Speed Up Indexing Windows 10 – The Ultimate Guide

Do you feel like your Windows 10 PC is slowing down? Are you constantly waiting for programs and files to load? One possible culprit could be the indexing feature in Windows 10. Indexing allows you to search your PC quickly, but it can also consume a lot of resources and slow down your system.

Don’t worry though, with this ultimate guide on how to speed up indexing in Windows 10, you can optimize your PC’s performance and get back to running smoothly. In this guide, we’ll show you everything you need to know to optimize your indexing options, troubleshoot any issues, and even recommend some third-party tools to help speed up your indexing process.

Whether you’re a casual user or an IT professional, our guide will give you all the tools you need to take control of your Windows 10 indexing and supercharge your PC’s performance. So, grab a cup of coffee and let’s dive in!

Why Windows 10 Indexing is Slow and How it Affects Your PC’s Performance

If you’re like most Windows 10 users, you’ve probably noticed that sometimes your computer can slow down to a crawl for no apparent reason. One of the main culprits of this issue is the Indexing feature in Windows 10. While this feature is essential for quickly searching your computer’s files, it can also have a significant impact on your PC’s performance.

When Indexing runs in the background, it consumes a lot of system resources, including CPU and RAM. This can cause other programs to run slower, and even cause your computer to crash or freeze. Additionally, as your computer’s hard drive fills up with more files, Indexing can become even slower and more resource-intensive, exacerbating the problem further.

Another issue with Windows 10 Indexing is that it can sometimes be inaccurate, causing search results to be incomplete or irrelevant. This can be frustrating for users who rely on search to quickly find the files they need. Additionally, if Indexing is not set up correctly, it can even cause security risks by making sensitive files easily accessible.

Overall, it’s essential to understand how Indexing works in Windows 10 and how it can impact your PC’s performance. By disabling or optimizing Indexing settings, you can improve your computer’s speed and responsiveness, and make sure that your files are secure and easy to find.

So, what can you do to fix slow Indexing on your Windows 10 PC? In the following sections, we’ll show you some of the best ways to disable or optimize Indexing, as well as some third-party tools you can use to speed up the process and get better search results.

The Function of Indexing in Windows 10 and Why it Slows Down Your PC

If you’ve ever searched for a file on your Windows 10 PC, you know how important it is for the operating system to be able to find the files quickly. This is where indexing comes in. Indexing is a process that allows Windows to keep track of the files on your computer and create an index or catalog of them for quick search results. However, while indexing can be helpful, it can also slow down your PC over time.

1. How indexing works: Indexing uses the file system metadata to build an index of files on your computer. The index is stored in a database file that can be quickly searched when you perform a search.
2. Why indexing slows down your PC: Indexing can slow down your PC because it requires a lot of system resources to build and maintain the index. When you add new files or make changes to existing files, Windows has to update the index, which can take a lot of time and slow down your PC.
3. The impact of indexing on your PC’s performance: Indexing can cause your PC to slow down in a few different ways. First, the indexing process can use a lot of CPU and disk resources, which can make other programs on your PC run more slowly. Second, if the index file becomes corrupted or damaged, it can cause search results to be inaccurate or slow.
4. What to do if indexing is slowing down your PC: If you’re experiencing slow performance on your PC and suspect that indexing may be the cause, you can try disabling or customizing indexing settings. This will reduce the amount of resources used by the indexing process and help improve performance.
5. The importance of balancing indexing and performance: While indexing can slow down your PC, it is still an important feature that allows you to quickly find files on your computer. Finding the right balance between indexing and performance is key to maintaining a fast and efficient PC.

If you’re experiencing slow performance on your Windows 10 PC, understanding how indexing works and its impact on performance can help you make informed decisions about how to optimize your PC for better performance. In the next sections, we’ll explore different ways to disable or customize indexing to improve your PC’s performance.

Steps to Disable Indexing in Windows 10

Disabling Windows 10 Indexing can significantly improve your PC’s performance. Here are five simple steps to do it:

Step 1: Click on the “Start” button and type “Services” in the search bar.

Step 2: Look for “Windows Search” and right-click on it.

Step 3: Select “Properties” and change the “Startup type” to “Disabled.”

Step 4: Click on “Apply” and then “OK.”

Step 5: Restart your computer to ensure that the changes take effect.

After following these steps, your Windows 10 Indexing will be disabled, resulting in a faster PC. If you ever need to enable it again, follow the same steps and change the “Startup type” to “Automatic.”

