14 DAY TRIAL // The search feature in File Explorer is broken on a number of devices upgraded to Windows 10 version 1909 (November 2019 Update), but by the looks of things, Microsoft already has a fix in the pipeline and this could be released as part of the next cumulative update.
More specifically, the issues encountered on Windows 10 version 1909 break down searching by freezing the search box altogether. This is most likely caused by the new preview feature that is bundled in Windows 10 November 2019 Update and which should technically allow users to preview search results as they type.
Furthermore, users have been complaining that right-clicking in the search box, which is sometimes necessary for pasting content, is also disabled after upgrading their devices to Windows 10 version 1909.
Next cumulative update due in January
Microsoft has included fixes for these bugs in the latest preview builds shipped to users in the Windows Insider program, which means that production devices should be getting them rather sooner than later. Most likely, the next round of cumulative updates for Windows 10 version 1903 and version 1909 will include the fixes – we can expect them in late December as optional downloads and in mid-January as part of the next Patch Tuesday rollout.
“We fixed an issue where you could get into a state where it wasn’t possible to set focus to File Explorer’s search box in order to type your query,” Microsoft says in the release notes of Windows 10 build 19013, which was first offered to the Fast ring on October 29.
“We’ve updated the new File Explorer search experience to enable you to remove previous searches via an option if you right click the entry in the dropdown. We fixed an issue resulting in the first character of your query getting dropped when “automatically type into the search box” File Explorer setting was enabled,” Microsoft adds in the changelog of Windows 10 build 19536, which landed on December 16.
You can download the latest builds in the Windows Insider program by enrolling the Fast ring to get these fixes.
Via WL