Fix: Cortana Search Box White Background in Windows 10

For some strange reason, the Cortana “Ask me anything” search box in the Taskbar may turn white suddenly without even the user clicking on it. This may have to do with Microsoft’s server settings and not a problem with your Windows 10 settings. Also, the search box registry tweak (WhiteSearchBox registry key) may prove ineffective as it works only for the current login session.

cortana search box white color

Change Cortana Search Box color from White to Normal

Here is a trick to revert Cortana search box background to the default gray color.

    1. Click Start, Settings. Click Time & Language, and select Region & Language.
    2. Change to a country where Cortana is unavailable. For example, select “Yemen” or “Isle of Man”

cortana search - change country setting



    1. Logoff and login back. Cortana search box background would have turned back to the default color.

cortana search box white color to gray color

    1. Open Region & Language settings again, and revert to the original setting (e.g. to United states)
    2. Sign out, sign back in. Cortana “Ask me anything” should be back to normal.

cortana search box white color


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Ramesh Srinivasan is passionate about Microsoft technologies and he has been a consecutive ten-time recipient of the Microsoft Most Valuable Professional award in the Windows Shell/Desktop Experience category, from 2003 to 2012. He loves to troubleshoot and write about Windows. Ramesh founded Winhelponline.com in 2005.

17 thoughts on “Fix: Cortana Search Box White Background in Windows 10”

  1. No, the white search background box comes back. I tried again the Setting> Regional and Languages…> It just fixed temporarily. Anyone knows how other options? Thanks in advance!

    Reply
  2. But changing to the Dark Theme also changes everything else to dark/black that that applies to. Before the Fall Creators Update 1709, the search box was dark gray and the other backgrounds were white. Have to wait to see if Microsoft fixes this I guess.

    Reply

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