Disabling Indexing on Individual Drives

If you want to disable indexing on specific drives, you can do so using the following steps:

• Step 1: Open File Explorer and right-click on the drive you want to disable indexing for.
• Step 2: Select “Properties” from the context menu.
• Step 3: Under the “General” tab, uncheck the box that says “Allow files on this drive to have contents indexed in addition to file properties.”
• Step 4: Click “Apply” and select “Apply changes to drive, subfolders and files.”
• Step 5: Click “OK” to save the changes.

Disabling indexing on specific drives can help speed up the indexing process on other drives and improve overall system performance. However, keep in mind that this may affect search results on the disabled drives.

Disabling Indexing for the Entire System

To disable indexing for the entire system, you’ll need to access the Services Manager. Here’s how:

1. Press the Windows key + R to open the Run dialog box.
2. Type “services.msc” (without the quotes) in the Open box and click OK.
3. Scroll down and locate the service called “Windows Search.”
4. Right-click on the service and select “Properties.”
5. Change the Startup type to “Disabled” and click OK.

Once you’ve completed these steps, the Windows Search service will be disabled, and indexing will no longer occur on your system.

Note: Disabling this service will also disable the search function in Windows, so keep this in mind before proceeding with this method.

Important: It’s recommended that you create a system restore point before making any changes to your system. This will allow you to easily restore your system to its previous state in case anything goes wrong.

Now that you know how to disable indexing in Windows 10, you can take control of your PC’s performance and optimize it for your needs. Keep reading to learn more about customizing indexing options and fixing common indexing issues in Windows 10.

How to Customize Indexing Options to Boost Windows 10 Performance

While disabling indexing can improve system performance, it can also hinder file searches. Fortunately, Windows 10 provides the option to customize indexing settings, so you can have the best of both worlds. Here’s how:

Limit the Indexed Locations: If you only use a few folders frequently, consider limiting the indexed locations to just those folders. This will reduce the amount of time Windows 10 spends indexing and boost overall system performance.

Exclude Certain File Types: Exclude file types that you don’t search for often, like system files and program files, to reduce indexing time and improve system performance.

Change the Indexing Schedule: By default, Windows 10 indexes files when the system is idle. You can change this schedule to a time that’s more convenient for you, like when you’re not using your PC, to minimize the impact on system performance.

Adjust the Indexing Options for Specific File Types: Customize indexing options for specific file types, like documents, music, or videos, to improve search results and minimize the impact on system performance.

Customizing Indexing to Exclude Unnecessary Files and Folders

If you want to speed up the indexing process on Windows 10, you can customize the indexing options to exclude unnecessary files and folders. This is a simple process that can have a significant impact on your PC’s performance.

• Open Indexing Options: Press the Windows key + R, type “control.exe srchadmin.dll” and hit enter. Click on “Indexing Options”.
• Exclude Files and Folders: Click on the “Modify” button and uncheck the boxes next to any files or folders that you don’t want indexed.
• Customize File Types: You can also exclude specific file types from being indexed. Click on the “Advanced” button and select the “File Types” tab. Uncheck any file types that you don’t want indexed.
• Save Changes: Click “OK” to save the changes you’ve made to the indexing options.

By excluding unnecessary files and folders from the indexing process, you can significantly reduce the amount of time it takes for Windows 10 to index your files. This can lead to a faster and more responsive PC overall.

Changing Indexing Locations to Boost Performance

If disabling indexing is not an option for you, changing the locations that are being indexed can help improve performance. Consider moving large, infrequently accessed files, such as media files or archives, to an external hard drive or a separate partition. This can reduce the number of files indexed and help improve overall system performance.

You can also add specific folders to the “exclusion list” to prevent them from being indexed. To do this, navigate to “Indexing Options” in the Control Panel, click “Modify,” and then deselect the folders you want to exclude. Keep in mind that excluding too many folders can hinder search functionality and is not recommended for most users.

Another option is to create a custom index for specific folders or file types. This can be done by selecting “Advanced” in the “Indexing Options” menu, then clicking “File Types” or “Add” to select specific folders to include in the custom index. This can help optimize indexing for specific use cases and improve overall system performance.

Optimizing Indexing for SSDs to Increase Performance

Disable Superfetch: Superfetch is a Windows service that preloads frequently accessed data into memory to speed up the system. However, this can cause unnecessary wear on your SSD. To disable it, open Services.msc and disable the Superfetch service.

Move indexing files to a hard drive: Moving indexing files to a hard drive frees up space on your SSD and reduces wear on the drive. To move the indexing files, go to Indexing Options, select a drive, click on Advanced, and then click on Select New. Choose a location on your hard drive and click OK.

