Windows 10: Cannot search for files in user's OneDrive folder

There are some files I use a lot in my OneDrive folder, and for easier use, I use the Windows Search. It worked for a while, but stopped working randomly, possibly after an update installed. Whenever I try enabling the OneDrive folder in search indexing, the folder does not show up image provided below. I tried rebuilding the search index, however that did not work.

:)

 

Windows 10 search is not searching for file contents in OneDrive folder

Hi,



Thank you for writing to Microsoft Community Forums.



We understand your concern as Windows 10 search is not searching for file contents in OneDrive folder.



In this scenario, we would suggest you to perform these steps and check Windows 10 search is able to search the file in OneDrive folder.

1. Press Windows + I key to launch
   Windows Settings.
   
2. Select Cortana and click
   Permissions & History from the left pane.
   
3. Toggle the Windows Cloud Search switch to
   On, which present under Cloud Search.
   
4. Restart the page and then initiate Windows Search.

However, we do have a dedicated support team for OneDrive related queries, you can get in touch with them for further assistance. Follow the below steps to contact the OneDrive support team.



Sign in to OneDrive.com from any browser, click the ‘?’ help icon on the top banner of the page and select
Email OneDrive support. Submit your question and follow the prompts to request support.



Regards,



Aditya Roy

Microsoft Community – Moderator

 

OneDrive and user file folders

In Windows 10, I put my user file folders (My Documents, My Music, etc.) into my OneDrive folder. But this seemed to confuse the OneDrive app, as well as Windows. I guess I should have known better than do do this with system folders, rather than just those
system folders’ subfolders.

Anyway, upon rebooting, the system user file folders reappeared of their own accord in their original, default locations. So evidentally that makes the folders I moved into OneDrive just ‘copies’ that are no longer system folders.

And now it seems the files in my ‘copied’ user file folders often get replicated in, or moved into, the newly-reappeared system user file folders. (And no, I’m sure I didn’t simply accidentally misfile them there.) And I’m pretty sure this is causing OneDrive
to make backup errors, because now it sometimes asks if I’m sure I want some files removed that I don’t want removed, and that I never tried to remove.

I researched how to move Windows user file folders elsewhere, but none of the instructions I’ve found seem to pertain to my OneDrive problem.

I suppose I could fix this problem by creating a OneDrive folder in each of My Documents, My Music My Pictures and My Videos, and then put my ‘copied’ user file folders into the OneDrive folders, but this seems unduly messy. Also, I don’t know if it could
cause problems to do this with the other user file folders (Desktop, Favorites, etc.).

So, how do I fix this so that Windows and OneDrive are happy, and my data is still backed up in the cloud?

BTW, is this a complete list of default user file subfolders in a user file folder? So far, I haven’t been able to find such a list.

My Documents

Music

Pictures

Videos

Desktop

Downloads

Scans

Favorites

Links

3D Objects

Thanks for any help anyone can give.

 

Windows Search Not Working in OneDrive Folder

For about two weeks now, my Windows Search has not been working properly in my OneDrive folder, where I keep the vast majority of all my files. A small number of files appear instantly; most, not at all, even though I know they're there.

Steps I have taken to attempt to fix the issue, in no particular order, and none with any lasting effect:

• Run Windows Search Troubleshooter as an Admin. Each time, I repair the problem; sometimes, it appears to return to functionality, but that functionality is only temporary. Within a day, it's back to being broken.
• Reset Windows Search using the instructions found
  here. It had no discernible effect.
• OneDrive Settings
  • Turn off OneDrive's "Files On-Demand" feature. I use my OneDrive as a backup, so I want all my files on my local device, too. I've heard that this can sometimes be the root of OneDrive search problems.
  • Turn off "Read-only (Only applies to files in folder)" in the OneDrive folder's properties. (As well as check "Allow files in this folder to have contents indexed in addition to file properties" in "Advanced Attributes.") I heard that this might be part
    of the issue, and perhaps turning that attribute off has helped, but I've done it twice and
    it always turns itself back on.
• Indexing
  • Make sure that OneDrive is selected as a folder to be indexed: it is.
  • Rebuild the index. It says that the indexing was complete after only 13,000 items, but I know that in my OneDrive folder I have 428,000 files and 24,000 folders -- nearly a terabyte.
  • EDIT: While the "Users" folder, which included the OneDrive folder, was checked as a location to be indexed, I unchecked and rechecked it and the computer began indexing more files.
  • EDIT 2: I also repeated a step above (turning off OneDrive's "Read-only" attribute" and started rebuilding the index. It said that indexing was complete at around 35,000 items.
• Windows Update: Checked to see whether a Windows Update was to blame. Verdict: perhaps, but I don't know how to judge. The problem started manifesting at least by August 6; somehow, I was able to conduct a successful search on August 8.
  On July 22, a "Cumulative Update for .NET Framework 3.5 and 4.8" was installed; another was installed on August 13; and one just for Windows 10 was installed on 8/14.

Information on computer and OS (I don't know what all is relevant):

• Dell XPS 8900
• Windows 10 Home, Version 2004, installed on June 29, 2020 (64-bit)
• OS Build: 19041.450
• Windows Feature Experience Pack 120.2212.31.0

This problem has been exceptionally frustrating, as it kneecaps my ability to use my computer at all -- I need to memorize where things are and what they're named in order to find them.

Anyone have any idea what might be going wrong and how I might fix it?