Privacy and Security Add or Remove File Types for Search Index in Windows 11

This tutorial will show you how to add or remove file type extensions that can be indexed for all users in Windows 10 and Windows 11.

Search Indexing in Windows improves the speed and efficiency of searches by creating an index of files and their properties on your device. This index allows Windows to quickly locate and retrieve the information you need.

Indexing is the process of looking at files, email messages, and other content on your PC and cataloging their information, such as the words and metadata in them. When you search your PC after indexing, it looks at an index of terms to find results faster.

By default, all the properties of your files are indexed, including file names and full file paths. For files with text, their contents are indexed to allow you to search for words within the files.

You can choose to add and remove file types on a list of extensions that can be indexed.

Reference:

You must be signed in as an administrator to add or remove file type extensions that can be indexed.

Here's How:

1 Open Settings (Win+I).

2 Click/tap on Privacy & security on the left side, and click/tap on Search on the right side. (see screenshot below)



3 Under Related settings, click/tap on Advanced indexing options. (see screenshot below)


4 Click/tap on the Advanced button in Indexing Options. (see screenshot below)


5 Click/tap on the File Types tab in Advanced Options. (see screenshot below)


6 Do step 7 (remove), step 8 (add), and/or step 9 (add new) below for what you want.













10 Click/tap on OK when finished. (see screenshot below)


11 Click/tap on Close. (see screenshot below)


12 You can close Settings if you like.


That's it,
Shawn Brink