Two Ways to Change Search Index Location on Windows

An index location is a location where data is stored in a format that a search engine can retrieve. The default location of the index lives in C:\ProgramData\Microsoft. In this post from NewsPivot, we will show you how to change search index location on Windows 10.

About the Search Index Location

An index is a data structure used to quickly locate and retrieve data. Setting unordered data as an array query and establishing an index table to associate the data with the corresponding storage location are Its basic principles, thereby speeding up the query. Changing the search index location means adjusting the structure and location of the index to adapt to new query patterns and data distribution based on data updates and changes in query requirements.

Read more: What’s the Windows 10/11 Game Location? Here’re Answers

Why Should You Change Search Index Location

Some users may ask why it is necessary to change search index location and what benefits changing the search index location can bring. The reasons and benefits are as follows:

• Firstly, index location adjustment can improve query efficiency. It can better match the current query mode and reduce some unnecessary full table scans by re-adjusting the location and structure of the index.‌ This can save query time significantly. ‌
• Secondly, index location adjustment helps optimize database performance. It makes the database better handle complicated query requests, reduces database load, and improves overall performance.
• In addition, index location adjustment is to adapt to data changes. As data grows and changes, changing the index file location can ensure that the index is consistent with the data, avoid index failure or obsolescence, and maintain the consistency and integrity of the database.
• Lastly, index location adjustment can also speed up data sorting and aggregation operations, ‌constrain data integrity by creating unique indexes, and accelerate join operations in multi-table join queries.

‌These functions make indexes an indispensable part of the database, ‌especially when handling large amounts of data and making frequent queries, ‌the role of indexes will be more significant.

In the following part, we will explain how to change search index location in multiple methods. Read on to get detailed instructions.

How to Change Search Index Location

Method 1: Change Search Index Location in Indexing Options

With Indexing Options, you can change indexing settings, change the way files are indexed, change which file types can be indexed, and more. Here you can see how to it in Indexing Options:

Step 1. Open the Control Panel and click on the Indexing Options icon.

Step 2. Click on the Advanced button. 

Step 3. Click on the Select new button.

Step 4. Browse to and select the new location you want for the index data files, and click on OK. 

Step 5. Click on OK in the advanced options interface.

Step 6. Close the Indexing Options interface.

Method 2: Change Search Index Location in Registry Editor

Registry Editor is an important tool in Windows systems. It allows you to change system configuration information, application settings, hardware driver information, etc. Here are the steps:

Step 1. Press the Win + R keys to open the Run dialog, input regedit, and click on OK to open Registry Editor.

Step 2. If a UAC prompt appears, click on Yes.

Step 3. Navigate to the following location in Registry Editor.

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows Search

Step 4. In the Windows Search folder, double-click on the DataDirectory string value in the right panel to modify it.

Step 5. If you do not have a DataDirectory, you need to create one by right-clicking in the blank area on the right and selecting New > String Value; If you have one, then you can skip this step.

Step 6. Input the full path of the location where you want to store the index, add \Search\Data\ to the end of this path, and click on OK.

Step 7. Close Registry Editor.

Step 8. Press the Win + R keys to open the Run Dialog. Then input services.msc in the text box and press Enter.

Step 9. Scroll down to find the Windows Search service, and then double-click on it.

Step 10. Click on the Stop/Start button, and wait until the service status shows as stopped/running. If you stopped the service, click Start again to restart it.

Step 11. When finished, click on OK, and close the Services window.

See Also: How to Fix the Tab Key Not Working in Command Prompt in Windows

Bottom Line

This article explains some reasons and benefits of why you should change search index location and it also lists two specific methods of changing search index location. If your computer has insufficient memory or poor performance, you can choose one way to change the location according to your preferences to save your computer space, improve query efficiency, and improve search performance.