Windows 11 Indexing is paused

Ok well I went to the Local Group Policy Editor and under Computer Configuration/Administrative Templates/Windows Components/Search I enabled the Disable Indexer Backoff, started over with rebuilding, and it's back to normal. I didn't touch the thing about Microsoft Outlook or the battery like the person earlier mentioned.

Hi BW. I'm Greg, 10 years awarded Windows MVP, specializing in Installation, Performance, Troubleshooting and Activation, here to help you.

Try this fix first:

1. Go to the main search icon on the Start bar and type SERVICES, and then select the SERVICES app.
2. Within the SERVICES app window, in the right pane, scroll down until you find the service named "WINDOWS SEARCH." Right mouse click on it and select RESTART SERVICE.
3. A warning window will display letting you know that restarting this service will also stop and restart a WINDOWS MEDIA PLAYER NETWORK SEARCH service, and will give you the option to click OK or CANCEL. Click OK.
4. That should do it... if you return to the INDEX OPTIONS window, the PAUSE INDEXING button will no longer be grayed out and indexing will have resumed. Hope that helps~!

Source: https://www.reddit.com/r/WindowsHelp/comments/q...

If that doesn't fix it try Search troubleshooter at Settings > System > Troubleshoot > Additional Troubleshooters.

More in this Microsoft Search troubleshooting document:

https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/troubleshoot/w...

Feel free to ask back any questions. Based on the results you post back I may have other suggestions if necessary.

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Thank you Greg that was a good fix. I appreciate you

Hi Greg ,

I tried both the solutions given by you ..But unfortunately both of them have not worked out for me.

I am not happy with Windows 11 at all .. Its been almost 1 year I am trying to get a solution but my bad luck , Not getting the breakthrough

I will be very glad if you can provide me a solution

Thanks

Amit

I restarted the Windows Search service.

When I went back to Indexing Options, yes, indeed the message no longer read "Indexing Paused."

Instead, it BRIEFLY stated that the indexing was slow due to user activity.

Then it restarted automatically the indexing, and the "Indexing Paused" message returned.

The indexing process is extremely slow - still.

It took me 3 1/2 days to index (without file content) my internal hard drive and my external drive, about 370,000 files.

Now, at least, I can search and find the files I need on my external drive. What a relief. But, I was told by Microsoft Tech Support that indexing should take only 2 to 3 hours! So totally NOT TRUE.

Now I've gone back to reindex my hard drive (having unplugged my external drive) so that I can index both filenames and file contents. Again, it's very slow.

I've changed my power settings to NEVER SLEEP and have had my computer plugged in 24 hours a day.

After the 3 1/2 days to index filenames on both drives, I wonder how long it will take to index names and contents on my internal (c:) hard drive only?

Just wondering whether I'll have to run through this exercise every month or two. I scan a lot of old family photos, so there are many tens of thousands of .jpg files in many directories on my external hard drive. To do what I need, I simply must be able to find those files by name. I can't keep them all on my internal hard drive.

Any recommendations for hints to speed things up? I'm really disappointed with Windows 11.

This workaround has worked for me for the past year:

1. Bring up the “Edit group policy” control panel by typing ‘group’ in the search bar.
2. Enable 'Disable indexer backoff':

3. Disable 'Prevent indexing Microsoft Office Outlook':

4. Disable 'Prevent indexing when running on battery power to conserve energy'':

For me, I believe all three were necessary to work around this problem.