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.