Windows 10: Program files (.exe) not found by Windows Search

Adding locations to the path made no difference for me - .exe are still not shown in Cortana search but they are in the old search fly-out.

I know you can add shortcuts to the start menu. As I said before I've already done this as a workaround but it is not a good solution at all.

It may be working as intended (who knows) but it didn't work like this in earlier versions and there are lots of complaints on the feedback app (with no solution).

 

I hope you did not just drop .exe files inside %APPDATA%\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\.. folder and expect them to work. That should only be used for links, not actual files.

Anyway, I actually like the new behavior.

If you need a helper batch file to create proper lnk's in the Start Menu, to all .exe files from a folder you drag&drop to it (or script current directory without any target/parameters), I've made one:
preview/download on pastebin

 

Another workaround is to put a shortcut of C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs into the Quick Access sidebar or Windows Explorer and just use that to launch stuff.

It's a shame we have to resort to that though haha.

 

Yup - another workaround.

I do wonder why. There is some new filtering; .exe and .cmd are always excluded, .ps1 are excluded unless you enter the full name...

If I have a .exe in My Downloads, or wherever I've put it, I'd like to see it in the search rather than Windows pretending it doesn't exist.

 

Dump Windows Search and install Everything Search, at least for finding files and folders.

 

Another clue: I recently downloaded and updated an old program that gave a new icon. The new one shows up in the following directory along with the old one. The OLD (now invalid) one still shows up in "All apps" and in Win10 search, while the NEW one does not show up in either.

C:\Users\<USER>\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Games\<GAME NAME DIRECTORY>

Note that the above directory is different than the one mentioned before.

(C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs)

 

Clue to what? I already linked the correct directory above.

 

A clue as to what's happening. Old shortcuts sticking around while new shortcuts not showing up for updated programs is NEW info.

1. Knowing the directories and having to manually put things in and out of them is a workaround NOT a fix.
2. Doesn't work anyways! I wouldn't mind in the short-term doing the workaround but it's not working.

 

Did you try my LnkAllToStart script? Because that one works and it's semi-automated
"Create lnks in Start Menu to all .exe files in dropped folder target or the current dir"

 

Hi, this worked fine on some demo PCs.

I was in a computer place and tried searching for wordpad.exe on their demo systems (64 bits -mine's a 32bit upgrade from 8.1).

Guess what? It worked. So... is everyone here who finds this doesn't work (searching for a *.exe with explorer), using a 32 bit system by any chance? Or has everyone upgraded, rather than doing a clean install?

 

64-bit upgrade from Windows 7.

 

old post but still relevant apparently.

longest standing MS bug evar? Or intended feature? I just spent tons of time troubleshooting something that wasnt fixable apparently. Teach me to be self sufficient. Time to go straight to google lest I waste the most valuable resource I have since having a kid lol.

Anyhow - anniversary edition and still no exe.

MS support thread about it half a dozen+ pages long.

Doesnt look like it'll ever be fixed, not sure if they even know about it, or if it actually IS intended.

http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/w...df0d82e?page=7

 

That isn't really the problem - it will find .exe in C:\Windows. When it will not find it is if you make a directory for example C:\Users\<xxxx>\Programs and put the .exe there (for portable programs say).

I suppose it is deliberate as it worked in Windows 8 and still doesn't on x64 14393 (clean install). You can add shortcuts and it will find them so I have written a program to create shortcuts for all .exe (and .ps1) found in a directory. This workaround is a bit feeble though as if you forget to make the shortcut the .exe isn't found.

Still either they will change it or not. Can't do much else *Smile

 

So there's one on D:.....