Identify what is missing from search: an installed application, a Start-menu shortcut, a folder, or a Windows search result. These are not interchangeable. Check a known application and the relevant search settings before assuming the entire Windows index is damaged.
What to do
- Pick one installed desktop app and confirm that its Start-menu shortcut opens normally. Search for that exact app name inside Open-Shell.
- Review the Search Box options exposed by the selected menu style and Show all settings. Change only the category related to the missing result.
- Repeat the test without a custom skin and compare keyboard selection with mouse selection. The 4.4.198 notes include a fix for an incorrect selection when search results change.
- Record the query, expected item, actual result, Windows build, and Open-Shell version. Test Windows search separately to see whether the problem is specific to the replacement menu.
Check the result
Use a short list of known queries and verify both the displayed result and the application actually launched. A visible result that opens the wrong item is a different bug from no results.
Limits & precautions
Not every search category is guaranteed across all Windows versions and styles. Rebuilding a system-wide index is not the first step for a single missing shortcut.
Questions & answers
Should I immediately rebuild the Windows search index?
First check the shortcut and Open-Shell search settings. The cause may be local to the menu.
Why compare mouse and keyboard selection?
They can expose a selection problem even when the expected result is visible.
Sources & scope
Documentation checked October 30, 2026. These instructions are documentation-led, not a claim of hands-on testing on your Windows build.