Windows Search keeps an index — a database of file names, properties and contents — so searches in the Start menu and File Explorer return results instantly instead of scanning the disk. Configured well, it’s invisible. Configured badly, it uses CPU and disk constantly or misses the files you’re looking for.

Where the settings are

  • Windows 11: Settings → Privacy & security → Searching Windows
  • Windows 10: Settings → Search → Searching Windows
  • Classic dialog (all versions): Control Panel → Indexing Options, or Win + R → control srchadmin.dll

Classic vs Enhanced

Mode Indexes
Classic Libraries and the desktop (plus locations you add)
Enhanced The whole PC, except excluded folders

Enhanced finds more but indexes much more data — the first build can take hours and uses more resources. On most PCs, Classic plus the folders you actually search is the better balance.

Choose locations

In Indexing Options → Modify, tick only folders you search: Documents, Desktop, project folders, mail. Untick folders full of files you never search by name (build output, node_modules, VM disks, game libraries, backups).

You can also add excluded folders in the Settings page for Enhanced mode.

File types and contents

Indexing Options → Advanced → File Types:

  • Index Properties Only — name, dates, size, tags. Fast.
  • Index Properties and File Contents — also searches inside the file (requires a filter for that type: Office documents, PDFs, text files).

For source code or log files you want to search by content, enable contents for .log, .md, .json, etc. For media and archives, properties only is enough.

Fix search that doesn’t find files

  1. Indexing Options → Advanced → Rebuild. Rebuilding takes time; search results are incomplete until it finishes.
  2. Run the troubleshooter: Settings → System → Troubleshoot → Other troubleshooters → Search and Indexing (availability varies by Windows version).
  3. Check the Windows Search service (services.msc) is running and set to Automatic (Delayed Start).
  4. Make sure the location is included and the file type is indexed.

Reduce resource usage

  • Index fewer locations (the biggest effect).
  • Prefer Classic mode.
  • Turn off Respect device power mode settings only if you want indexing while on battery — leaving it on reduces work on laptops.
  • Exclude folders with constantly changing files (databases, VM images, build folders).
  • Watch the index size and activity in Resource Monitor (SearchIndexer.exe, SearchProtocolHost.exe).

Move the index

Indexing Options → Advanced → Index location → Select new — useful if the system drive is small or slow. Restart the service afterwards.

Should you disable it on a Windows Server or VPS?

On servers, Windows Search is usually not installed or not needed. If it is running:

  • File servers where users search shared folders can benefit from indexing on the server.
  • Application, database, web and trading servers generally don’t need it — stop and disable the service to save CPU, RAM and disk I/O:
Stop-Service WSearch
Set-Service WSearch -StartupType Disabled

Start menu search for apps and settings still works without the index.

Summary

Index only what you search, prefer Classic mode, choose content indexing per file type, and rebuild the index when results go missing. On a Windows VPS running server workloads, disabling Windows Search frees resources for your applications. Related: managing Windows temporary files.

  • Windows
  • Performance