Indexes

Everything maintains an index of file and folder names, paths, and optional properties for instant searching and sorting.

Choose what files and folders to index
Choose what properties to index
Database location
Database autosave

Choose what files and folders to index

By default, Everything automatically indexes all local fixed NTFS volumes.

Entire volumes, specific folders, network drives, and file lists can be added to your Everything index.

Add a volume to your Everything index

Everything uses different indexing methods depending on the drive format.

The easiest way to add a volume to your index:

In Everything, from the Tools menu, click Options.
Check if the volume is listed under the FAT, NTFS, ReFS, or Network drives tabs on the left.
If listed, select the volume and check Include in database.
Click OK.

If your volume is not listed under any of these tabs, use Folder indexing to add it manually.

Index FAT, FAT32, and exFAT volumes

External drives and flash drives often use FAT, FAT32, or exFAT file systems.

To add a FAT, FAT32, or exFAT volume to your index:

In Everything, from the Tools menu, click Options.
Select the FAT tab on the left.
Select the volume from the list.
Check Include in database.
Click OK.

Index NTFS volumes

To add an NTFS volume or change its settings:

In Everything, from the Tools menu, click Options.
Select the NTFS tab on the left.
Select the volume from the list.
Check Include in database.
Click OK.

Index ReFS volumes

To add a ReFS volume or change its settings:

In Everything, from the Tools menu, click Options.
Select the ReFS tab on the left.
Select the volume from the list.
Check Include in database.
Click OK.

Index specific folders

To index a specific folder or a drive not listed above:

In Everything, from the Tools menu, click Options.
Select the Folders tab on the left.
Click Add....
Select the folder or drive letter and click OK.
Click OK.

Index file lists

Use file lists to index offline storage such as optical discs (CDs, DVDs) or disconnected external drives.

To add a file list to your index:

In Everything, from the Tools menu, click Options.
Select the File Lists tab on the left.
Click Add....
Select your file list file (.efu) and click Open.
Click OK.

Exclude files and folders

To exclude a folder from your index:

In Everything, from the Tools menu, click Options.
Select the Exclude tab on the left.
Click Add Folder....
Select the folder to exclude and click OK.
Click OK.

To exclude specific file types:

In Everything, from the Tools menu, click Options.
Select the Exclude tab on the left.*In the Exclude files box, enter a semicolon-separated list of wildcard patterns (for example: *.tmp;thumbs.db;desktop.ini).
Click OK.

Choose what properties to index

By default, Everything indexes size and date modified information.

Index basic file information

To index basic file information such as size, date created, date modified, and attributes:

In Everything, from the Tools menu, click Options.
Click the Indexes tab on the left.
Check the desired options.
Click OK.

Index properties

To index extended properties such as media length, width, and height:

In Everything, from the Tools menu, click Options.
Click the Properties tab on the left.
...

Database location

Everything keeps its database in memory while running and saves it to disk daily and when you exit.

By default, the database is stored in:
%LOCALAPPDATA%\Everything\Everything.db
If Store settings and data in %APPDATA%\Everything is disabled, the Everything.db file is stored in the same location as your Everything.exe.

To set a custom database location:

In Everything, from the Tools menu, click Options.
Select the Indexes tab on the left.
To the right of Database location, click Browse....
Select a database location and click OK.
Click OK.

Database autosave

By default, Everything saves the database to disk everyday at 4am.
If this scheduled autosave is missed, Everything will save the database to disk the next time an Everything window is closed.

TODO: Technical/implementation specific: the autosave cannot occur if there was any mouse or keyboard input within the last 5 minutes.

Size, Dates and Attributes Indexing

Everything always indexes name and path information.
Indexing size, date and attribute information is optional.
Everything indexes file size and date modified information by default.
Everything will maintain name, path and any optional information in real-time.

File information that is indexed can be searched instantly.

Extra information that is not indexed is gathered when required.
For example, when displaying, searching or sorting.

Gathering unindexed information can be quite slow for many results.

To include extra file information in the Everything index:

In "Everything", from the Tools menu, click Options
Click the Indexes tab.
Check the desired options:

Index file size
Index folder size
Index date created
Index date modified
Index date accessed
Index attributes

Click OK.

Note: Including extra file information in the index will require more memory.
Hover over an extra file information option to see a tooltip showing the extra memory requirements.

Folder sizes

To show folder sizes in "Everything":

In "Everything", from the Tools menu, click Options
Click the Indexes tab.
Check Index folder size.
Click OK.

Fast Sorting

"Everything" maintains a "Fast sort" index for size and date modified information.

Fast sorting is persistent, that is, "Everything" will remember the sort between searches.

When sorting by file information that does not have fast sorting enabled "Everything" must gather this information from disk which can be slow.

To enable fast sorting:

In "Everything", from the Tools menu, click Options.
Click the Indexes tab.
Check the desired fast sort options:

Fast size sort
Fast date created sort
Fast date modified sort
Fast date accessed sort
Fast attribute sort
Fast path sort
Fast extension sort

Click OK.

