How to Change Windows 11 Taskbar Search Button Layout

Change the Search Button Style Using Settings

You can easily change your Windows 11 taskbar search appearance directly through the Settings app. This lets you choose whether to hide the search button, show only a small search icon, or keep the full search box visible. It’s the simplest way to adjust how your Windows 11 taskbar search looks.

1. Open ⚙️ the Settings app. Click the ⊞ Start menu (Windows icon) at the bottom-left of your screen. Then ⚙️ click Settings. Or press Windows key + I on your keyboard to open Settings directly.

2. In Settings, click Personalization on the left side menu.

3. On the right, click Taskbar.

4. Scroll to 🖥️ the Taskbar items section. Find Search and click it.
5. Pick how you want 🔍 the Search to look on 🖥️ your Taskbar:

   • Hide – No Search button shown
   • Search icon only – Just a small magnifying glass icon
   • 🔍 Search box – A box where you can type your search (default)
   • Search button – A button style different from the box

What happens when you change the setting? Your Taskbar updates instantly. You’ll see your new Search style right away.

Change the Search Box Layout Using Registry Editor (Advanced)

You can change the Windows 11 taskbar search layout for all users by using the Registry Editor. This advanced method allows you to set the search style for everyone on your computer. However, you must be very careful when editing the Registry, as mistakes can cause problems with Windows.

If you want to change the Search button style for all users on your computer, you can use the Windows Registry Editor. Be careful — editing the Registry can cause problems if done incorrectly. If you’re comfortable with advanced settings, you can try this method.

1. Open the Windows Registry Editor. Press Windows key + R. Type regedit and press Enter. You can also read how to open the Registry in Windows 11.
2. In the Registry Editor, go to this path: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Search
3. If you do not see 🔍 the Search folder under CurrentVersion, right-click CurrentVersion. Select New > Key and name it Search.

4. Click on 🔍 the Search folder on the left.
5. On the right side, right-click in the empty space. Choose New > DWORD (32-bit) Value.
6. Name this new value SearchboxTaskbarMode.
7. Double-click SearchboxTaskbarMode and set its value to one of these numbers:

   • 0 – Hide 🔍 the search box
   • 1 – Show search icon only
   • 2 – Show 🔍 search box (default)
   • 3 – Show search button

8. After you set the value, 🖥️ the Taskbar will update right away. Close the Registry Editor when done.

What happens when you change the Registry value? Your Taskbar updates instantly with your new Search style choice.

Summary

Windows 11 taskbar search offers you several display options. You can hide the search feature entirely, show a small magnifying glass icon, display the full search box, or use a standard search button. The Settings app provides the simplest method to change between these Windows 11 taskbar search options.

Your options include hiding the Search button, showing a small icon, displaying a search box, or showing a search button.

If you’re part of Microsoft’s Insider Preview program, you might see new styles coming soon.

If you want to learn more about the Search feature in Windows 11, check out this helpful guide: How to Search and Find Documents in Windows 11.