How to Fix Search Bar Not Showing Program Results in Windows 7

If you’re using Windows 7 and the search bar suddenly stops showing results when you type a program name—don’t worry, you’re not alone. This issue can be frustrating, especially when you’re used to quickly launching programs through the Start menu. I ran into this myself and managed to fix it with a simple tweak in the Windows Registry. If you follow the steps below carefully, you should be able to fix it too.

⚠️ Important Note: We’ll be editing the Windows Registry. While it’s a straightforward fix, it’s still a sensitive area—so please follow each step exactly to avoid any issues.

🛠 Step-by-Step Fix

Since the search bar isn’t working, we’ll be using keyboard shortcuts.

1. Press Windows + R on your keyboard. This opens the Run dialog box.
2. In the Run box, type regedit and press Enter. You’ll need to be logged in as an Administrator to proceed.
3. In the Registry Editor, navigate to the following path: CopyEditHKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\FolderTypes\{ef87b4cb-f2ce-4785-8658-4ca6c63e38c6}
4. Once you locate that subkey ({ef87b4cb-f2ce-4785-8658-4ca6c63e38c6}), right-click on it and select Delete.
5. Close the Registry Editor.
6. Restart your computer.

After restarting, your Start menu search should now work properly again and show programs as you type. It’s a small tweak but makes a big difference!