Après avoir lu cet article de XDA , j'ai voulu savoir ce que pesait vraiment l'index de recherche sur mon Windows 11 tout neuf. En vrai pas grand chose... A peine quelques Mo. Puis j'ai déposé un dossier de travail assez gros dedans, et l'index a grossi comme prévu... mais ensuite quand j'ai supprimé ce dossier, l'index lui n'a jamais remaigri.
Cette base de données, c'est elle qui répond quand vous tapez trois lettres dans le menu Démarrer pour avoir des suggestions d'app et de fichiers. Tout est contenu dans le fichier Windows.db sous Windows 11 et Windows.edb sous Windows 10, et malheureusement, ce fichier peut grossir jusqu'à devenir problématique.
Windows 11 propose 2 périmètres. Le mode Classique, celui qui est actif si vous n'avez rien touché, et qui s'occupe de vos dossiers Documents, Images et Musique, plus le Bureau. Et le mode "Amélioré", qui lui, parcourt l'ensemble du PC.
Ça peut se régler dans les paramètres :
Le mode Classique est celui d'origine : Documents, Images, Musique et le Bureau.
Mais ce qui est mal expliqué dans la doc de Microsoft, c'est que Windows n'indexe pas QUE les noms de fichiers. Et oui, quand les fichiers contiennent du texte, leur contenu est également indexé, ce qui vous permet de rechercher par mots-clés présents dans le contenu du fichier.
Et comme le périmètre est défini par un emplacement et jamais par un volume, tout ce qui atterrit dans Documents entre dans l'index. Que ce soit vos 3 lettres de motivation ou un dossier projet contenant 40 000 fichiers... Windows ne fait pas la différence.
3 profils sont donc aux premières loges : ceux qui ont basculé sur le mode Amélioré, ceux dont le dossier Documents pointe en réalité vers leur OneDrive ou un autre dossier synchronisé, et ceux qui rangent leurs projets ou leurs machines virtuelles dans Documents.
Si vous n'êtes dans aucun des trois, la suite vous dira en trente secondes que tout va bien, vous verrez ^^
Le nombre d'éléments dans cet index se lit sans aucun droit particulier. Suffit d'aller dans Paramètres, puis Confidentialité et sécurité, puis Rechercher. Le compteur "Indexé" est en haut de la page, et c'est aussi là que se trouve le choix du périmètre.
La taille du fichier, elle, demande une console administrateur. Ouvrez donc PowerShell en tant qu'administrateur et collez :
Connexion[math]::Round((Get-Item "$env:ProgramData\Microsoft\Search\Data\Applications\Windows\Windows.db" -Force).Length / 1MB, 2)
Vous obtiendrez alors un nombre en mégaoctets. Mais pour savoir s'il est réellement gros, c'est le compteur d'éléments qui fait la différence, plus que le poids. Je m'explique...
Microsoft donne des repères dans sa doc. Moins de 30 000 éléments c'est OK chez un utilisateur ordinaire. Pour un gros utilisateur, rien de choquant de monter jusqu'à 300 000 éléments. Par contre, au-delà de 400 000, des problèmes de performances peuvent commencer à apparaître. Et si vous vous demandez jusqu'où vous pouvez aller, sachez que le plafond technique est à un million d'éléments, après quoi l'indexeur se plantera comme une merde ou fera grimper le processeur, la mémoire et le disque dans les nuages.
La même commande sans les droits administrateur répond "Accès refusé".
J'ai monté une petite expérience pour l'occasion dans une machine virtuelle Windows 11 Pro 25H2, avec quatre cœurs et 8 Go. Départ à 462 éléments et 6,71 Mo. J'y ai déposé ensuite 3 000 fichiers texte, soit 15,94 Mo de contenu, et j'ai regardé l'index monter à 3 466 éléments pour 18,66 Mo. La base pèse donc presque aussi lourd que les fichiers qu'elle vient d'avaler !! C'est du texte brut partout, ce qui est le pire cas possible pour elle puisqu'il faut en indexer le contenu.
Ensuite j'ai supprimé les 3 000 fichiers et le compteur d'éléments est bien redescendu à 465, celui du départ, mais Windows.db lui, était toujours à 16,81 Mo. Alors que mes 465 éléments tenaient dans 6,71 Mo une heure plus tôt.... Bref, l'index a libéré ses entrées, mais pas son espace, la place étant réservée pour la prochaine fois...
