How to improve the Windows 10 start menu search

An essential part of Windows 10 interface is the Start menu which is the main point of access to your applications. To access the start menu, you use your mouse to click on the windows icon on the lower left side of the taskbar or press the windows button on your keyboard.

The Start menu search is also located on the taskbar. To access the start menu search you use your mouse to click on the search icon next to the windows icon.

Apop-up window appears which the search box is. The search box allows a user to search for local files, applications, and settings or on the Web for anything you write. The results will be grouped according to the nearest match or matches labeled on top as Best match.

By default, searching on the search box for files located on secondary storage devices such as portable ones do not return any results. Some simple direct search queries do not return any results. Although the start menu is supposed to be the best way to search for queries on your machine, it seems to be far from the best.

If you are unsatisfied with your search results, you can improve your default settings by adding new locations to the index from your indexing option menu.

Method #1: Adding new drives to the Start menu’s search results

Step 1

If you are trying to search for files located on secondary storage, you will have to add the destination from indexing options. To find indexing options, you search it in your search box. An indexing option menu pops up.

Step 2

From the indexing menu, click on modify. Indexed locations menu appears which has a list of drives and check the box you want to include. By default, the start menu and internet history are already indexed. After reviewing the drives you wish to be indexed click on ok.

Method #2: Improving the performance of the search

For instance, the user folder contains many subfolders containing files which are also indexed. These files could congest the Start menu’s search results and reduce its performance. You can improve the performance by removing locations from the index.

Step 1

Click on the Advanced button on the indexing option menu. The advanced options menu appears. From this tab, you can add or remove file extensions that are indexed. This might help improve the speed of your search results.

Conclusion

You now know how to improve your Windows search results. Was this guide helpful? Make sure to share and leave a comment down below