SOLVED Replace Windows 10 Cortana Search with Windows 8.1 Everywhere Search

[jpeni]

In Windows 10, the Search app became Cortana and got its own tile and AppID, Microsoft.Cortana_8wekyb3d8bbwe.

Windows 8.1 featured a standalone Search app which was capable of running even when UAC is disabled. The Search app in Windows 8.1 is located inside the file %windir%\System32\Windows.UI.Search.dll and its resources are stored in the %windir%\SystemResources\Windows.UI.Search folder.

The Windows 8.1 standalone search link is included in Windows 10 at the following location: "C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Search.lnk" The command for this search option is: %windir%\system32\rundll32.exe -sta {C90FB8CA-3295-4462-A721-2935E83694BA}

If you want to add this Windows 8.1 standalone search function to your desktop:
1. Rightclick the Desktop and select New > Shortcut.
2. Paste the following command in the "Type the location of the item" box:
%windir%\system32\rundll32.exe -sta {C90FB8CA-3295-4462-A721-2935E83694BA}
3. Enter a name in the "Type a name for this shortcut" box.
4. If desired, rightclick the desktop icon and select Properties > Change Icon to replace the desktop icon. You can browse the icons included in the shell32.dll file to select a search icon.

Now you have a new desktop icon to the Windows 8.1 Search Everywhere function.

Comments:
I found that if you go to C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs and open the shortcut "Search", it opens the "Search Everywhere" feature from Win 8.1, and there all the apps appear, so it has to be a bug in the new search UI of win 10, and not in the indexing options.

 

[davehc]

You can right click the shortcut (search.Ink) and drag it to the desktop and apply, from the drop down, make shortcut here.

I don't use the built in Search, but use a more efficient and faster third party program (Everything). But, leaving Cortana disabled, and re enabling the Search service, when I click the Windows 10 Search shortcut, I see this:

Disabling the service, shows the same.
But what is it you do not like in the Windows 10 search function?

 

[Gideon]

I use Wise JetSearch, it is much faster and it does not tell MS what you are searching for.