To control which locations Everything indexes, use Tools > Options > Exclude to remove unwanted paths, and Tools > Options > Folders to add locations through folder indexing. These are different controls: adding a folder under Folders does not automatically replace native NTFS indexing. If you need a genuinely limited index on an NTFS drive, review the NTFS settings as well.
Everything’s documentation distinguishes native NTFS indexing from its slower folder-indexing feature. Use native NTFS controls for NTFS volumes when possible, and use folder indexing for network shares and other locations that are not covered by NTFS indexing.
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Decide what “only the folders you need” means
There are two different jobs people describe as “index only these folders.” Choose the one that matches your goal before changing settings.
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1Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors2Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches3Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems| Goal | Use | What changes |
|---|---|---|
| Stop Everything from indexing particular paths | Options > Exclude | Those folders and matching items are left out of the index. |
| Add a specific location, such as a network share | Options > Folders | Everything creates a folder index for the selected location. You can include or omit its subfolders. |
| Restrict indexing on an NTFS volume | NTFS options, together with exclusions where needed | Controls native NTFS indexing. The Folders list alone is not a universal allowlist. |
| Show results from one location without changing the index | Search syntax | Only the displayed results are narrowed; indexing continues as configured. |
The official Options documentation and Indexes documentation describe exclusions, NTFS indexes and folder indexes as separate configuration areas.
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Exclude folders you do not want indexed
Exclusion is the direct method when Everything is already indexing a drive and you want particular directories removed from consideration.
- Open Everything.
- Choose Tools > Options.
- Select Exclude.
- Choose Add Folder, then browse to the folder you want omitted.
- Apply the settings and allow Everything to update its index.
Repeat the process for each unrelated location you want to remove. The exclusion page also provides broad controls for hidden and system items. Enable those checkboxes when you want those classes of items omitted rather than adding directories one at a time.
Exclude patterns instead of one directory
For recurring names or file patterns, use Add Filter on the Exclude page. Enter a wildcard pattern supported by the dialog, or use a filter prefixed with regex: when a regular expression is appropriate. A pattern can be useful when several directories follow the same naming convention, but check the result carefully: a broad expression can remove more paths than intended.
Exclusions are evaluated as part of index configuration, not as a search-time preference. If a path is excluded, searching for that path will not make its contents appear in the index.
Add only selected locations with folder indexing
Folder indexing is useful for locations that native NTFS indexing does not cover, including network shares and non-NTFS filesystems. It is also a way to add a particular folder when you need explicit control over whether its descendants are scanned.
- Open Tools > Options.
- Select Folders.
- Choose Add and select the folder or share.
- For the new entry, decide whether Index subfolders should be enabled.
- Configure monitoring and update or rescan behavior to match how often that location changes.
- Apply the settings and wait for the first scan to complete.
Choose the correct depth
Leave Index subfolders enabled when the entire tree belongs in your search scope. Turn it off when you need the selected directory itself but not its child directories. This setting applies to that folder-indexed entry; it does not redefine native NTFS indexing elsewhere.
Understand the initial scan
Everything may take a few minutes to build a folder index, depending on the location and connection. Results from that folder are not available until the initial indexing operation finishes. Do not treat an empty result immediately after adding a share as proof that the configuration failed.
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On NTFS volumes, voidtools says native NTFS indexing is faster than folder indexing. If the folders you need are on an NTFS drive, prefer the NTFS controls rather than recreating the same drive through folder indexing.
Open Tools > Options and review the NTFS settings alongside your exclusions. The practical objective is to make sure only the NTFS volumes and paths you intend are contributing to the index. The Folders page configures folder-indexed locations; it should not be presented as a guaranteed replacement for the NTFS configuration.
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| Location or requirement | Preferred configuration | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| Local NTFS drive | Native NTFS options, with exclusions for unwanted paths | Documented as faster than folder indexing. |
| Network share | Folder indexing | Folder indexing is designed for locations outside native NTFS coverage. |
| Other non-NTFS filesystem | Folder indexing | Native NTFS indexing does not apply. |
| One folder but not its descendants | Folder indexing with Index subfolders disabled | Limits the folder-indexed entry’s depth. |
See the vendor’s Folder Indexing documentation for the supported folder-index behavior and its version notes. The documentation identifies relevant functionality as requiring Everything 1.5, so labels and availability can differ in other versions.
Keep folder indexes current
A folder index is not a one-time snapshot if you configure monitoring and rescans correctly. Select monitoring options for locations that change frequently. For shares or computers that are often unavailable, schedule rescans so Everything can find changes it could not observe while the location was offline.