Note: Enabling fast sort requires more memory. The corresponding extra file information must be included in the index.
Hover over a fast sort option to see a tooltip showing the extra memory requirements.

Name, Date Run, Run Count and Date Recently Changed are always fast sort enabled.

NTFS

"Everything" will automatically index all fixed NTFS volumes.

To manually index fixed NTFS volumes:

In "Everything", from the Tools menu, click Options.
Click the NTFS tab
uncheck Auto include new fixed volumes.
Click OK.

To include removable NTFS volumes in the index:

In "Everything", from the Tools menu, click Options.
Click the NTFS tab
Select the removable volume.
Check Include in database.
Click OK.

ReFS

"Everything" will automatically index all fixed ReFS volumes.

To manually index fixed ReFS volumes:

In "Everything", from the Tools menu, click Options.
Click the ReFS tab
uncheck Auto include new fixed volumes.
Click OK.

To include removable ReFS volumes in the index:

In "Everything", from the Tools menu, click Options.
Click the ReFS tab
Select the removable volume.
Check Include in database.
Click OK.

Folders

Use folder indexing to include mapped network drives, CDRoms, DVDRoms, FAT and FAT32 volumes.

For more information, see Folder indexing.

File Lists

Use file lists to index CDs, DVDs, BluRays and other offline files and folders.

For more information, see File Lists.

Exclude

"Everything" will index every file and folder, you can then exclude files from the index.

To exclude files or folders with the hidden or system attributes from the "Everything" index:

In "Everything", from the Tools menu, click Options.
Click the Exclude tab
Check Exclude hidden files and folders to exclude files and folders with the hidden attribute.
Check Exclude system files and folders to exclude files and folders with the system attribute.
Click OK.

To exclude a folder from the "Everything" index:

In "Everything", from the Tools menu, click Options.
Click the Exclude tab
Click Add Folder...
Select the folder to exclude.
Click OK.
Click OK.

To include only certain types of files in the "Everything" index:

In "Everything", from the Tools menu, click Options.
Click the Exclude tab
Type in the semicolon delimited list of wildcard filters for include only files, for example, include only mp3 and jpg files:

*.mp3;*.jpg

Click OK.

To exclude certain types of files from the "Everything" index:

In "Everything", from the Tools menu, click Options.
Click the Exclude tab
Type in the semicolon delimited list of wildcard filters for exclude files, for example, exclude thumbs.db, desktop.ini and tmp files:

thumbs.db;desktop.ini;*.tmp

Click OK.

To use regex in your exclude filters, prefix the exclude filter with regex:, for example, to exclude folders starting with A-N, set the exclude filter to:
regex:^[A-N]

Optimizing for smallest memory foot print

To reduce the memory requirements for "Everything":

In "Everything", from the Tools menu, click Options.
Click the Indexes tab
Uncheck Index recent changes.
Uncheck Index file size.
Uncheck Index folder size.
Uncheck Index date created.
Uncheck Index date modified.
Uncheck Index date accessed.
Uncheck Index attributes.
Uncheck Fast path sort.
Uncheck Fast extension sort.
Click OK.

Recover filenames from an Everything.db

To recover a list of filenames from a Everything.db:

Please make sure you have a backup of your Everything.db.
Download db2efu.zip.
Open db2efu.zip and run db2efu.exe
Select your Everything.db file.
Choose a filename to store the list of filenames.
This file list file can be opened with "Everything", notepad or Excel.

Force rebuild

To force "Everything" to rebuild its indexes:

In "Everything", from the Tools menu, click Options.
Click the Indexes tab
Click Force Rebuild.
Click OK.

Keep offline NTFS volumes in the index

To keep offline NTFS volumes in your Everything index:

In "Everything", from the Tools menu, click Options.
Click the NTFS tab
Uncheck Automatically remove offline volumes.
Click OK.

To manually remove an offline volume:

In "Everything", from the Tools menu, click Options.
Click the NTFS tab
Select the offline NTFS volume and click Remove.
Click OK.

Fast reindexing

"Everything" must perform a reindex when a new volume is added to the index or an existing volume is removed from the index.
When a reindex occurs with "Everything" 1.3 and earlier, all volumes must be completely rescanned, even if they have not changed.
"Everything" 1.4 can quickly reindex by reusing the existing up-to-date indexes.

Limitations

While all NTFS/ReFS hard links are indexed, changes made to a hard link will only update the first hard link entry in "Everything".
"Everything" does not follow junctions with NTFS/ReFS indexing.

Pausing file system monitors

To pause NTFS monitors, ReFS monitors, folder monitors and file list monitors:

In "Everything", type in the following search and press ENTER:

To resume NTFS monitors, ReFS monitors, folder monitors and file list monitors:

In "Everything", type in the following search and press ENTER:

Monitors will remain paused until they are resumed.