How to Add or Remove Excluded Folders for Search Indexer in Windows 10
Indexing the content of your PC helps you get faster results when your searching it for files, emails, or other local content.
The search index only includes your selected locations by default. These locations can be filtered for what file types (extensions), file properties, and file contents you want indexed.
Starting with Windows 10 build 18267, Microsoft added a new Enhanced Mode feature to improve search indexing that enables Windows to search all your folders and drives, instead of limiting search (Classic) to your documents, pictures, videos, and desktop by default.
To exclude a folder from search, you can add it to the Excluded Folders list.
This tutorial will show you how to add or remove Excluded Folders for Search Indexer for your account or all users in Windows 10.
Contents
- Option One: Add or Remove Excluded Folders for Search Indexer in Indexed Locations
- Option Two: Add Excluded Folders for Search Indexer in Settings
- Option Three: Remove Excluded Folders for Search Indexer in Settings
1 For how, see: How to Add or Remove Locations for Search Index in Windows 10
Unchecking a subfolder of an added location will add the subfolder to the Excluded Folders list for the search indexer.
You can click/tap on the Show all locations button to add or remove index locations for all users. You must be signed in as an administrator to use Show all locations.
This option is only available starting with Windows 10 build 18267.
This option gets applied to all users on the PC.
You must be signed in as an administrator to use this option.
1 Open Settings (Win+I), and click/tap on the Search icon.
2 Click/tap on Searching Windows on the left side, and click/tap on Add an excluded folder on the right side under Excluded Folders. (see screenshot below)
3 Browse to and select the folder (ex: "C:\Users\Brink\Desktop") you want to exclude, and click/tap on Select Folder. (see screenshot below)
4 When you are finished adding folders to the Excluded Folders list, you can close Settings if you like.
This option is only available starting with Windows 10 build 18267.
This option gets applied to all users on the PC.
You must be signed in as an administrator to use this option.
1 Open Settings (Win+I), and click/tap on the Search icon.
2 Click/tap on Searching Windows on the left side. (see screenshot below)
3 Click/tap on the excluded folder (ex: "C:\Users\Brink\Desktop") you want to remove, and click/tap on the Remove excluded folder button.
It may sometimes take a few moments for the folder to be removed from the Excluded Folders list.
4 When you are finished removing folders from the Excluded Folders list, you can close Settings if you like.
That's it,
Shawn
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