Windows 10 includes an essential feature called the Windows Search indexer, which helps speed up searches by indexing all the contents stored on your device. This includes metadata, text, filenames, and extensions. However, the indexing process can sometimes lead to performance issues, prompting many users to disable the feature entirely. To address this, Microsoft introduced a new algorithm in Windows 10 version 2004 (May 2020 Update) that respects device power modes to reduce resource usage and extend battery life.
Introduction
The Windows Search indexer enhances search performance by creating a special database of your files. However, continuous indexing can cause high disk or processor usage, impacting overall system performance. To mitigate this, the “Respect Device Power Mode Settings” option can be enabled to adjust indexing activities based on the device’s power conditions, improving performance and battery life.
Steps to Enable the Power Option for Windows Search Indexer
Step 01: Open Settings
Press the Windows key + I to open the Settings app on your Windows 10 computer.
Step 02: Navigate to Search Settings
Click on “Search” from the list of options.
Step 03: Access Searching Windows Settings
Click on “Searching Windows” under the Search settings.
Step 04: Enable Respect Device Power Mode Settings
Under the “Indexer Performance” section, turn on the “Respect Device Power Mode Settings” option.
Conclusion
By following these steps, you can enable the power option for the Windows Search indexer on your Windows 10 device. This will help reduce resource usage and improve battery life by adjusting indexing activities based on the device’s power mode.
Additional Information
- Performance Trade-offs: Enabling this option helps balance performance and power consumption by reducing indexing activities during specific conditions, such as when the device is in power-saving mode, low power mode, or gaming mode, or when CPU usage exceeds 80% or disk usage goes above 70%.
- Reverting Changes: If you need the indexer to operate without these restrictions, you can turn off the “Respect Device Power Mode Settings” option by following the same steps.
- Enhanced Search Performance: While this feature helps in power management, it also ensures that your searches remain efficient without causing significant performance degradation.
Enabling this power option is a simple yet effective way to optimize the performance of your Windows 10 device, especially during high resource usage scenarios.
