Windows 7: Start Menu - Add or Remove Search Button

   Information

This tutorial will show you how to add the Search button back to the right dark side of the Windows 7 Start Menu by replacing either the Help and Support button or Run button with Search instead.

By default the Search button in the Start Menu is not available in Windows 7.

   Warning

You will only be able to do this while logged in as an administrator.

OPTION ONE

To Add Search Button to Start Menu

1. Open the Start Menu, then type regedit in the search box and press enter.

2. If prompted by UAC, then click on Yes.

3. To Replace "Help and Support" Button with Search

A) In regedit, navigate to the location below.

HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{2559a1f1-21d7-11d4-bdaf-00c04f60b9f0}

B) Go to step 5.

4. To Replace "Run" Button with Search

A) In regedit, navigate to the location below.

HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{2559a1f3-21d7-11d4-bdaf-00c04f60b9f0}

5. Take ownership (Option Three step 2 at link) of the {25591f.......} registry key number from step 3 or 4 above, then set permissions to Allow your user account Full Control of the registry key. The screenshot below has the steps numbered in order to help make it easier to do.

6. To Replace "Help and Support" Button with Search

A) Click on the download button below to download the file below.

Replace_Start_Menu_Help_with_Search.reg

B) Go to step 8.

7. To Replace "Run" Button with Search

A) Click on the download button below to download the file below.

Replace_Start_Menu_Run_with_Search.reg

8. Save the .reg file to the desktop.

9. Right click the downloaded .reg file and click on Merge.

10. Click on Run, Yes (UAC), Yes, and OK when prompted.

11. Log off and Log on, or restart the computer to apply changes.

12. When done, you can delete the downloaded .reg file if you like.

OPTION TWO

To Remove Search Button and Restore Default Button

1. To Remove Search and Restore "Help and Support" Button

A) Click on the download button below to download the file below.

Restore_Start_Menu_Help.reg

B) Go to step 3.

2. To Remove Search and Restore "Run" Button

A) Click on the download button below to download the file below.

Replace_Start_Menu_Run.reg

3. Save the .reg file to the desktop.

4. Right click the downloaded .reg file and click on Merge.

5. Click on Run, Yes (UAC), Yes, and OK when prompted.

6. Log off and Log on, or restart the computer to apply changes.

7. When done, you can delete the downloaded .reg file if you like.