Search indexing is a background process that continuously scans files, emails, and other content on your device to build a database, enabling faster results when you use the search function. This scanning consumes system resources like CPU power, memory, and disk activity. Disabling indexing stops this process entirely. While search indexing typically operates at low priority to minimize impact, completely turning it off means searches become slower but background resource usage ceases.

This practice is sometimes applied on older systems struggling with performance or specific work computers prioritizing tasks like number crunching or large file transfers. It's also relevant for power users configuring specialized servers or virtual machines where local file searches are infrequent. Disabling is done through system settings on Windows (e.g., Services menu), macOS (Spotlight settings), or by excluding drives.

Disabling indexing can yield measurable performance gains on resource-constrained systems, particularly for disk-intensive tasks, and can recover significant disk space on systems with limited storage. However, the significant drawback is drastically slower file searches – simple searches may take minutes instead of seconds. It's generally not recommended for standard user PCs or laptops. Modern operating systems and cloud-based search increasingly handle indexing efficiently, reducing the need for such drastic measures while preserving search usability.