Turn off System Restore: System Restore creates restore points on your SSD, which can slow down your system and use up SSD space. To turn off System Restore, right-click on This PC, select Properties, click on System Protection, select the SSD, and click on Configure. Choose Turn off system protection and click OK.

Disable hibernation: Hibernation creates a file on your SSD that can take up valuable space. To disable hibernation, open Command Prompt as an administrator and type in powercfg -h off. Press Enter and exit Command Prompt.

Using Windows Troubleshooter to Fix Indexing Issues in Windows 10

Introduction: If you’re experiencing issues with indexing in Windows 10, the built-in troubleshooter can help diagnose and fix the problem.

Accessing the Troubleshooter: To access the troubleshooter, click on the Start menu and search for “Troubleshoot settings”. Select “Additional troubleshooters”, then choose “Search and Indexing” and click on “Run the troubleshooter”.

Follow the Prompts: Once you’ve launched the troubleshooter, follow the prompts to identify and fix the indexing issue. The troubleshooter will suggest potential solutions and give you the option to apply them.

Other Troubleshooting Options: If the troubleshooter doesn’t fix the issue, there are other options available such as rebuilding the index or using the Command Prompt to reset the search feature.

Using Windows Troubleshooter to Diagnose Indexing Issues

If you’re experiencing issues with Windows 10 indexing, using the built-in Windows Troubleshooter can help diagnose the problem. To do this, go to the Windows search bar and type “troubleshoot”. Click on the “Troubleshoot settings” option and then select “Search and Indexing” from the list. Click on the “Run the troubleshooter” button and follow the prompts.

The troubleshooter will scan your system for any issues that may be affecting indexing and offer suggestions for fixing them. It may take some time to complete, so be patient. Once it’s finished, it will provide a report on the issues it found and whether it was able to fix them.

Top 5 Third-Party Software to Speed Up Indexing in Windows 10

If you are still experiencing indexing issues or want to further improve indexing performance, third-party software can be a great solution. Here are the top 5 software options to speed up indexing in Windows 10:

Everything: Everything is a lightweight search utility that can instantly search files and folders on your computer, with no indexing required. It is fast and highly customizable, making it a great choice for power users.

Listary: Listary is a versatile search utility that integrates with Windows Explorer and File Open/Save dialogs. It can search for files and folders in real-time and offers features such as fuzzy search and custom commands.

Copernic Desktop Search: Copernic Desktop Search is a powerful search utility that can search for files, emails, and contacts across multiple sources, including local drives, network drives, and email accounts. It offers advanced search options and a user-friendly interface.

Ultrasearch: Ultrasearch is a fast and lightweight search utility that can instantly search files and folders on your computer. It offers a simple and intuitive interface and can be run from a USB drive.

Agent Ransack: Agent Ransack is a powerful search utility that can search for files and folders based on advanced criteria such as file size and date modified. It is highly customizable and offers a portable version for use on a USB drive.

Wise Care 365

Optimize Your PC: Wise Care 365 offers a variety of tools to optimize your PC’s performance, including an advanced cleaner, a registry cleaner, and a system tuneup feature.

Privacy Protection: This software also offers privacy protection, including erasing traces of your browsing history and confidential data, and preventing unwanted applications from modifying your homepage.

Real-time System Monitoring: Wise Care 365 provides real-time system monitoring, which allows you to view system information, CPU usage, and memory usage, as well as temperature and fan speed data for your CPU and GPU.

One-Click Maintenance: With the one-click maintenance feature, Wise Care 365 can automatically scan and clean your system, fix registry issues, and optimize your PC’s performance with just one click.

UltraSearch

• Instant Results: UltraSearch searches through your files and folders in seconds, giving you instant results.
• No Indexing Required: UltraSearch does not create or maintain an index, which makes it faster than many other search tools.
• Search Filters: You can narrow your search results by using filters like date, size, and file type.
• Portable: UltraSearch is portable, meaning you can use it from a USB drive without installing it on your computer.
• Intuitive Interface: UltraSearch has an easy-to-use interface that makes searching for files and folders a breeze.

If you’re looking for a fast and efficient search tool, UltraSearch is an excellent choice. Whether you’re searching for a specific file or just browsing through your folders, UltraSearch can help you find what you need in seconds.

Everything Search Engine

Lightweight: The Everything Search Engine is a lightweight program that only takes up a few megabytes of space on your computer.

Fast: This search engine is incredibly fast and can search through millions of files in a matter of seconds.

Customizable: You can customize the search engine by changing the filters to include or exclude certain file types or folders.

Real-time Search: Everything Search Engine updates its search results in real-time, making it easy to find the file you’re looking for even if it was just created.

Frequently Asked Questions