Privacy and Security Enable or Disable Include Encrypted Files in Search Index in Windows 11

This tutorial will show you how to enable or disable including encrypted files in the search index 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.

Windows Search supports indexing encrypted files on local file systems, enabling users to index and search the properties and contents of encrypted files.

For privacy and security reasons, the indexing of encrypted files should not be enabled unless the search index location itself is protected with full volume encryption using BitLocker or Device Encryption.

References:

You must be signed in as an administrator to enable or disable including encrypted files in the search index.

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 In the Index Settings tab under File Settings, check (on) or uncheck (off - default) Index encrypted files for what you want. (see screenshot below)


6 Perform an action based on the prompt you get: (see screenshots below)

• If you get a Policy is in effect message, then this setting has been enabled or disabled using Option Two or Option Three. Click/tap on OK.
• If you turned on Index encrypted files and the index location is not encrypted, click/tap on Continue to confirm.
• If you turned off Index encrypted files, click/tap on OK to confirm.

7 Click/tap on OK. (see screenshot below)


8 The search index will now rebuild. Click/tap on Close. (see screenshot below)


9 You can close Settings.

The Local Group Policy Editor is only available in the Windows 10/11 Pro, Enterprise, and Education editions.

All editions can use Option Three to configure the same policy.

1 Open the Local Group Policy Editor (gpedit.msc).

2 Navigate to the policy location below in the left pane of the Local Group Policy Editor. (see screenshot below step 3)


3 In the right pane of Search in the Local Group Policy Editor, double click/tap on the Allow indexing of encrypted files policy to edit it. (see screenshot below)


4 Do step 5 (always enable), step 6 (disable), or step 7 (default) below for what you want.

This will override and prevent using Option One.

This will override and prevent using Option One.

This is the default setting to allow using Option One.

8 You can now close the Local Group Policy Editor if you like.





1 Do step 2 (always enable), step 3 (disable), or step 4 (default) below for what you want.

This will override and prevent using Option One.

(Contents of REG file for reference)

This will override and prevent using Option One.

(Contents of REG file for reference)

This is the default setting to allow using Option One.

(Contents of REG file for reference)

5 Save the .reg file to your desktop.

6 If you have Smart App Control turned on, you will need to unblock the downloaded REG file.

7 Double click/tap on the downloaded .reg file to merge it.

8 When prompted, click/tap on Run, Yes (UAC), Yes, and OK to approve the merge.

9 Rebuild the index to apply.

10 You can now delete the downloaded .reg file if you like.



That's it,
Shawn Brink