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Hello,
How can I get Windows Search to search my OneDrive files and folders, including file contents?
I have just purchased a new Windows 11 laptop and noticed that Windows Search does not search my One drive files!
My OneDrive folder location is C:\Users\bikhod_\OneDrive but when I look in the Windows search Indexing options location, OneDrive is missing - first image. As the second image shows, OneDrive is definitely a folder on my machine.
![](data:image/svg+xml, %3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' height='64' class='font-weight-bold' style='font: 600 30.11764705882353px "SegoeUI", Arial' width='64'%3E%3Ccircle fill='hsl(6.4, 43%, 10%)' cx='32' cy='32' r='32' /%3E%3Ctext x='50%25' y='55%25' dominant-baseline='middle' text-anchor='middle' fill='%23FFF' %3EPP%3C/text%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Merci pour votre question.
J'ai exactelment le meme probleme car mes repertoires OneDrive sont sur une partition D:
Impossible de m'assurer de l'indexation de ces localisations, car non disponibles dans les options de l'indexaqtion...
Franchement c'est fou !
merci pour vos bonnes suggestions, j'ai hate ;-)
Philippe
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Ensure that OneDrive is included in the Indexing Options. To do this, go to Settings > Search > Searching Windows. Under "Find My Files," select "Enhanced" to ensure all your files are indexed.
Hi Bikhod, open the OneDrive app and you can perform your search from there.
It will be located in your system tray.
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Hi David,
I am having the same problem.
Problem 1: the work around you gave doesn't seem to work completely for me. I open the app. I search for something like "checklist". I know I have 10 files that have the work "checklist" in their title. Yes the search only brings up 5 documents.
Problem 2: I don't quite understand how we need to use a workaround like using the app. If I can't use the online version, then I am not seeing the point of onedrive in the first place.
[I hope that the above does not sound snarky, I am just really perplexed.]
Thanks, Tracey
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I used to find OneDrive folders that were 'synced' to my local machine simply by typing the folder name in Start menu search.
This no longer works reliably... and fails to find more often than it finds.
The search results will sometimes find it on the sharepoint and give me the option to open it in a browser, but it doesn't seem to know there is local synced copy.
I'm not interested in a workaround. I'm wondering if anyone knows of a fix.
I think I've discovered the problem in my variation of the "OneDrive stuff not being found" issue. In my current version of Windows 11, there is a tab in the Start menu search called 'Folders." ... and quite a few other tabs also. I'm guessing some algorithm takes you to the search results it thinks you're most likely to want.
In my case, the result is that the Folders tab is not even visible on the screen. You have to hit a little right arrow to see more tabs and click Folders, and there it is.
Maybe after I do it a dozen times, it will show up in searches by default.
This is not an optimal user experience. It needs options to prioritize certain things. In my case I only need files and folders (which should be combined), apps, settings. Option to hide the rest would be great. (Will have to see if there is a feature request somewhere I can upvote)
Hi David,
The approach you outlined above worked and I was able to successfully search my OneDrive content using File Explorer on my Windows 11 laptop - thank you. However, I am still confused.
On my work Windows 10 laptop, I also have (work) OneDrive and I am able to search the laptop's local partitions, work network drives and OneDrive without having to open OneDrive. Do you know why that is the case please?
![](data:image/svg+xml, %3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' height='64' class='font-weight-bold' style='font: 600 30.11764705882353px "SegoeUI", Arial' width='64'%3E%3Ccircle fill='hsl(83.2, 86%, 18%)' cx='32' cy='32' r='32' /%3E%3Ctext x='50%25' y='55%25' dominant-baseline='middle' text-anchor='middle' fill='%23FFF' %3EAM%3C/text%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Thank you for the workaround. Is it designed this way? Really Windows Search in Windows 11 is unable to search local content when it is placed in a OneDrive folder?
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i have same problem. Any solution ?
Hey guys.
did you check if "cloud search" was enable?
I hope this help you..
Regards
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This seems to be leading in the right direction. My Cloud Content Search options are turned off, however they are also not changeable ("grayed out"). At the top of Search permissions is a warning "Some of these settings are managed by your organization". I'm an individual, not affiliated with any organization.
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How did you reach the index search? I can't find a similar menu, i tried to search for in the start bar...
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On a new PC (Win11). For my PC, the Cloud content search/Microsoft account setting is ON, but OneDrives (both personal and business) do not show up in 'indexed locations'. In Win10 the OneDrive files needed full local sync for local indexing to work, but this does not help now.