Show Want to hide the contents of a folder from the search results on Windows 11? Some folders can bog down your search with bad results. If so, add that folder to the excluded folders list in Settings. Here’s how. By default, Windows 11 searches for items in your Documents, Pictures, Music, and Desktop folders. When you hide a folder from the search results, Windows 11 stops looking into that folder to find content. RELATED: How to Use Windows' Advanced Search Features: Everything You Need to Know To start hiding a folder in the search results, first, open the Settings app on your Windows 11 PC. Press Windows+i to quickly do this. In Settings, from the left sidebar, select “Privacy & Security.”  On the “Privacy & Security” page, in the “Windows Permissions” section, click “Searching Windows.” On the “Searching Windows” page, the “Exclude Folders From Enhanced Search” section displays the folders that are hidden from the search results. To add your folder here, click “Add an Excluded Folder.” You will see a “Select Folder” window. In this window, choose the folder you want to hide in the search results. The path of your selected folder will appear in the “Exclude Folders From Enhanced Search” section. This confirms your folder is now hidden from the search results. To unhide your hidden folder, then next to your folder in the “Exclude Folders From Enhanced Search” section, click the three dots and choose “Remove.” And that’s how you keep certain folders from being shown in Windows 11’s search results. Very useful for privacy-focused users! You can also hide a folder entirely so it’s not visible in File Explorer, too. RELATED: How to Hide Files and Folders on Every Operating System READ NEXT
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Open File Explorer from the taskbar. Select View > Show > Hidden items.
Need more help?Thank you for your feedback!× How do I hide files from search results?Hide files and folders with File Explorer. Open File Explorer.. Go to the file or folder to hide.. Right-click the file or folder to hide and select Properties (Alt + Enter keyboard shortcut). On the General tab, under Attributes, check the Hidden option.. Click Apply when you are finished.. How do I hide files in Windows 11 search?Press Win + I to open Windows Settings.. Select Privacy & Security from the left pane and click on Searching Windows on the right side of the window.. Head over to the Exclude folders from the enhanced search section.. Select the Add an excluded folder button.. How do I hide files and folders from search results in Windows 7?Open File Explorer (any folder) and navigate to Folder Options. ... . Within Folder Options switch to the View tab.. Under Files and Folders find the option Hidden files and folders and select Don't show hidden files, folders, or drives.. Click OK.. How do I hide folders on Mac search?How to hide folders on Mac using Terminal. Click on Finder.. From the left panel, select Applications.. Scroll down until you see Utilities. ... . Double-click on Terminal.. Type in the following line: chflags hidden.. Create a new folder on your desktop. ... . Drag-and-drop the folder onto the Terminal window.. |
