In this guide, we will show you two methods to hide files and folders from Search on your Windows 11 PC. There exist two different methods that the system uses for searching for your files- Classic and Enhanced. In the classic one, it only searches Desktop, Documents, Pictures, and Music folders. On the other hand, the Enhanced tends to search your entire PC [which not only would require more time but could also consume additional CPU resources as well].
However, in some cases [whether for personal or professional reasons], you might want not want certain files and folders to appear in the search result. Fortunately, the OS has given us the option to exclude certain folders from the search results. And in this guide, we will show you two different methods through which you could carry out this task. So without further ado, let’s check them out.
How to Hide Files and Folders from Classic Search in Windows 11
- Launch Settings via Windows+I and go to Privacy & Security.
- Then go to Searching Windows > Advanced Indexing Options.
- Now click on Modify. Then click on Show All Locations button.
- Then uncheck folders and/or subfolders that you want to hide.
How to Hide Files and Folders from Enhanced Search in Windows 11
- Launch Settings via Windows+I and go to Privacy & Security.
- Then go to Searching Windows and click Add an excluded folder.
- Now select the folder of your choice and click on Select Folder.
That’s it. These were the two different methods to hide files and folders from Search on your Windows 11 PC. If you have any queries concerning the aforementioned steps, do let us know in the comments. We will get back to you with a solution at the earliest.
