How should we troubleshoot network-share search instead of trusting AI guesses?
A user could apparently search a file share from an older Windows 11 computer, but the same search no longer works on a newly issued laptop. The team…
Windows Search
Is an iOS 27 Mail Reindexing Causing Outlook and Windows Search to Hang?
After upgrading an iPhone that has a large work Microsoft 365 mailbox configured, the device displayed the expected mail reindexing message. Shortly afterward, Outlook on my Windows laptop…
Windows 11 Search Pane Stays Blank for Several Minutes After Startup
After starting my Windows 11 Home PC, the Search box accepts typing and seems to find results, but the results pane remains completely blank for the first few…
Why Is Windows Using Most of My RAM When No Programs Are Open?
After some recent Windows updates, my computer has started using nearly all of its memory even when I have no applications open. Task Manager shows processes such as…
Windows Search Opens as a Black Window After BIOS and Chipset Updates
After a crash in Ghost Recon Wildlands caused some media-related problems, I updated my BIOS and chipset drivers. Most things are working normally, but Windows Search now behaves…
Windows Search Opens to a Black Window After BIOS and Chipset Updates
After a crash in Ghost Recon Wildlands caused some media-related problems, I updated my BIOS and chipset drivers as suggested. Since then, Windows Search has started behaving strangely.…
Why Does Windows Start Search Turn Black and Lag Before Showing Results?
When I open the Start menu and type an app name such as "calculator," the menu briefly turns black and remains that way for a few seconds before…
Windows 11 menus and taskbar pop-ups open briefly, then close immediately
Over the past day, Windows 11 has started behaving strangely after startup. The desktop appears normally, but Windows interface elements close as soon as I try to use…
How can I script custom Windows Search exclusions?
I want to add my own exclusions to Windows Search programmatically, preferably with PowerShell or another script. The older Indexing Options interface lets applications register file extensions such…
How can I script custom exclusions for Windows Search indexing?
I'm trying to automate Windows Search indexing exclusions. The older indexing interface can recognize file extensions registered by applications, while the newer Settings page lets users exclude folders…
Are These Files Safe to Delete?
I found a lot of these files when using my search bar and I'm not sure what they are or if it's safe to delete them. Are they…
Why Can't Windows Search Find Results in Two Specific Server Folders?
I'm having a frustrating issue with Windows Search that several users are experiencing. They can't find any search results from two particular folders when searching from their parent…
Why Do I Have Multiple cmd.exe Entries in Windows Search?
I recently noticed that when I search for 'cmd' in Windows, I'm seeing multiple entries for Command Prompt, and I'm a bit confused about this. Here are the…
Fixing Windows Search Service that Gets Stuck on Startup
I'm facing an annoying issue where the Windows Search service gets stuck in the 'starting' state on a couple of machines at work, usually about once a week.…