Issue with Windows 10 File Explorer search bar functionality.
Issue with Windows 10 File Explorer search bar functionality.
The search feature stopped functioning correctly yesterday. It now takes an extremely long time to look up files via the file explorer bar, even though it seems to work. Sometimes the loading indicator doesn’t start at all when searching in bigger folders, and finding a single item by name in a folder of about 5 or 6 files is very slow. I ran my hard drive through the optimize drives utility in Windows 10 and used the check disk tool today to scan for errors. Unfortunately, I haven’t found a solution yet, and any advice would be really helpful. Thanks.
Verify indexing service is active and the checkbox is selected in drive settings. Likely the third-party optimizer blocks this, and you should review the default search options.
Thank you for the response. The optimizer comes built into Windows 10 and is designed to manage drive fragmentation for better performance. I reviewed the default search settings, and the indexing service is enabled under drive properties, though the issue remains unresolved.
Check if indexing is active and set up automatically. Rebuild indexing by toggling the enable/disable switch in settings.
Yes, the process for "windows search" is started and automatic. When I try to open "Indexing Options" it shows the error that it is "waiting to receive indexing status" and the only button is the advanced, when I select it the program freezes up and the only way to close is through task manager. I will include an image of this error problem message received with trying to open Indexing Options.
Another way to phrase it is:
Consider the third alternative approach.
You're unsure, but you should give it a shot. Most often people use different methods besides Explorer's search.
Thanks for the guidance. I turned off "Windows Search" in the services list, which disabled indexing and made searches run faster—though the Cortana search bar won’t function. I plan to create a system restoration image on an external drive and then attempt to rebuild the index later. For now, this workaround seems sufficient. I hope the issue gets fixed soon so users don’t face similar problems and the index corruption risk decreases. Until then, I’ll stick with the methods recommended (like disabling the search service or using the linked tutorial). I’ll keep you updated if needed. Thanks again, @Boomwebsearch.