Windows 10: Enable or Disable Search Indexing in Windows

How to: Enable or Disable Search Indexing in Windows

How to Enable or Disable Search Indexing in Windows


Indexing the contents of your PC helps you get faster results when you're searching it for files and other things. Learn how it works.

Indexing is the process of looking at files, email messages, and other content on your PC and cataloging their information, such as the words and metadata in them. When you search your PC after indexing, it looks at an index of terms to find results faster.

When you first run indexing, it can take up to a couple hours to complete. After that, indexing will run in the background on your PC as you use it, only re-indexing updated data.

The search index only includes your selected file properties, and file contents you want indexed.

The index uses the Windows Search service and runs as the Searchindexer.exe process in the background. The index will automatically rebuild and update for changes made to the included locations since the last index rebuild to increase search result accuracy.

By default, the search rebuilding the index when there is user activity, and will automatically continue at full speed when no user activity is detected.

If you prefer to search without using the index, then you could completely disable search indexing. If you disable search indexing, searches will take longer to finish, but search results will always be up to date and accurate.

For more details, see:

• Indexing Process in Windows Search | Windows Dev Center
• Search indexing in Windows 10: FAQ - Windows Support

This tutorial will show you how to enable or disable search indexing for all users in Windows 7, Windows 8, and Windows 10.

*note You must be signed in as an administrator to enable or disable search indexing.

*Warning If you disable search indexing, users will no longer be able to search within libraries.

enabled, running, and set to Automatic (Delayed Start).


CONTENTS:

• Option One: To Enable or Disable Search Indexing in Services
• Option Two: To Enable or Disable Search Indexing in Elevated Command Prompt

EXAMPLE: Search indexing disabled









OPTION ONE [/i] To Enable or Disable Search Indexing in Services
1. Press the Win+R keys to open Run, type services.msc into Run, and click/tap on OK to open Services.

2. Do step 3 (enable) or step 4 (disable) below for what you would like to do.


3. To Enable Search Indexing
*note This is the default setting.
A) Double click/tap on the Windows Search service to open its properties page. (see screenshot below)



B) Select Automatic (Delayed Start) in the Startup type drop menu, and click/tap on Apply. (see screenshot below)



C) Click/tap on Start. (see screenshot below)



D) Click/tap on OK, and go to step 5 below. (see screenshot below)




4. To Disable Search Indexing
A) Double click/tap on the Windows Search service to open its properties page. (see screenshot below)



B) Click/tap on Stop if the service is currently running. (see screenshot below)



C) Select Disabled in the Startup type drop menu, click/tap on OK, and go to step 5 below. (see screenshot below)



5. You can now close Services if you like.





OPTION TWO [/i] To Enable or Disable Search Indexing in Elevated Command Prompt
1. Open an elevated command prompt.

2. Do step 3 (enable) or step 4 (disable) below for what you would like to do.


3. To Enable Search Indexing
*note This is the default setting.
A) Enter the command below into the elevated command prompt, press Enter, and go to step 5 below.

*Arrow sc config "wsearch" start=delayed-auto && sc start "wsearch"





4. To Disable Search Indexing
A) Enter the command below into the elevated command prompt, press Enter, and go to step 5 below.

*Arrow sc stop "wsearch" && sc config "wsearch" start=disabled




5. You can now close the elevated command prompt if you like.

That's it,
Shawn


Related Tutorials

• How to Search in File Explorer in Windows 10
• How to Change Search Options in Windows 10
• How to Enable or Disable Indexer Backoff in Windows
• How to Create an Indexing Options Shortcut in Windows 10
• How to Add or Remove Locations for Search Index in Windows 10
• How to Add or Remove Excluded Folders for Search Indexer in Windows 10
• How to Enable or Disable Modifying Indexed Locations in Windows
• How to Enable or Disable Advanced Indexing Options in Windows
• How to Add or Remove File Types for Search Index in Windows 10
• How to Turn On or Off Indexing Contents and Properties of Files on a Drive in Windows
• How to Change Storage Location of Search Index in Windows 10
• How to Turn On or Off to Index Encrypted Files in Windows 10
• How to Reset and Rebuild Search Index in Windows 10
• How to Enable or Disable Indexing when on Battery Power in Windows
• How to Turn On or Off Enhanced Mode for Search Indexer in Windows 10
• How to Turn On or Off Search Indexer Respect Device Power Mode Settings in Windows 10

:)

 

windows key

I'm Greg, a volunteer installation specialist and 8 year Windows MVP, here to help you.

There's a method here to enable the Windows Key in case it's become disabled as may be the case:

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/216893...

Run the search and Indexing Troubleshooter at Settings>Update & Security>Troubleshoot.

Type Services in Start Search, open Services app, click on Windows Search to make sure it's started and set to Automatic.

If that fails type Indexing in Start Search, then Advanced, make sure all locations you want indexed for Searching are included, then choose Rebuild Index.

I hope this helps. Feel free to ask back any questions and let us know how it goes. I will keep working with you until it's resolved.

 

windows search is crashing

if i go to services the windows search service status is stopping and that doesn't let the indexing work

i had this before and i find a fix i disable and delete the indexing folder restart then enable the service and start it. it works and starts indexing. but reappears after a while how do i fix it forever?

 

Hello Jerry, *Smile

Yes, it will completely disable the search indexing feature including that prompt.