Troubleshooting Paused Indexing in Windows 10
Searching for files in Windows 10 can be frustrating when indexing gets paused. We’ll explore why indexing pauses and provide actionable solutions to get your PC’s search functionality back up and running.
Why Does Indexing Get Paused in Windows 10?
There are a few common culprits behind paused indexing:
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Windows automatically pauses indexing on some PCs to conserve system resources. This usually happens on lower spec machines.
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The Windows Search service encounters issues and stops running. This can occur after a Windows update or other system changes.
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Corruption or errors within the search index itself leads Windows to pause indexing to prevent further problems.
Without indexing, Windows Search can’t quickly catalog files for faster searching. Let’s examine some troubleshooting steps to get indexing back on track.
What apps use the Index in Windows 10?
Many of the built-in apps on your PC use the index in some way. File Explorer, Photos, and Groove all use it to access and track changes to your files. Microsoft Edge uses it to provide browser history results in the address bar. Outlook uses it to search your email. Cortana uses it to provide faster search results from across your PC.
How to fix Cortana search not working?
Click that drop-down menu and select Automatic. Press the Apply and OK buttons to confirm the new setting. If Cortana search still isn’t working, you can rebuild the search index. To do that, enter ‘control panel’ into Run and click OK. Select Indexing Options to open the window shown below.
Verify File Search Functionality
First, check if searching still works as expected. Open File Explorer, click in the search bar, and search for a file you know exists on your system.
If the search works fine, indexing may not be paused. If not, proceed with the troubleshooting steps below.
Run the Search and Indexing Troubleshooter
Windows includes an automated troubleshooter that scans your system and fixes common issues with searching and indexing.
To run it, press Windows key + I to open Settings. Click "Update & Security," then "Troubleshoot." Under "Additional troubleshooters," select "Search and Indexing" and click Run.
The troubleshooter will start scanning and make necessary repairs if any issues are found. After completion, test search functionality again.
Tweak the Registry
Sometimes issues with the Windows Search service can be resolved by tweaking Registry entries related to indexing.
Press Windows key + R to open the Run command. Type "regedit" and press Enter to launch the Registry Editor.
Navigate toHKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Windows Searchand check if there is a DWORD called "AllowIndexingEncryption." If present, right-click and delete it.
How do I troubleshoot search & indexing?
Let us work together to sort this out. Here’s the steps you can try. -Click Troubleshooter then Additional troubleshooter. -Look for Search and Indexing run the troubleshooter. Restart your computer and try to start indexing.
Why is indexing not running in Windows 10?
The issue of Indexing not running in Windows 10 occurs when the computer isn’t able to use the service of Indexing on your computer. Indexing maintains an index of the majority of the files in your computer to improve searching. A normal search may take 10x more time as compared to indexing.
Close Registry Editor and reboot your PC for changes to take effect. Test if indexing resumes as expected.
Restart the Windows Search Service
The Windows Search service maintains the index and handles searching. Restarting this service can help kickstart a paused indexer.
Press Windows key + R, type "services.msc" and press Enter. Locate the "Windows Search" service, right-click it and select Restart from the menu.
Give the service a few minutes to fully start up, then check if indexing and search are working again.
Rebuild the Search Index
If your search index is corrupted, you may need to rebuild it from scratch. Open the Indexing Options control panel to get started.
Press Windows key + S and type "indexing options." Click on the "Indexing Options" result. Next, click "Advanced" and then select "Rebuild." This will completely recreate the index – plan for the process to take several hours.
Disable Indexing on Low Battery
Windows can pause indexing when your laptop is in battery saver mode. To modify this:
Press Windows key + R and type "control admintools." Go to "Administrative Templates" > "Windows Components" > "Search" and double-click "Allow indexing when running on battery power."
How do I troubleshoot Windows Search & Indexing?
Use the Windows Search and Indexing troubleshooter to try to fix any problems that may arise. To use the troubleshooter, follow these steps: Select Start > Settings. In Windows Settings, select Update & Security > Troubleshoot. Under Find and fix other problems, select Search and Indexing. Run the troubleshooter and select any problems that apply.
How to disable Cortana indexing on Windows 10?
According to several users, disabling Cortana enabled indexing again on their computers. Press Windows + S, type “ Cortana ” in the dialogue box and open the Settings. If your search isn’t working, you can navigate to settings and open it from there. Now uncheck all the options there.
How do I fix Cortana search on Windows 10?
Here are three potential fixes for the Windows 10 search tool. First, you could try a quick fix by restarting Cortana search processes. You can do that with the Task Manager. To open the Task Manager window below, you should right-click the taskbar and select Task Manager. Then select the Processes tab. Scroll down to a Cortana or Search process.
How do I fix indexing on Windows 10?
Here’s the steps you can try. -Click Troubleshooter then Additional troubleshooter. -Look for Search and Indexing run the troubleshooter. Restart your computer and try to start indexing. I hope the information above helps. Please let me know how it goes. Have a wonderful day ahead and stay safe.
Change the policy to "Disabled" and reboot. This will prevent battery saver mode from interfering with indexing.
Remove Outlook Files from Indexing
Large Outlook data files (*.pst) can sometimes disrupt indexing. To exclude Outlook from indexing:
Open Indexing Options from the control panel. Click "Modify" and select your Outlook PST file(s). Check the box for "Do not allow indexing of this file." Apply the changes.
Delete TxR Files
Damaged TxR files used in the search index can also pause indexing. To remove them:
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Open File Explorer and navigate to
C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Search\Data\Applications\Windows -
Delete files ending in .TxR (you can leave the folder)
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Restart your PC
This forces Windows to rebuild the necessary index files correctly.
Run System Restore
If indexing stopped after a Windows update or software change, rolling back System Restore to an earlier restore point may resolve it.
Type "restore" into the Windows search box and select "System Restore." Follow the prompts to choose a restore point before you had issues with indexing.
What is a search index in Windows 10?
The search index only includes your selected locations. These locations can be filtered for what file types (extensions), file properties, and file contents you want indexed. The index uses the Windows Search service and runs as the Searchindexer.exe process in the background.
How do I fix search & indexing problems in Windows 10?
Open Settings. Click on Update & Security. Click on Troubleshoot. Under the “Find and fix other problems” section, select the search and Indexing option. Click the Run the troubleshooter button. Check the problems that best describe your situation — for example, Files don’t appear in search results option. Click the Next button.
Does Cortana work with Windows 10?
Cortana has been in Windows 10 for quite some time now and it is designed to integrate with Windows search. It is also under development and with every update, it gets better with updated modules to improve its AI and search algorithms. According to several users, disabling Cortana enabled indexing again on their computers.
Run DISM and SFC Scans
Corruption in Windows system files can affect indexing. Run DISM and SFC scans to detect and restore damaged files:
Open an admin command prompt. TypeDISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealthand press Enter. This scans Windows image files.
Next runSFC /scannowto scan system files and repair problems. Restart when finished and test indexing.
When to Reset Windows 10
If you’ve tried the above troubleshooting to no avail, doing a full Windows reset may be your last resort to fix persistent indexing issues. Back up your data first, then navigate to Settings > Update & Security > Recovery and choose "Get started" under Reset this PC.
Resetting will reinstall Windows 10 and remove all your programs and files. Be sure to exhaust other options before considering this nuclear approach.
With the right troubleshooting techniques, you can stop Windows 10 indexing from getting mysteriously paused. Let us know in the comments if these solutions worked to get your file search functioning quickly again!
