Windows 10: Windows Search Not Finding Files

Windows 10 Version: 20H2 (OS Build 19042,1052) I've always had problem with searching files. If I "search this PC" and type in a folder or file name, nothing ever comes up. It just says "working on it" forever as the little bar moves. If I search a specific folder, sometimes one or two things show up but very slowly and not everything. And if I knew what folder certain things were in, I wouldn't need the search feature anyway. Indexing is turned off. Thank you!

:)

 

Quick Access not searching Pictures folder

Summary, that last suggestion didn't work.

• I moved the pictures to another folder temporarily.

• Then I tried to remove the Pictures folder with option one at Add or Remove Folders from This PC in Windows 10 | Windows 10 Tutorials. Even after rebooting, the Pictures folder remained.
• So I tried using option two. Same thing: reboot >> Pictures folder still there.

• Since there were no troubleshooting steps for this scenario, just for the heck of it, I ran through the restore steps. Copied some pictures into the Pictures folder, ran a Quick Access search and initial problem remains: Searching all of QA doesn't find any files in Pictures folder, running search on just the Pictures folder does. I want to run a global search and find matching files in any/all of the Documents, Music, Videos, and Pictures folders.

That article dates from 2015 and I'm guessing is out of date. I hope it didn't create potential future problems in my registry.

Bottom line: I'm still looking for a fix.

 

File Explorer Search Not Working


I am trying to search in File Explorer (Windows Explorer, My Computer) and it will not find anything. I can copy text from a name in the list and paste it in the search box and it still finds nothing. I have looked at the suggestions that have been posted and nothing I find that is relative to this works. Anyone have any suggestions? I am running Win 10 Pro on an I3 coustom desktop computer.

 

Searching (from the Start menu) only finds some of my files

Hi Mike,

Thank you for posting your query in Microsoft Community, we appreciate your interest in Windows 10.

I understand your concern about searching files from the Start menu.

I suggest you to try the below troubleshooting steps and check:

Step 1: Run the Performance troubleshooter.

Performance troubleshooter finds and clean up unused files and shortcuts and performs maintenance tasks.

• 
  Type “Troubleshooting” in the
  Search box and hit Enter.
  
• 
  Select “System Maintenance” from the
  Troubleshooter window.
  
• 
  Select “Advance” and click on “Run as Administrator”.
  
• 
  Click “Next” and follow the on-screen instructions to complete the troubleshooting process.
  

Step 2: I suggest you to
restart Windows Search service.

Windows Search service provides content indexing, property caching and search results for files, e-mails and other contents.

• 
  Click Start, type
  Services.msc in the Start Search box.
  
• 
  Scroll down the list of services, right-click
  Windows Search and select Start.
  
• 
  Also, right-click
  and select Properties for
  Windows Search and set its Startup Type to
  Automatic.
  

Hope it helps. Feel free to contact us for further assistance on Windows Operating System, we will be happy to help you.