I have changed how various file types are indexed (between the two options "Indexed Properties Only" and "Index Properties and File Contents"). After messing around with changing these options and adding a few new file types to the list, I would like these settings reverted back to Windows defaults. I must have made some odd changes to some of these file type settings, as my Windows.edb file has doubled in size. I have since rebuilt the index twice thinking an error might have occurred in creating the new index, but whatever settings I made to these file types must have been the reason as the index size remains enormous.

Using the steps here:
Rebuild Search Index in Windows 10

seem to reset the custom locations and associated settings, but I am not sure that the how the file types are indexed are being reset.

Can anyone confirm that using the above methods will reset all options including file type indexing options?

Thank you for any help.

I did use option 3.

Unfortunately it does NOT reset the file types changes that were made. To test this out I made a few changes to the first few file types in the list. After using option 3 as discussed, the default location of the index was restored, as were the original folders that were originally selected to be included as indexed locations. The file type changes I made, did not get altered by using the methods including option 3.

If anyone does find out how to reset file type options for indexing to their defaults, it would be interesting to find out if it is possible. I haven't come across any such information on the internet yet.


Thanks for your help! I will just restore my system to a previous state, when I hadn't messed around with the file type options.

Brink said:

Hello @mkennedy, and welcome to Ten Forums.

You might check to see if you have enhanced mode turned on for search index, and turn it off if so to see if that was the issue.

Turn On or Off Enhanced Mode for Search Indexer in Windows 10

Thank you for the warm welcome Brink! :)

I will try that next time anything strange happens with the indexer, as it happens now and then for me. Going back to an earlier image of my system using Macrium Reflect did the trick --- but I can't help but wonder why the defaults for the file types aren't changed back when rebuilding the index if there was an error of some kind.

- Mark

Brink said:

Hey Mark,

That's normal. Rebuilding the index will not change its settings. It will only refresh the index instead.

Brink,

Do you know of any way to reset those file type settings to 'factory default'?

I took a scrolling window screenshot of the file types window from my other computer with a fresh copy of Windows 10 on it, just so I could have some reference to what the file types settings were actually set to.