FIX: Microsoft Windows Search Indexer high CPU usage

Matthew Adams
by Matthew Adams
Windows & Software Expert
Matthew is a freelancer who has produced a variety of articles on various topics related to technology. His main focus is the Windows OS and all the things surrounding it. He is passionate about... Read more
Updated:
Posted: January 2020
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  • Search Indexer high CPU usage can drastically impact your PC’s performance.
  • To fix this issue, it’s advised to restart the associated services from the Services window.
  • You can also fix the high CPU usage by adjusting the indexing settings.
  • The best method to fix Searchindexer.exe high CPU usage is to use specialized repair software.
search indexer high CPU
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The Windows Search service is one that indexes files for the Windows search tool. That service is the SearchIndexer.exe or Windows Search Indexer process listed on Task Manager‘s Processes tab.

However, some users have found that the Search Indexer process can hog a lot of system resources with high CPU and RAM usage.

This is how you can reduce the Search Indexer’s high CPU utilization.

How can I fix searchindexer.exe high CPU usage

1. Use a third-party repair software

If you’re having issues with Search Indexer high CPU usage, you should be able to fix it using Restoro. This is a specialized repair software that can fix a wide array of PC issues automatically.

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Restoro can fix a wide array of Windows errors, missing DLL files, BSOD errors, freezes, crashes, and most importantly high CPU usage, so be sure to check it out.

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2. Restart the Windows Search Service

  1. Restarting the Windows Search service might reduce the Search Indexer’s CPU usage. You can do that by pressing the Win key + R hotkey and entering services.msc in Run’s text box.
  2. Press Run’s OK button to open the Services window.
  3. Scroll down to Windows Search.
  4. Double-click Windows Search to open its configuration settings shown directly below.
     windows search properties search indexer high CPU
  5. Select Disabled from the Startup type menu.
  6. Press the Stop button.
  7. Press the Apply and OK buttons.
  8. Restart the Windows OS.
  9. Thereafter, open the Windows Search service window again.
  10. Select Automatic (Delayed Start) from the Startup type drop-down menu.
  11. Click the Start option, and press the Apply and OK buttons to restart Windows Search.

After restarting the services, the problem with searchindexer.exe high CPU usage should be resolved.

3. Reduce the Amount of Indexed Data

  1. To open Indexing Options, press the Cortana taskbar button.
  2. Enter indexing in the search box. Then click Indexing Options to open the window shown directly below.
     
  3. Press the Modify button to open the Indexed Locations window.
  4. Click the arrow beside the C: drive to expand its folders. Now you can deselect some of the check boxes to remove indexed locations.
  5. Press the OK button on the Indexed Locations window.
  6. Click Close on the Indexing Options window.

Reducing the amount of data the Search Indexer is indexing is one of the best ways to fix Windows Desktop Search support high CPU usage.

4. Rebuild the Index

  1. Open Indexing Options as outlined above.
  2. Click the Modify button, and deselect all the selected locations except the C: drive as shown below.
    indexed location search indexer high CPU 
  3. Click OK to return to the Indexing Options window.
  4. Press the Advanced button to open the tab shown directly below.
  5. Press the Rebuild button on the Index Settings tab.
    advanced options window search indexer high CPU
  6. That will open the dialog box shown directly below. Press the OK button to confirm and rebuild the index.

Users reported that rebuilding the index fixed the searchindexer.exe high CPU usage, so we encourage you to try that.

Check our guide to learn how to use indexing in Windows 10 like a real expert!

5. Switch the Search Indexer off

  1. Enter the keyword ‘windows features’ in the Control Panel’s search box.
  2. Click Turn windows features on or off to open the window directly below.
    windows features searchindexer.exe high cpu
  3. Deselect the Windows Search check box.
  4. Press the OK button to confirm the new settings.
  5. Reboot your desktop or laptop.

This might be a more drastic resolution, but it will help with Windows Desktop Search Support high CPU issues.

If you need a replacement for Windows Search after switching it off, there are plenty of alternative third-party search utilities.

For example, you can install the freeware Agent Ransack, Copernic Desktop Search Lite or UltraSearch. Agent Ransack is highly rated search software that has a Lite and Pro version.

Press the Download button on this website page to add the Lite version to Windows 10, 8 or 7.

This software guide provides further details about some of the third-party search utilities for Win 10.

So that’s how you can cut the Windows Search’s CPU and RAM usage down to size. That will free up system resources for other software and might also speed up the Windows OS a little.

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