The Windows search tool is often touted for its capabilities, allowing users to locate applications from the Start menu, music from File Explorer, and various settings. It even facilitates web searches directly from the search box, aiming to provide quick access to frequently used apps and files. However, many users find the experience lacking, as the search panel can become cluttered with Bing results, leading to a frustratingly slow process. Fortunately, there are several strategies to enhance the search functionality in Windows 11, whether you’re on a work PC or a gaming laptop.
7 Use PowerToys Run
For those who consider themselves power users, PowerToys offers a suite of over 20 tools designed to streamline tasks, including a rapid system search tool known as PowerToys Run. By simply pressing Alt + Space, a search bar appears at the center of your screen. Although it may not provide instant answers to simple queries or allow for filtering results by app or document, its flexibility is a significant advantage. Users can customize it to execute shell commands and adjust settings within the PowerToys Settings app, enabling various plugins and prioritizing search results.
6 Search by category
When you enter a query in Windows search, it retrieves everything related to your search, from photos to documents. To achieve more organized and precise results, filtering by categories can be beneficial. The available categories include Apps, Documents, Web, Settings, Folder, and Photos. To filter by category, simply click on the desired category at the top after entering your search term, or type the category name followed by a colon and your query. For instance, typing web: followed by your search term will yield only web results.
5 Tweak Indexing Options
One reason users struggle to locate files is that they may not be indexed. To enhance your search experience, consider adjusting the indexing options to ensure Windows includes all relevant files. You can select specific folders and libraries to index, which can significantly speed up searches. Here’s how:
- Open the Search bar from the Taskbar and type index.
- Select Indexing Options from the results.
- In the Indexing Options window, click Advanced, then navigate to the File Types tab.
- In the Add New Extension to the List field, input the desired file extension and click Add. Confirm by clicking OK.
- Back in the main Indexing Options window, click Modify and check the boxes for the folders you wish to include in the index.
- Click OK and allow Windows to complete the indexing process.
4 Enable cloud content search
If your PC serves both work and personal purposes, you may benefit from enabling cloud content search. This feature allows Windows search to pull results from OneDrive, Outlook, and SharePoint, making it easier to find what you need across different platforms. To activate this feature:
- Open Windows search by pressing Win + S, then click the three-dot icon in the upper right corner.
- Select Turn On Cloud Search for Your Microsoft Account.
- In the Cloud Content Search section, toggle on the Microsoft Account option. If applicable, also enable the Work or School Account toggle.
3 Filter results better
Enhancing Windows search efficiency can also be achieved by utilizing filters. Within File Explorer, after entering your search term, you can refine results using the “Search options” drop-down. This feature allows filtering by criteria such as modification date, file type, or file size. For example, if you’re searching for an Excel spreadsheet related to your household budget, you could enter part of the file name, select ‘Document’ for Type, and ‘This year’ for Date modified, thus narrowing down your results.
2 Disable Bing search
The presence of Bing search results can clutter the Windows search experience. While there’s no direct option to disable these results, users can navigate through the Registry Editor to achieve this. To do so, open Registry Editor from the Start menu and navigate to:
ComputerHKEY_CURRENT_USERSOFTWAREPoliciesMicrosoftWindows
Right-click the Windows folder, hover over New, and select Key. Name the new key Explorer and press Enter. Next, right-click the Explorer key, hover over New, and select DWORD (32-bit) Value. Name it DisableSearchBoxSuggestions, double-click it to set its value to 1, and click OK. Finally, restart your PC to disable Bing Search.
1 Use Everything
For those seeking a more efficient search experience, consider using Everything, a lightweight third-party tool designed for rapid file and folder searches. Unlike Windows search, which indexes both file names and content, Everything focuses solely on file and folder names, resulting in significantly faster searches. It updates in real-time, reflecting changes immediately when files are added, deleted, or renamed. Installing and configuring Everything is straightforward, and users can explore various tips and tricks to maximize its potential.