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What happens when a location is offline
An indexed folder can remain listed even when its network share or external device is temporarily unavailable. That listing does not mean new files are being seen. Changes made while Everything cannot reach the location are detected when monitoring resumes or a scheduled or manual rescan runs.
Balance freshness and overhead
Frequent monitoring gives faster visibility of changes but can add activity on a busy share. A less frequently changing archive may be better served by scheduled rescans. Choose the update interval according to the location’s reliability and change rate rather than assuming one setting fits every folder.
Plan the scope before changing options
Write down the paths you actually need and classify each one by filesystem. For example, a local C:Projects directory may be on NTFS, while \fileserverDesign is a network share. The first belongs in the NTFS configuration with exclusions for unrelated directories; the second belongs in the Folders list. This simple inventory prevents the common mistake of treating every location as a folder-index entry.
For each path, record whether the folder itself should be searchable, whether child folders should be included, and how often content changes. A top-level share with many changing subdirectories needs different monitoring choices from a small, stable archive. Decide this before the first scan so you do not repeatedly rebuild an index with the wrong depth.
Use exclusions for broad cleanup
If an NTFS drive is already indexed and only a few areas are irrelevant, keep native indexing and add those areas to Exclude. Hidden and system-item checkboxes are useful when the unwanted content is distributed across many directories. Use an explicit folder entry when the unwanted area has a clear, stable path; use a wildcard or regex: filter only when the naming rule is consistent.
After adding a pattern, test both a path that should match and a similar path that should remain searchable. A pattern that is too broad can hide more than one project or drive. If the result is surprising, temporarily remove the filter and add narrower folder exclusions so the scope is easier to audit.
Examples of workable setups
One local project tree on an NTFS drive
Use the NTFS options for the local volume, then exclude unrelated locations such as old archives or a directory that should not be searchable. Do not add the project directory to Folders merely to make it “the only” location; the NTFS configuration still determines what else on that volume contributes to the index. Verify the project file appears and a known excluded file does not.
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A network share with selected subfolders
Open Options > Folders, add the share or the specific project directory, and leave Index subfolders enabled only if all descendants are wanted. If the share contains several unrelated trees, add each required tree separately instead of adding the entire server root. Turn on monitoring for active work areas and schedule rescans for periods when the share is normally online.
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A single directory without child directories
Add the directory as a folder-indexed entry and clear Index subfolders. This limits that entry’s depth, but check whether the same child paths are also being supplied by an NTFS index or another folder entry. If they are, change that other source or add an exclusion; changing one entry cannot remove duplicate coverage from a different index.
Verify the result methodically
Use distinctive test files rather than generic names such as “readme.” First test a file at the root of an included folder, then a file several levels below it if subfolders are enabled. Test a known file in an excluded directory and a similarly named file in an included directory. This catches both an overbroad exclusion and an accidentally disabled subfolder scan.
Check the status after applying settings. A folder can be correctly configured but still unavailable while its initial scan is running. A share can remain listed while offline yet have stale results until monitoring resumes or a rescan completes. Record the time of your test and repeat it after the first scan or scheduled rescan rather than judging during a transient state.
Performance, availability and maintenance trade-offs
Native NTFS indexing is documented as faster than folder indexing, so avoid replacing an NTFS index with a folder index solely to make the list look simpler. Folder indexing is valuable where NTFS indexing is unavailable, but its initial scan and subsequent monitoring operate through the folder location and connection. A remote share can therefore take longer to populate and can become stale when disconnected.
Monitoring and rescans are complementary. Monitoring can notice changes while the path is reachable; a scheduled or manual rescan catches changes that occurred during downtime. For a laptop that is frequently off the network, choose a rescan schedule that matches when the share is normally available. For a continuously connected share, monitoring may provide fresher results, while a less active archive may not need frequent updates.
Do not confuse indexing with search filtering
Everything’s search syntax can narrow what you see without changing what is indexed. To scope results to a location, search using the path with a trailing backslash. Folder-only views and other search filters similarly affect the result list, not the index configuration. The Searching documentation explains these result-level controls.
For example, use a location query when you need a one-off search of a project directory but still want Everything to index the rest of the drive. Use Exclude or the NTFS and Folders settings when the requirement is to stop indexing paths, reduce scanning, or avoid including sensitive or irrelevant directories in the index.
Troubleshoot common “only these folders” mistakes
Adding a folder did not remove other results
The Folders list adds a folder-indexed location; it does not automatically disable native NTFS indexing. Review the NTFS settings and add exclusions for paths that should not be indexed.
