How to Fix Ghost Box Issue on Windows 11?

Windows 11 was launched in October 2021 and came with many new features. However, along with these new features came new bugs. Many users have encountered one of these bugs, the search widget ghost box issue. What happens is that the search widget appears as a white box instead of the usual black box. The ghost box renders everything behind it inaccessible. This can be annoying, primarily if you use the search widget often.

Fortunately, you can do a few things to fix this issue. Some of these fixes are temporary, while others are permanent. In this article, we’ll show you how to fix the search widget ghost box issue on Windows 11.

Ways to Fix Ghost Box Issue on Windows 11

The ghost box issue is a widespread issue on Windows 11. And if you come across it, do not panic. It can be fixed by simple troubleshooting. Follow the instructions carefully to fix the ghost box issue on your Windows 11 machine.

Solution 1: Restart your PC

First, try restarting your computer. This is often all needed to fix a minor software glitch like this.

1. To restart your PC, click on the Start icon.
2. Then, click on the Power icon and select “Restart” from the list of options.

If restarting doesn’t work, try signing out of your account and back in. This will refresh the Windows Explorer process and hopefully fix the issue.

Solution 2: Reset Windows Explorer Process

If the above solution doesn’t work, you can try resetting the Windows Explorer process. Resetting the Windows Explorer process can often fix this error temporarily.

1. Press the Ctrl + Shift + Esc keys simultaneously on your keyboard to open the Task Manager.
2. Then, under the “Processes” tab, find and select “Windows Explorer.“
3. Click “Restart” at the bottom-right corner of the Task Manager window and see if that fixes the issue.

Solution 3: Disable MiniSearchHost

Disabling MiniSearchHost can also fix the ghost box issue on Windows 11. Many users have reportedly solved the ghost box issue only by disabling MiniSearchHost. Here’s how you can do it.

1. Press the Ctrl + Shift + Esc keys simultaneously on your keyboard to open the Task Manager.
2. Then, under the “Processes” tab, find “MiniSearchHost.”
3. Note: If you cannot find MiniSearchHost, expand the “Details” section, and you will find it there.
4. Once found, right-click on it and select “Disable.”

Solution 4: Disable and Re-Enable the Search Feature

You can also try to disable and re-enable the search toggle. Several users have successfully resolved the ghost box issue after applying this solution.

1. First, right-click on the Taskbar.
2. Select “Taskbar Settings” from the menu.
3. Now, expand the “Taskbar items” option.
4. Turn OFF the switch next to the Search toggle option and restart your computer.
5. Return to the same settings on the next startup and turn the Search toggle ON.
6. This should hopefully help you get rid of the ghost box issue permanently.

Solution 5: Reset the Search Feature

You can try resetting the Windows Search feature if the above solutions don’t work. Resetting the search feature will fix any issues; the ghost box issue should also disappear.

1. To do this, press the Windows + R keys simultaneously on your keyboard to open the Run dialogue box.
2. Then, type “PowerShell” into the Run dialogue box and press Enter. This will open PowerShell.
3. Next, type the following command into PowerShell and press Enter: Get-AppxPackage -AllUsers | Foreach {Add-AppxPackage -DisableDevelopmentMode -Register “$($_.InstallLocation)\AppXManifest.xml”}
4. This will reset the Windows Search feature and hopefully fix the ghost box issue.

Solution 6: Update your Display Drivers

If you are still facing the issue, try updating your display drivers. Outdated display drivers can also trigger this issue. So make sure they are updated to the latest version.

1. Right-click the Start icon and select “Device Manager” from the quick access menu.
2. Click the arrow next to “Display Adapters” to expand that section.
3. Right-click on your display driver and select “Update driver.“

1. Click “Search automatically for updated driver software.” on the prompt screen. Windows will automatically download and install the latest drivers for your display.
2. Once the installation is complete, restart your computer, and the ghost box issue should disappear.

Solution 7: Run SFC and DISM Commands

Corrupted system files can also be the reason behind issues like the ghost box one. To help with this, Windows has two built-in troubleshooters— SFC and DISM.

SFC or System File Checker is a built-in Windows utility designed to check and repair any corrupted system files on your computer. Here’s how you can run an SFC scan on your computer.

1. Right-click the Start icon and select “Command Prompt (Admin)” from the quick access menu. This will open an elevated Command Prompt.
2. Next, type the following command into the elevated console and hit Enter: sfc/ scannow

1. Once you hit Enter, the system file checker will scan and fix any issues with your files.
2. Finally, restart your computer, and the ghost box error should disappear.

DISM, or Deployment Image Servicing and Management, is a built-in Windows utility designed to check the integrity of system files on your computer. Here’s how you can run a DISM command on your computer.

1. Right-click the Start icon and select “Command Prompt (Admin)” from the quick access menu. This will open an elevated Command Prompt.
2. Next, type the following command into the elevated console and hit Enter: Dism /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth
3. Wait for the scan to complete.
4. Finally, restart your computer, and the ghost box error should disappear.

Final Words

In this article, we’ve shown you seven solutions to fix the ghost box issue in Windows 11. The ghost box issue is annoying, and getting rid of it is crucial. You can fix the ghost box issue with a workaround as simple as a system restart. You can also try out other solutions as well. Hopefully, one of these solutions will work for you.