diff --git a/changelog/unreleased/enhancement-capability-based-searchbar b/changelog/unreleased/enhancement-capability-based-searchbar
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..4c3bbde4efe
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changelog/unreleased/enhancement-capability-based-searchbar
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+Enhancement: Capability-based searchbar rendering
+
+We have removed the `hideSearchBar` configuration option and now always render a searchbar 
+if the backend announces the availability of search functionality using its capabilities.
+
+https://github.com/owncloud/web/pull/6856
+https://github.com/owncloud/web/issues/6806
diff --git a/dev/docker/ocis.web.config.json b/dev/docker/ocis.web.config.json
index 7e4b2f6fb2b..1ec9b4d0de7 100644
--- a/dev/docker/ocis.web.config.json
+++ b/dev/docker/ocis.web.config.json
@@ -10,7 +10,6 @@
     "scope": "openid profile email"
   },
   "options": {
-    "hideSearchBar": true,
     "disablePreviews": true,
     "displayResourcesLazy": false
   },
diff --git a/docs/getting-started.md b/docs/getting-started.md
index 37f01e0c1cb..82e2034ba34 100644
--- a/docs/getting-started.md
+++ b/docs/getting-started.md
@@ -41,7 +41,6 @@ Please refer to the [build documentation for Web]({{< ref "./building.md" >}}).
 Depending on the backend you are using, there are sample config files provided in the [config folder](https://github.com/owncloud/web/tree/master/config) of the ownCloud Web git repository. See below for available backends. Also, find some of the configuration details below.
 
 #### Options
-- `options.hideSearchBar` Lets you hide the search bar at the top of the screen for all users.
 - `options.homeFolder` You can specify a folder that is used when the user navigates `home`. Navigating home gets triggered by clicking on the `All files`
 menu item. The user will not be jailed in that directory. It simply serves as a default location. You can either provide a static location, or you can use
 variables of the user object to come up with a user specific home path. This uses twig template variable style and allows you to pick a value or a
diff --git a/packages/web-app-files/src/search/sdk/index.ts b/packages/web-app-files/src/search/sdk/index.ts
index 65dc6a7b0e1..8f44b1d9a41 100644
--- a/packages/web-app-files/src/search/sdk/index.ts
+++ b/packages/web-app-files/src/search/sdk/index.ts
@@ -4,7 +4,6 @@ import List from './list'
 import { EventBus } from 'web-pkg/src/event'
 import { Store } from 'vuex'
 import VueRouter from 'vue-router'
-import get from 'lodash-es/get'
 
 function $gettext(msg) {
   return msg
@@ -54,8 +53,6 @@ export default class Provider extends EventBus implements SearchProvider {
   }
 
   public get available(): boolean {
-    const { hideSearchBar } = this.store.getters['Search/options']
-
-    return !get(this.store, 'state.config.options.hideSearchBar', hideSearchBar)
+    return this.store.getters.capabilities.dav.reports.includes('search-files')
   }
 }
diff --git a/packages/web-app-files/tests/unit/search/sdk.spec.ts b/packages/web-app-files/tests/unit/search/sdk.spec.ts
index 4156e13007e..a0ce055f903 100644
--- a/packages/web-app-files/tests/unit/search/sdk.spec.ts
+++ b/packages/web-app-files/tests/unit/search/sdk.spec.ts
@@ -19,25 +19,18 @@ const localVue = createLocalVue()
 localVue.use(Vuex)
 
 const store = new Vuex.Store({
-  modules: {
-    Search: {
-      state: {
-        options: {
-          hideSearchBar: false
-        }
-      },
-      getters: {
-        options: (state) => {
-          return state.options
-        }
-      },
-      mutations: {
-        updateOptions(state, v) {
-          state.options = { ...state.options, hideSearchBar: v }
-        }
-      },
-      namespaced: true
-    }
+  getters: {
+    capabilities: jest.fn(() => ({
+      dav: {
+        reports: ['search-files']
+      }
+    }))
+  }
+})
+
+const storeWithoutFileSearch = new Vuex.Store({
+  getters: {
+    capabilities: jest.fn(() => ({ dav: { reports: [] } }))
   }
 })
 
@@ -72,12 +65,9 @@ describe('SDKProvider', () => {
     expect('not-implemented').toBe('not-implemented')
   })
 
-  it('is only available if enabled in options', () => {
-    const search = new SDKSearch(store, {} as unknown as VueRouter)
-    ;[false, true, false].forEach((v) => {
-      store.commit('Search/updateOptions', v)
-      expect(search.available).toBe(!v)
-    })
+  it('is only available if announced via capabilities', () => {
+    const search = new SDKSearch(storeWithoutFileSearch, {} as unknown as VueRouter)
+    expect(search.available).toBe(false)
   })
 
   describe('SDKProvider previewSearch', () => {
diff --git a/packages/web-app-search/src/index.ts b/packages/web-app-search/src/index.ts
index b309c543b1a..177fe8a64bc 100644
--- a/packages/web-app-search/src/index.ts
+++ b/packages/web-app-search/src/index.ts
@@ -1,6 +1,5 @@
 import SearchBar from './portals/SearchBar.vue'
 import App from './App.vue'
-import store from './store'
 import List from './views/List.vue'
 import { providerStore } from './service'
 import { bus } from 'web-pkg/src/instance'
@@ -25,7 +24,6 @@ export default {
     id: 'search',
     icon: 'folder'
   },
-  store,
   routes: [
     {
       name: 'search',
diff --git a/packages/web-app-search/src/store/index.ts b/packages/web-app-search/src/store/index.ts
deleted file mode 100644
index bf15dda9279..00000000000
--- a/packages/web-app-search/src/store/index.ts
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,6 +0,0 @@
-/* istanbul ignore file */
-
-import merge from 'lodash-es/merge'
-import options from './options'
-
-export default merge({ namespaced: true }, options)
diff --git a/packages/web-app-search/src/store/options.ts b/packages/web-app-search/src/store/options.ts
deleted file mode 100644
index 28153b53192..00000000000
--- a/packages/web-app-search/src/store/options.ts
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,16 +0,0 @@
-const optionsState = {
-  options: {
-    hideSearchBar: false
-  }
-}
-
-const getters = {
-  options: (state: typeof optionsState): unknown => {
-    return state.options
-  }
-}
-
-export default {
-  state: optionsState,
-  getters
-}
diff --git a/packages/web-app-search/tests/unit/store/options.spec.ts b/packages/web-app-search/tests/unit/store/options.spec.ts
deleted file mode 100644
index 794cdc00f19..00000000000
--- a/packages/web-app-search/tests/unit/store/options.spec.ts
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,9 +0,0 @@
-import optionsStore from '../../../src/store/options'
-
-describe('search options store', () => {
-  test('by default the search is visible', () => {
-    const { state, getters } = optionsStore
-    const { hideSearchBar } = getters.options(state) as any
-    expect(hideSearchBar).toBe(false)
-  })
-})