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The folder is listed but searches are empty
Check whether the initial scan has completed. Folder-indexed results are unavailable until that operation finishes. For a network location, also confirm that the share is reachable and that the account running Everything can access it.
Subfolders appear unexpectedly
Edit the folder-indexed entry and turn off Index subfolders. If the unexpected items come from an NTFS index rather than that entry, adjust the NTFS configuration or add an exclusion instead.
Changes made while a share was disconnected are missing
Monitoring cannot observe changes while the location is unreachable. Use the configured scheduled or manual rescan after the share returns, and make sure the folder’s update settings are appropriate for its downtime pattern.
A search filter did not reduce indexing activity
A path query or folder-only result view changes displayed results only. Configure the index through Exclude, Folders or the NTFS options when you need to change what Everything scans and stores.
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An option is missing from the interface
Check the installed Everything version. The folder-indexing documentation identifies the relevant functionality as requiring Everything 1.5, so an older release may not show the same controls or wording. Consult the current Options, Indexes and Folder Indexing pages for that version before changing a different setting as a substitute.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.A practical configuration pattern
- List the locations you actually need: for example, one local project directory and one network share.
- On local NTFS drives, use the NTFS settings and exclusions to remove unrelated paths.
- Add the network share under Options > Folders.
- Enable or disable Index subfolders according to whether the whole tree is wanted.
- Set monitoring and rescans for the share’s availability and change frequency.
- Apply the settings, wait for the first scan, and test representative included and excluded files.
- Use a path search with a trailing backslash for temporary result narrowing instead of changing the index.
This approach keeps native NTFS indexing where it is fastest, uses folder indexing where it is needed, and makes exclusions explicit rather than assuming that an added folder is an exclusive allowlist.
Version and documentation notes
Everything’s interface and feature availability can vary by version. The folder-indexing documentation identifies the relevant functionality as requiring Everything 1.5. If a label or option described here is absent, check the version shown by your installation and consult the current Options, Indexes and Folder Indexing pages for that release.
Frequently asked questions
Can I use the Folders page as an allowlist and index nothing else?
Not by itself. The Folders page adds folder-indexed locations; it does not automatically replace native NTFS indexing. For a limited NTFS scope, review the NTFS settings and add exclusions for paths that must be omitted.
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Usually not when native NTFS indexing is available. voidtools documents native NTFS indexing as faster. Reserve folder indexing for network shares, non-NTFS filesystems or other locations that need that mechanism.
How do I include a folder but exclude everything below it?
Add the folder under Options > Folders and disable Index subfolders for that entry. Then verify that another NTFS or folder index is not also supplying the child paths.
Why is a newly added share empty in search?
The initial folder-index scan may still be running; results are unavailable until it finishes and can take a few minutes. Also check that the share is reachable and accessible to Everything.
Will Everything notice files created while a share is offline?
No monitoring system can observe a disconnected location at the time of the change. Once the share is available, monitoring or a scheduled or manual rescan must run to detect those changes.
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Yes. On the Exclude page choose Add Filter and enter a supported wildcard, or prefix a regular expression with regex:. Test the pattern against both intended exclusions and nearby paths to avoid hiding too much.
Does searching C:Projects change what is indexed?
No. A path with a trailing backslash scopes the displayed results to that location. It does not remove other paths from the index or reduce indexing activity.
What should I check after changing settings?
Confirm the entry appears on the intended Options page, verify the subfolder choice, wait for any initial scan, and test distinctive files in included and excluded paths. For an offline share, wait for or start a rescan before deciding that results are missing.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make the Folders list an exclusive allowlist?
No. It adds folder-indexed locations but does not automatically disable native NTFS indexing. Use NTFS settings and Exclude entries to limit an NTFS volume.
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Why are my network-share results missing after setup?
Wait for the initial scan to finish, then confirm the share is reachable. Changes made while it was offline require monitoring or a scheduled/manual rescan.
How do I exclude hidden or system content everywhere?
In Tools > Options > Exclude, enable the hidden and system exclusion checkboxes. You can also add specific folders or wildcard/regex filters.
When should Index subfolders be disabled?
Disable it for a folder-indexed entry when only the selected directory should be indexed, not its descendants.
Does a path search reduce indexing?
No. A path query with a trailing backslash narrows displayed results only; indexing configuration remains unchanged.
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Use Exclude to remove unwanted paths, Folders to add network or non-NTFS locations with the desired subfolder depth, and the NTFS settings to control native indexing on NTFS drives. Wait for initial scans, plan rescans for offline shares, and use path searches only when you need temporary result filtering.
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