Windows 10: Turn On or Off to Index Encrypted Files in Windows 10

How to: Turn On or Off to Index Encrypted Files in Windows 10

How to Turn On or Off to Index Encrypted Files in Windows 10


Information By default, Windows will use the 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 indexing speed is reduced due to user activity. If the computer is running idle, then the indexing speed will go back to full speed to finish indexing faster.

Windows Search 4.0 and higher fully supports EFS, enabling users to index and search the properties and contents of encrypted files. Users can manually configure Windows Search to include encrypted files, or administrators can configure this with Group Policy. Windows Search ensures that only users with the correct permissions can search the content of encrypted files by honoring ACLs and by restricting access to users with decryption permissions for the files. Additionally, Windows Search restricts access to encrypted files to local searches only; Windows Search does not return encrypted files in search results when the query is initiated remotely.

This tutorial will show you how to turn on or off to index encrypted files for all users in Windows 10.

You must be signed in as an administrator to turn on or off index encrypted files.



Warning For security reasons, the indexing of encrypted files should not be enabled unless the BitLocker Drive Encryption or 3rd party solution).



Here's How:

1. Open the Control Panel (icons view), click/tap on the Indexing Options icon, and close the Control Panel.

2. Click/tap on the Advanced button. (see screenshot below)




3. Do step 4 (on) or step 5 (off) below for what you want to do.


4. To Turn On Index Encrypted Files
A) Check the Index encrypted files box. (see screenshot below)



B) If the encrypted, then click/tap on Continue if you are sure. (see screenshot below)



C) Go to step 6 below.

5. To Turn Off Index Encrypted Files
NOTE: This is the default setting.
A) Uncheck the Index encrypted files box. (see screenshot below)



B) Click/tap on OK. (see screenshot below)



C) Go to step 6 below.


6. Click/tap on OK to apply. (see screenshot below step 4A or step 5A)

7. The search index will now rebuild to update. (see screenshots below)



8. Click/tap on Close. (see screenshots above)



That's it,
Shawn


Related Tutorials

• How to Encrypt Files and Folders with Encrypting File System (EFS) in Windows 10
• How to Decrypt Files and Folders Encrypted with EFS in Windows 10
• How to Find and List All Your EFS Encrypted Files in Windows 10
• How to Back Up Your EFS File Encryption Certificate and Key in Windows 10
• How to Import Your EFS File Encryption Certificate and Key in Windows 10
• How to Enable or Disable Search Indexing in Windows
• How to Create an Indexing Options Shortcut in Windows 10
• How to Rebuild Search Index in Windows 10
• How to Enable or Disable Indexer Backoff in Windows
• 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 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 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 XP file encryption

LOL thanks, I think its standard windows XP file encryption

 

is it better to turn indexing off?

You can add what you want to it. If the file extension is in the list it will index it but don't tell it to index the properties and file contents unless the file is like a .CFG .TXT .INI type file.

 

Windows XP file encryption

My suggestion to you is to look into what kind of encryption the program used, and look for a way to break that type of encryption. Sorry I can't say a specific program for sure.

 

is it better to turn indexing off?

It works just like a normal book index.

It recorded all the paths for files (except system file belonged to Windows), and when you search for something, it will search through the index first before reading the whole hard drive for the file.

How do you search for a chapter in a book? Do you turn from the 1st to last page? No, you go through the index first, and that's how index work in Windows.

 

Windows XP file encryption

well there is encryption algorithms such as md5, rsa, etc.