Windows 11 Windows Search not searching or Indexing PDFs

Anonymous
2022-03-08T18:08:05+00:00

Brand new Dell XPS laptop with Windows 11. It will not search text within PDF files. From looking on the internet seems like there are lots of problems Windows Search in Windows 11 which did not exist in Windows 10. Including not searching/indexing contents of PDF files, which is critical for me.

Has ANYONE been able to search within PDF files on Windows 11?

Please don't suggest re-indexing, have done 6 or 7 times. And, yes indexing settings are set to index contents of PDF files.

Windows for home | Windows 11 | Files, folders, and storage

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Anonymous
2022-12-29T09:22:06+00:00

PDF Indexing is working on Windows 11 (even with the standard PDF indexer), however, you can only search for file contents via File Explorer and not via Search / Taskbar Search.

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  1. Anonymous
    2022-05-12T18:13:25+00:00

    Sadly, this string is like almost every other inquiry about a computer problem that I've seen (or submitted), whether reported to Microsoft, Adobe, or most other software companies. They are SOOOOO FRUSTRATING! If someone in any way associated with the company responds AT ALL, they INVARIABLY "misunderstand" the question, no matter how clearly it was originally stated. One has to wonder if they are TRULY misunderstanding the question, or if it is willful. (Wear down the requestor and hopefully they'll give up.) It seems to take 5-10 "back and forth" exchanges before the actual question is finally "understood," and even then, there is rarely a satisfactory answer.

    This exchange could have been so simple: "Question: Hey, I've set all the settings correctly so that Windows 11 should be indexing the CONTENTS of PDFs, as well as the filenames. However, it's still not working for PDF file CONTENTS. Is there something wrong with Windows 11 that's causing that?" Answer: Yes, there is a bug in Windows 11 preventing Windows Search from indexing the contents of PDF files, no matter how you have Windows configured. We're aware of the problem and working on a fix. The fix will be available in version XYZ." That's how these exchanges SHOULD go! Waiting to see one like that...

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  2. Anonymous
    2022-05-12T22:37:00+00:00

    I upgraded last week and have just discovered this problem. More than just annoying.

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  3. Anonymous
    2022-05-12T22:58:40+00:00

    WAIT!!! SORRY!!! Searching pdf files IS working for me. I was searching an external hard drive with pdf files on it. I searched my local hard drive and the search worked. I suppose that if I index the external drive then the search will work there as well.

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  4. Anonymous
    2022-06-02T05:29:13+00:00

    CyclesPerSecond, is this still working for you? You are not on a beta build?

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