Users who have used Windows 10 before upgrading to Windows 11 know that the search box is located in the taskbar, and there is no search box or search bar in the Windows 10 Start menu.
With Windows 11, Microsoft re-introduced the Start menu search box. In the initial versions of Windows 11, the taskbar search box was unavailable. It was added only after many users requested for a search box on the taskbar, just like in Windows 10.
So, the latest version of Windows 11 offers two search boxes — one in the Start menu and one in the taskbar.
Many users who have been used to the taskbar search box since the time of Windows 10 want to remove the Start menu search box. A user recently asked us if it’s possible to completely remove the Start menu search box in Windows 11.
Can we remove the Start menu search box in Windows 11?
As with Windows 11 22H2 (build number 22621.1992), it is not possible to hide or remove the search box from the Windows 11 Start menu. However, you can remove the search box from the taskbar. We suggest you hide the taskbar search bar as it frees up a good amount of space on the taskbar.
And if you want to hide the Start menu search box to see more pinned apps, you can change the default Start menu settings to show more pinned apps. When you do this, Windows 11 will show fewer recommendations to accommodate more pinned apps.
In the Start menu settings page, you need to select the More pins option to see more pinned apps in the Start menu.
Meanwhile, we will update this article if and when Microsoft offers a way to hide or remove the search box from the Start menu.
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