How to Replace the Taskbar Search Box with the Search Icon (Windows 10)

Do you dislike the large search box that appears on the Windows 10 taskbar? Don't worry—you can replace it with a Cortana/search icon and still access it conveniently. If you're in a Cortana supported region, the final result will be a Cortana icon.

Method - 1 : Using the Taskbar Right-Click Context Menu

1. Open the taskbar context menu. Right-click (or hold down and release for touchscreens) on an empty spot or search bar in the taskbar. Don't right-click on an app or notification area icon. 
    
2. Hover over or tap the Cortana or Search option from the top of the context menu. You will see the latter in the list if you're in a region that Cortana doesn't support. 
    
3. Switch to the icon. Select Show Cortana icon or Show Search icon.
   • You can also use the Hidden option to completely remove the Cortana/search icon from the taskbar. To perform a search after doing this, you can launch the Start
     
     menu and begin typing. Another option is pressing ⊞ Win+S for search and ⊞ Win+C for Cortana.

   
   

   Method - 2 : Using the Registry Editor

    

    

    

   1. Open the Registry Editor. Type regedit in the search box and choose the matching result, or hit ↵ Enter.

   2. Confirm the User Account Control window, if prompted. Select Yes from the popup window.

   • You might need to enter the password to an admin account.

    

    

   3. Navigate to HKEY_CURRENT_USER/SOFTWARE/Microsoft/Windows/CurrentVersion/Search. Newer versions of Windows 10 have an address bar at the top of the Registry Editor. This can be used by entering the path and hitting ↵ Enter

   
   
   
   
   

   4. Change the value data of "SearchboxTaskbarMode" to 1. Right-click and choose Modify. Change the number in the text box to 1.

   • Alternate value numbers:
     • 0 = Hide icon completely
     • 2 = Show search bar
     
     
     

   5. Apply your changes. Click on the search bar/icon. If restoring a hidden icon, click an empty space on the taskbar.

   • There may be a delay of up to 15 seconds.