Solved Sudden unprompted change in search icon in taskbar

idainc · Nov 3, 2022

My taskbar search icon went from a simple magnifying glass to an elliptical icon. Cant find a way to reverse it. Much appreciate any and all help.

garlin · Nov 3, 2022

This was part of the latest Windows Update, to turn it off:

Settings -> Personalization -> Taskbar -> Search -> Off

glasskuter · Nov 3, 2022

If you are running on the device channel of Windows Insider, this may answer your question as to why.

How to enable new Taskbar Search button on Windows 11 - Pureinfotech

Windows 11 Taskbar has a new search button, and you can enable it using the "vivetool addconfig 37010913 2" ViveTool command.

pureinfotech.com

idainc · Nov 3, 2022

I had unregistered from the insider program. Any idea how to revert back to just the magnifying glass icon ?

Fiendish · Nov 4, 2022

This incongruous button has recently appeared on my machine too. Any suggestions on how to revert to the original magnifying glass icon would be appreciated.

Tim

cereberus · Nov 4, 2022

Fiendish said:
This incongruous button has recently appeared on my machine too. Any suggestions on how to revert to the original magnifying glass icon would be appreciated.

Tim

Yeah, it is garbage to think we need the word search. Do they think people are idiots?

Why not put a name after every icon, to enhance our visual experience tobensure we do not press wrong icon, and also speak it if you hover over it. Then go the whole hog when you select it and have a confirmation step asking if you are sure /S.

Edwin · Nov 4, 2022

Why not just click Start, or press WinKey+S, and start typing!?!?!?
Why so damn many search triggers!?!?!?

OAT · Nov 4, 2022

You can choose which search format to display using the article below.
You can now enable the new search appearance in Windows 11 22H2 Release Preview

idainc · Nov 4, 2022

Thank you. Any idea which variant number is the original one (just the magnifying glass) ?

OAT · Nov 4, 2022

The variant number matches the order of the screenshots, so for the magnifying glass you need to use:
vivetool /enable /id:39263329 /variant:3
You need to do a system restart as explorer restart alone might not do.

BTW: Works as well on Dev insider build 25236.

idainc · Nov 4, 2022

Thanks ! Much better now. Interestingly this is also a new icon - now in blue versus black.

fg2001gf11F · Nov 12, 2022

idainc said:
My taskbar search icon went from a simple magnifying glass to an elliptical icon. Cant find a way to reverse it. Much appreciate any and all help.

That was changed recently on every Build, Public and Insider, apparently MS decided that it is the way to go as a default.

It also changes slightly the behavior of the search; the option below does not work anymore.

To see recent searches, you have to click on the search icon and the recent show up in here:

You can now enable the new search appearance in Windows 11 22H2 Release Preview

After installing Windows 11 Build 22621.754 (KB5018496), you will be able to activate a new style for the search button in the taskbar, turn into a

winaero.com

To get back to the original behavior just reset the feature id.

vivetool /reset /id:39263329

Ghot · Nov 12, 2022

OAT said:
The variant number matches the order of the screenshots, so for the magnifying glass you need to use:
vivetool /enable /id:39263329 /variant:3
You need to do a system restart as explorer restart alone might not do.

BTW: Works as well on Dev insider build 25236.

Works on 22621.819 also

IanMosley · Nov 12, 2022

idainc said:
My taskbar search icon went from a simple magnifying glass to an elliptical icon. Cant find a way to reverse it. Much appreciate any and all help.

Fix can be found here, message #63

Winuser · Nov 12, 2022

fg2001gf11F said:
That was changed recently on every Build, Public and Insider

Not if MS is angry with you and they stick you in the B ring. I'm running the latest Dev build and I still have the magnifying glass.

Winuser · Nov 12, 2022

IanMosley said:
Fix can be found here, message #63

There shouldn't be a fix. We should have a choice of want we want to use. I prefer the magnifying glass. If MS updates me to the new icon, I'll turn it off. Like @Edwin posted, there are other ways to do a search.

fg2001gf11F · Nov 12, 2022

Winuser said:
Not if MS is angry with you and they stick you in the B ring. I'm running the latest Dev build and I still have the magnifying glass.

I don't really care one way or the other.
I'm fine with the new search button. They changed it on all my machines.
I know how to change it back if I wanted to, but why bother?
MS may even eliminate soon the possible variants and stick to the new default.

Winuser · Nov 12, 2022

fg2001gf11F said:
I don't really care one way or the other.
I'm fine with the new search button. They changed it on all my machines.
I know how to change it back if I wanted to, but why bother?
MS may even eliminate soon the possible variants and stick to the new default.

I really wouldn't care except in this case I feel MS is calling us stupid.

Edwin · Nov 12, 2022

I said it before, I'll say it again...
What the hell do you need an extra Search Pill clogging up your Taskbar when clicking on Start or pressing Win+S does the same damn thing!?!?!?

imanlien2020 · Nov 12, 2022

Edwin said:
Why not just click Start, or press WinKey+S, and start typing!?!?!?
Why so damn many search triggers!?!?!?

View attachment 44196

Really everyone can just remove it from the taskbar period, if you just click on the Windows logo once and just start typing because focus is set to the search box upon typing.

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