Can't search for a word inside a file in File Explorer
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Christina D
5
Reputation points
If I search for a word in file explorer, the search is not finding the word in file contents, only file names. How do I search file contents?
Windows for home | Windows 11 | Files, folders, and storage
{count} votes
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Viorel 126.7K Reputation points2026-02-26T19:00:33.0533333+00:00 In what type of files (Publisher, Word, Excel, PDF, images)?
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Christina D 5 Reputation points
2026-02-26T19:26:01.9033333+00:00 all file types - no content will index. I just found a suggestion on google to right click on OneDrive and set it to "Always keep on this device". Trying that now.
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Christina D 5 Reputation points
2026-02-26T20:38:11.8+00:00 That was the problem. Not sure why that isn't the default. Why would you never want your files local? So, right click on your One Drive in File Explorer and select always keep on this device is the answer.
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MUSTAFA SALAH 200 Reputation points2026-02-27T21:07:13.5833333+00:00 Hello Christina, This isn't the default as it will took storage space from your physical SSD/HDD and Your OneDrive may reach to +1TB of data and you might not need every file to be saved locally. OneDrive automatically, download offline copy whenever you open that files.
Additionally,
- you may turn on Indexing Content from (File Explorer Options)
- Check your Indexing Options
Finally, you don't need indexing on your machine as it will take much power/processing and may affect the performance.
Since you are using OneDrive > Open OneDrive Online Version (Web) > and search from there "it's faster / efficient"
- you may turn on Indexing Content from (File Explorer Options)
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Christina D 5 Reputation points
2026-02-27T21:24:58.8666667+00:00 Searching online is completely impractical for road warriors and other travelers.
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