The Windows.edbis database on Windows 10 houses the indexing material for the Windows Search function, which speeds up file, email, and other content search results.
Even though it’s a necessary system file (found in%ProgramData%\Microsoft\Search\Data\Applications\Windows), when you save more files on your device, it may eventually get quite big. Additionally, the size of Windows will be affected if you use an email program like Outlook and Search is set up to index a PST file.When an edb database grows to be hundreds of gigabytes in size, it can render the system unworkable and prevent you from storing any more files.
There are at least two ways to minimize the size of the Windows Search database if you find that the ProgramData is excessively large or if you have previously determined that the Windows.edb is the cause of your computer’s space issues.
When the Windows.edb database file has gotten so big that you are running out of space and your Windows 10 machine is no longer functional, this post will show you how to delete it and make it smaller.
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Delete Windows.edb file on Windows 10
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Reduce Windows.edb file size on Windows 10
Delete Windows.edb file on Windows 10
Use these procedures to remove and recreate the Windows.edb file:
Windows 10’s OpenSettings.
Press the “Search” button.
Select “Searching Windows.”
Select the option for Advanced Search Indexer Settings.
Select the “Advanced” option.
Click the Rebuild button in the Troubleshooting section to remove the Windows.edb file.
Press the “OK” button.
From the Indexing Options, select the “Modify” button.
The Microsoft Outlook option should be cleared.
Press the “OK” button.
Press the “Close” button.
The ProgramData folder and Windows.edb file will revert to their original size after the procedures are finished, and the Windows.edb file will be erased and replaced with a new, smaller version to index the Windows Search database file.
Reduce Windows.edb file size on Windows 10
As an alternative, you can defragment the Windows.edb to make it smaller if you don’t want to rebuild the index database on Windows 10.
Use these procedures to defragment the Windows.edb database in order to decrease its size on Windows 10:
LaunchStart.
Look up “Command Prompt,” then right-click on the first result and choose “Run as administrator.”
To stop Windows Search from launching automatically, use the following command and hit Enter:
To terminate the search service, type the following command and hit Enter:
To reduce the size of the Windows.edb file, use the following command and hit Enter:
To pause Windows Search at startup, use the following command and hit Enter:
To launch the Windows 10 search service, use the following command and hit Enter:
Following the procedures, the Windows.edb file should shrink in size, freeing up a significant amount of hard drive space and enabling your device to function once more.
It’s also advised to limit the quantity of emails that clients download if you use the Outlook app but don’t have many files in order to keep the database from expanding too rapidly.