This tutorial will show you how to enable or disable opening the Modify Indexed Locations dialog in Indexing Options 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.
The search index only includes your selected locations by default. These locations can be filtered for what file types (extensions), file properties, and file contents you want indexed.
You can disable the Modify button in Indexing Options to prevent opening the Indexed Locations dialog so users cannot add or remove index locations.
You must be signed in as an administrator to enable or disable opening the Modify Indexed Locations dialog in Indexing Options.
Contents
- Option One: Enable or Disable Modify Indexed Locations in Indexing Options in Local Group Policy Editor
- Option Two: Enable or Disable Modify Indexed Locations in Indexing Options using REG file
EXAMPLE: Disable Modify Indexed Locations in Indexing Options
Enable or Disable Modify Indexed Locations in Indexing Options in Local Group Policy Editor
The Local Group Policy Editor is only available in the Windows 10/11 Pro, Enterprise, and Education editions.
All editions can use Option Two 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)
Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > Search
3 In the right pane of Search in the Local Group Policy Editor, double click/tap on the Prevent customization of indexed locations in Control Panel policy to edit it. (see screenshot below)
4 Do step 5 (enable) or step 6 (disable) below for what you want.
5 Enable Modify Indexed Locations in Indexing Options
This is the default setting.
A) Select (dot) Not Configured. (see screenshot below)
B) Click/tap on OK, and go to step 7 below.
6 Disable Modify Indexed Locations in Indexing Options
A) Select (dot) Enabled. (see screenshot below)
B) Click/tap on OK, and go to step 7 below.
7 You can now close the Local Group Policy Editor if you like.
1 Do step 2 (enable) or step 3 (disable) below for what you want.
2 Enable Modify Indexed Locations in Indexing Options
This is the default setting.
A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the file below, and go to step 4 below.
Enable_Modify_indexed_locations_in_Indexing_Options.reg
Download
(Contents of REG file for reference)
Code:
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Windows Search]
"PreventModifyingIndexedLocations"=-3 Disable Modify Indexed Locations in Indexing Options
A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the file below, and go to step 4 below.
Disable_Modify_indexed_locations_in_Indexing_Options.reg
Download
(Contents of REG file for reference)
Code:
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Windows Search]
"PreventModifyingIndexedLocations"=dword:000000014 Save the .reg file to your desktop.
5 If you have Smart App Control turned on, you will need to unblock the downloaded REG file.
6 Double click/tap on the downloaded .reg file to merge it.
7 When prompted, click/tap on Run, Yes (UAC), Yes, and OK to approve the merge.
8 You can now delete the downloaded .reg file if you like.
That's it,
Shawn Brink
Related Tutorials
- Enable or Disable Search Indexing in Windows 11
- Enable or Disable Advanced Options in Indexing Options in Windows 11
- Add or Remove Search Index Locations in Windows 11
- Enable or Disable Automatically Find Additional Relevant Search Index Locations in Windows 11
- Remove All Automatically Added Search Index Locations in Windows 11
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