couldn’t find any way to replace the new Search box with old search box. It seems the new Search box is hard coded in Windows Shell and can’t be removed. I’m looking into Registry and system files. If I find something useful to bring back classic search box in Windows 10 File Explorer, I’ll post a tutorial for it.

UPDATE:

[Tip] Restore Old Classic Search Box in Windows 10 File Explorer (This PC)

In the meantime, you can check out following old tutorial to disable the Search box to display recent search entries in drop-down box when you click inside the search box. This tutorial was written for Windows 7 but still works in Windows 10 as well:

How to Disable Display of Recent Search Entries in Windows Explorer Search Box?

Published in: Windows 10

About the author: Vishal Gupta (also known as VG) has been awarded with Microsoft MVP (Most Valuable Professional) award. He holds Masters degree in Computer Applications (MCA). He has written several tech articles for popular newspapers and magazines and has also appeared in tech shows on various TV channels.

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Comments

NOTE: Older comments have been removed to reduce database overhead.

  1. Is it possible to replace File Explorer? If yes, then may be this is the answer about search box.

    And did you find any major bug in this version? I downloaded November update but not installed unless to get better information about bugs.

  3. This is a useful review covering all of the annoying things I am facing. The first point you mentioned is exactly what makes me extremely frustrated. Imagine that I cannot remember the exact name of the file and I type into the searching field, then I will never get the results. For example, the file name should be “zircon M257…”, I typed “257”, then I could not receive any result for that. Therefore, the searching tool seems to be useless for me at the moment ^^. I do not know how I can a certain file among a bunch of 1000 files. If you find any solution, please notify me. Thank you so much in advance.

  4. Another annoying thing is that the F3 hotkey now only sets focus of the search box, it does not always auto-select all text in there. UNLESS an active search has fully completed. Pretty annoying behavior.

  5. what the hell is this feature I thought my settings has been dismissed and tried to fix it but after wasting 2-3 hours I got you on internet ):
    I’m frustrated after this update…
    thanks to you that you saved my time that i might use to that………

  6. I just built and new computer and this windows explorer change is stupid. typing doesn’t automatically show results. Right clicking to paste doesn’t work have to ctrl-V

  7. I HATE when they change things for no reason. The massive search/address bar is absoloutely ugly and unrequired. Its just too big.

  8. THIS NEW SEARCH BAR S****!
    Often not possible to type something in and not finding parts of long filenames.
    No more instant search is so useless.
    WHAT A FAIL

  9. There is a way to disable the new updated search box experience and restore classic search box functionality in Windows 10 File Explorer:

    1. Download Mach2 from following link:

    github.com/riverar/mach2/releases

    2. Open an elevated command prompt and issue following command:

    mach2 disable 18755234

    3. Restart File Explorer or your computer.

  10. THANK YOU!

    I hated the new search box, the biggest was not able to use esc to revery back to the previous window/cancel search.

    Make sure to run CMD as admin or else you’ll get unknown error.

  12. Hello,
    Can someone explain to me how to use the Mach2 file suggested by Raf ?
    1) I unzipped his archive in C:
    2) I launch Powershell in admin mode, and type
    C:\> mach2 disable 18755234

    ….but all I get is this error message = mach2 ! The term ‘mach2’ is not recognized bla bla.

    Please help, I really want the INSTANT search results back, thank you.

  13. ^^ You need to run the command in Command Prompt active in the same folder containing mach2 file.

  14. Hello,

    I was in the same folder, but it did not work in C:
    I tried in another folder (on my desktop), and I can launch the script, if I add .\ before the command :
    .\mach2 disable 18755234

    I got a ‘OK’ message
    I killed the explorer.exe process tree, ran it again and…
    …OH MIRACLE the instant search results are back !!!

    Thanks (I did not know your site)

  16. Well, it worked…for one day. The new Explorer search system is back on my machine today.
    It looks like the trick suggested by Raf works until the next reboot. Too bad…

  17. Hi,

    I tried the same mach2. But it is not working in my computer. Have the ms did any thing for the issue???

  18. I change to old search with that way :

    Open the Registry Editor. Find the key
    HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\System
    1) Go to “ConsentPromptBehaviorAdmin” value , double click on it and set the data to 0 (zero).
    2) Go to “EnableLUA” value double click on it and set the data to 0 (zero). If the value “EnableLUA” does not exist you must create it with right click as DWORD (32-bit).
    Reboot your system to activate the changes.

  19. @Athanasios Chaldoupis
    thanks a lot for the help. this really solved the search bar issue. like a boss.

  21. the registry tweak works like a charm but is there also a way to revert to the original size?

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