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How to search all contents of a folder in Windows 11? I'm able to find folders within the folders, but not files.

Anonymous
2024-11-16T13:57:54+00:00

Hi! Searching in Windows 11 Explorer looks pretty tricky and unpredictable to me. I would love to take control, fully understand what the box is doing, and be able to check that what I'm getting is what I expect to get. At least, initially, with the contents of just one folder.

My workflow involves boxes running many different OSes, with a Windows 11 desktop used as a utility knife to receive and edit data and files in many formats and store them in several external systems. During that process, many files are locally stored in only one folder. Let's call it /Downloads.

I'm trying to index and make the contents (Index Properties and File Contents) of the /Downloads folder searchable in real-time, and I'm failing comically at that objective. I can survive without the rest of my desktop's contents getting indexed. Likewise, I can quickly find the applications I need to start. Lately, online Outlook has improved to the extent that it is almost enough to manage all my email communications.

But I need to be able to search in all the folders and files in /Downloads. Whatever I do, I'm not able to find any file there. So far, I'm able to find folders. Only folders by name.

How can I set up Search to be sure I'm able to file all contents of that folder, please?

Thanks for any insight!

Windows for home | Windows 11 | Files, folders, and storage

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  1. Anonymous
    2024-11-17T09:30:49+00:00

    Hi Ricardo Julio Rodríguez Fernández.

    Welcome to Microsoft Community.

    In your description, it seems that the files inside one of your folders named “/Dowmloads” are not fully searchable.

    I do understand the frustration and inconvenience of not being able to search for the files you need with complete accuracy through Search at this time.

    You can try to make some adjustments to your search settings by following the steps below

    Re-index

    1 Search for “Indexing Options” in the taskbar.

    2 Open it and click the Advanced button below.

    3 Try to search and re-index

    Then go back to the previous page, on the Indexing Options page, click the Modify button, and in the Change selected locations window, try to change your “/Downloads” folder to the one that is already checked.

    Then please right-click on the Start button, select Settings, then Privacy & security, scroll down and find Searching Windows, click on it and try to set Search and Find Mode to Enhanced.

    Please try the above steps and then provide me with the results.

    If the problem persists, I will provide you with further assistance in terms of system fixes.

    Thank you for your understanding and support.

    Best regards,

    Zev - MSFT | Microsoft Community Support Specialist

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  1. Anonymous
    2024-11-24T22:26:15+00:00

    Why I see this answer twice, please? Thanks!

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  2. Anonymous
    2024-11-24T22:25:24+00:00

    Thanks! See my reply to Zev.L, please!

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  3. Anonymous
    2024-11-24T22:24:31+00:00

    Hi! Thanks for your answer.

    I'm not able to understand what is going on here. See the attached screenshot below, please.

    Privacy & security show 53 files indexed. /Downloads contents 24. In the indexed locations window, I also see a first checked line starting with csc://...

    What is this line starting with csc://...? Why is it checked? Why the system list 53 files indexed if /Downloads contains only 24?

    Thanks for any insight!

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  4. Les Ferch 10,331 Reputation points Volunteer Moderator
    2024-11-18T04:18:04+00:00

    Is the folder in question actually being indexed? You can adjust which folders are indexed using the Indexing Options Control Panel item.

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