Windows 10: Magnifying Glass (Search) Icon Windows 10 Taskbar

Yesterday IT had to do some work on my computer and it never fails that every time they work on it, they restore Cortana for her "search" functionality. I've told them about clicking the windows icon and then to directly start typing but they tend to stick with the Cortana method. That's fine and dandy but I'd really wish they would restore my taskbar to how it was when they started.


Rant over, how do I get rid of the magnifying glass (search) icon on my task bar? I've circled it below.



Everything I've tried can't seem to remove it. Right clicking on the taskbar does not seems to have the functionality of removing it. Taskbar properties seem to be of little help as well, but maybe I'm looking in the wrong place. Also below is a picture of my taskbar options when I right-click.



:)

 

Magnifying glass icon

Why does the magnifying glass icon keep disappearing from the task bar and how do I get it back (and keep it there)? The last time I searched for magnifier.exe as someone suggested, got it back, now it's gone again. Please, this is driving me crazy.

Jean

 

Restore magnifying glass icon to taskbar

As part of the configuration I was doing I removed the search box from my icon tray.

The icon of a magnifying glass next to the top item in your image (2503) is what I'm looking for to restore to my icon tray.

Do you remember windows 8.1 search? You would swipe on the right and get Search, then type in the box; it was searching locally so it was great to find apps etc.

It is that capability I no longer have in Windows 10.

 

Restore magnifying glass icon to taskbar

Hi Linney--thank you for being so tenacious.

Re: the windows flyout--yes, knew it was gone, just trying to explain what I was looking for.

Thanks to your suggestions, I have sorted out what is the actual problem. Windows 10 is using the magnifying glass to indicate internet search, and the quaint "my stuff" to mean local search.

What I was misunderstanding was that I have to type something in the Cortana search box before I get the options for web or my stuff. If I use voice control, Cortana seems to only use the web. Not sure what good that is.

So I can get what I want now. The remaining issue (but I don't care now) is that I don't get the option to show a search icon or search box when I right click taskbar. I don't know why I no longer have that choice, but I can make do what I have now.