Improves Search Speed in Windows 11 File Explorer by Disabling Search in Content Feature

The search-in-content feature allows you to search for text in files and folders, including documents, images, and videos. This feature can be useful for finding files that contain specific information. However, this feature can also slow down the search process, especially if you have a lot of files and folders on your computer.

Search speed in modern computing is crucial. As the number of files and documents continues to grow on our devices, time spent searching for the information can affect productivity and efficiency.

File Explorer is one of the important features in Windows 11 that helps you manage files and folders on your computer. However, sometimes searching for filenames in File Explorer can feel slow or inaccurate, especially if you’re looking for files in locations that Windows doesn’t index.

Unindexed locations are locations that are not included in the list of locations that the Windows Search service periodically scans to update the search index. A search index is a database that contains information about files and folders on your computer, such as file names, properties, and contents. Search indexing allows Windows to provide faster and more relevant search results.

However, the search index does not include all locations on your computer. There are some locations that Windows doesn’t index by default, such as external drives, network folders, or system folders. If you’re looking for a file in a location that isn’t indexed, Windows will try to search for the file differently, which is to browse each file and folder individually and check if it matches your search criteria. This is, of course, slower and more resource-consuming than using the search index.

Search Feature in File Explorer Content

One factor that affects the speed of searching for file names in Windows 11’s File Explorer is the search feature in content. This feature is a feature that governs how Windows searches for files based on file contents other than the file name. There are two options you can choose from:

• In indexed locations, search file names and contents. In non-indexed locations, search file names only.
• Always search file names and contents (this might take several minutes).

The first option means that Windows will search for files by filename and content if their location is already indexed, but only by file name if their location is not indexed. The second option means that Windows will always search for files by filename and content, whether the location is indexed.

The second option may sound better because it’s more complete, but it can make the search slower and less efficient. This is because searching the contents of a file takes more time and resources than just searching for the file name.

If you search for a file in an unindexed location by using the second option, Windows will open each file and check if there are any of your search keywords in it. This of course will slow down the search process and also interfere with your computer’s performance.

Therefore, if you want to increase the speed of searching filenames in Windows 11 File Explorer, you’d better disable the search feature in content or use the first option.

That way, Windows will only search for file names if the location is not indexed, so the search process becomes faster and lighter. If you want to search the contents of a file as well, you can add that location to the search index or use another more advanced file search tool.

How to Disable the Search Feature in Content

To disable the search feature in content in File Explorer in Windows 11, follow these steps:

1. Open “File Explorer” by clicking on its icon in the taskbar or Start menu, or press the “Windows + E” logo key on your keyboard.
2. Click the three horizontal dots icon in the top-right corner of the “File Explorer” window, then select “Options” from the menu that appears.
3. Di jendela “Folder Options” yang terbuka, klik tab “Search”, lalu pada bagian “When Searching Non-Indexed Locations”, hapus centang “Always search file names and contents (this might take several minutes)”.
4. Click OK to save the changes.

Now, if you search for a file in a location that isn’t indexed, Windows will only search for the file name, making the search faster and more efficient.

How to Add a Location to the Search Index

If you want to search for files by file name and contents in a location that isn’t indexed, you can add that location to the search index. That way, Windows will periodically scan that location and update the search index with information about files and folders in that location. To add a location to the search index, follow these steps:

1. Open the “Control Panel” by pressing the “Windows + R” logo key on your keyboard, then type “control” and press Enter.
2. In the “Control Panel” window that opens, click on the “Indexing Options” icon.
3. In the “Indexing Options” window that opens, click the “Modify” button.
4. In the “Indexed Locations” window that opens, check (add) or uncheck (remove) the locations you want to enter or remove from the search index, then click OK when finished.

5. You can see a list of locations that are already included in the search index. If you are logged in as an administrator, you can also click the “Show all locations” button to see all available locations.
6. If the index doesn’t automatically start rebuilding, you must manually rebuild the index to update it. The trick is to click the “Advanced” button in the “Indexing Options” window, then click the “Rebuild” button under the “Troubleshooting” section.

You can close the Indexing Options window when finished.

How to Use Other File Finder Tools

In addition to using Windows’ built-in search feature, you can also use other file search tools that are more advanced and flexible. Some of the popular and free file search tools are:

•  “Everything”: A very fast and lightweight file search tool that can search all the files and folders on your computer in a matter of seconds. “Everything” uses its indexation method that differs from Windows Search, so it can search for files regardless of whether their location has been indexed or not. “Everything” also supports searching using regex (regular expression) syntax which can make searches more specific and accurate.
•  “Agent Ransack”: A file search tool that can search for files by name, content, size, date, attributes, etc. “Agent Ransack” also supports searching using regex and Boolean syntax. “Agent Ransack” can also display a preview of the contents of a file without having to open it first.
•  “UltraSearch”: A file search tool that can search for files very quickly because it uses information from the NTFS Master File Table (MFT). “UltraSearch” can also search for files by extension, size, date, attributes, etc. “Ultra Search” also supports searching using regex and wildcard syntax.

Those are some ways you can do to increase the speed of searching for file names in Windows 11 File Explorer. By disabling the search feature in content, adding locations to the search index, or using another file search tool, you can find the files you need more quickly and easily. Hope this article is useful and helps you in managing files and folders on your computer. Thanks for reading!