Windows 10: Nothing shows on Taskbar, can't use search or start button.

I'm running Windows 10 and have been since it was first released. This morning I was playing a game, and my sound stopped working, so I rebooted my computer to see if that would fix it. It fixed the problem, but I had no icons pinned on my taskbar, no time & date, and the search and start button would not work. After hard-booting the computer for a second time, there was still nothing. When I open a program the icon doesn't show on the taskbar. Help please??

:)

 

Windows 10: how to restore search bar in the taskbar?

As I said before, when I right click on the Taskbar, there is no option with the word Search in it. I can't click on Search if it is not available.

When I right click on the Taskbar here are the options in the drop down box. Toolbar, Cortana, Show Task View Button (there's a check mark in front of the Show Task View Button), Show Touch Keyboard Button, Cascade Windows, Show Windows Stacked, Show Windows
Side by Side, Show Desktop, Task Manager, Lock Toolbar, and finally, Properties.

No Search option. Is there another way to restore the Search area?

 

Windows 10 SEARCH button?

Hi Old Beat Up,

In Windows 10 if you ever need to search for anything, you can simply click your Start Button and begin typing - that will automatically bring up the search box . . .

If you do want the search box back:

Right click your Taskbar and uncheck 'Lock the Taskbar'

Then right click the Taskbar and choose 'Taskbar Settings'

On that settings page turn off 'Use small Taskbar Buttons'

Close the Settings App

Right click your Taskbar and choose Search - 'Show Search Box'

That will bring the search box back . . .

 

Assuming RIGHT click at the Start button still working ..............

Right click at it > click Command Prompt (Admin) > type powershell > press Enter key.
At the flashing prompt, copy and paste this command line ( to avoid typo it's best to apply Copy/paste method)......

Get-AppXPackage -AllUsers | Foreach {Add-AppxPackage -DisableDevelopmentMode -Register "$($_.InstallLocation)\AppXManifest.xml"}

> press Enter.

 

I can't right click the start button either.

 

Restart your computer > do not sign in
in the sign in screen, bottom right, click the Power icon > one of the options that appears is Restart >
press Shift key and hold >while still holding, click Restart > click "Restart anyway" if you are asked to confirm the action > wait > click Troubleshoot ..............
you can select Reset this PC, or > click Advanced options which will give you several options such as System Restore, System Image Recovery etc if they are applicable to you.

 

Did your problem get solved R Nacho?
I am having a similar problem. Now & then when I start my computer, nothing appears in the task bar, the Microsoft Start button at the bottom left fails to respond to either a left or right click, the Cortana window "Ask me anything" & the Task View are also unresponsive'
I then restart the computer either by pressing the power button for some time or by the Ctrl/Alt/Delete process. On re-starting everything is fine.
What I don't know is how to prevent this problem from occurring again.

 

I am having exactly the same problem as RejectedNacho. I was able to run Powershell as an admin through Task Manager and pasted the above command as I'd seen it on a number of other forums where this problem is being discussed. Here's what I got.

Deployment operation progress: C:\Program Files\WindowsApps\Microsoft.VCLibs.120.00_12.0.21005.1_x86__8wekyb3d8bbwe\App
Initialized

Nothing has happened since then and the problem remains.

---EDIT---
System Restore, via the method suggested above, to the previous windows update (not the most recent one) has fixed things for me.