Alors pour reprendre la main sur son espace disque, le bon geste, c'est l'exclusion ciblée. Allez dans Paramètres, Confidentialité et sécurité, Rechercher, puis "Ajouter un dossier exclu".
Les cibles qui valent le coup sont celles qui changent sans arrêt ou qui ne pèsent rien dans une recherche. Je pense aux dossiers de dépendances d'un projet, aux dossiers de compilation, aux caches, aux disques de machines virtuelles, au .git, aux bibliothèques de jeux et j'en passe...
Vous saurez ainsi tout de suite si ça a marché. Remontez en haut de la même page de réglages et regardez le compteur "Indexé". Il devrait diminuer du nombre de fichiers que contenait le dossier, sans que vous ayez rien d'autre à faire.
En revanche, n'excluez pas Documents ou le Bureau d'un seul bloc, et ne coupez surtout pas le service. En effet, ce bon vieux menu Démarrer ne cherche que dans l'index et Outlook classique s'appuie aussi dessus pour retrouver vos mails. Un dossier exclu devient invisible à la recherche et, ce serait dommage de ne plus pouvoir retrouver un mail, par exemple.
Le second truc à faire, c'est la reconstruction, car c'est elle qui récupère l'espace. Ouvrez les Options d'indexation avancées depuis la même page de réglages, cliquez sur Avancé, puis sur Reconstruire dans la section Dépannage. Windows prévient alors que les résultats seront incomplets pendant l'opération, mais on s'en fout, et c'est normal puisqu'il repart de zéro !! Microsoft conseille d'ailleurs de laisser l'indexeur travailler jusqu'à 24 heures, alors ne lancez pas ça cinq minutes avant d'avoir besoin de retrouver un fichier.
Le bouton Reconstruire est planqué sous Dépannage, dans les Options avancées.
Sur ma machine, l'index gonflé à 16,81 Mo est ainsi redescendu à 1 Mo, pour exactement les mêmes 465 éléments. Quatre minutes de reconstruction plus tard, et le fichier ne pesait plus que six pour cent de sa taille d'avant. Une fois que c'est fait, vous pouvez relancer la commande PowerShell. Si le chiffre n'a pas bougé d'un poil, c'est que votre index était déjà à sa taille utile, et dans ce cas, bon courage, ça veut dire que votre problème d'espace disque est ailleurs.
Source : XDA Developers
Microsoft just announced a Windows and Surface event for October 7, 2026. The event will be held in San Francisco and will focus on "how local AI will shape the next chapter of the PC." It will start at 10 AM PT / 1 PM ET.
Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella will be at the event, as will Surface chief Pavan Davuluri. NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang will also be there, so we can expect to see RTX Spark discussed on stage.
RTX Spark is NVIDIA's new superchip. It powers the Surface Laptop Ultra and Surface RTX Spark Dev Box. Microsoft already announced those devices but has not shared key details yet, including pricing and availability. The event in October could be a chance to share more about the devices and the RTX Spark in general.
Microsoft is also expected to highlight improvements to Windows 11. The tech giant is deep into its Windows K2 initiative that aims to reduce pain points in the operating system and smooth the overall experience. We've seen some early wins from that initiative, such as the option to resize and move the Taskbar on Windows 11.
But Microsoft still has a long way to go before Windows 11 is redeemed in the eyes of many. Windows updates often ship with bugs and the operating system still has mismatching UI elements. Fixing Windows 11 is a large project that will take time, and Microsoft would be wise to show what it's already done to improve the OS and point to what's on the way.
While Microsoft could always surprise us with more hardware announcements, its quote about "how local AI will shape the next chapter of the PC" aligns well with devices we already know are on the way. The Surface Laptop Ultra and Surface RTX Spark Dev Box are designed to run AI locally.
Based solely on that quote, we could see Microsoft discuss Project Zenith at the event. That's the codename of a new class of devices aimed at developers that want to build apps and local AI experiences.
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Microsoft is having a bit of a rough September when it comes to bugs. Another issue has been discovered in Windows 11. This time, it's Excel's copy and paste feature that's been broken by an OS update.
That bug was discovered shortly after Microsoft confirmed issues with Hyper-V Linux folder shares, Remote Desktop, and USB audio. Those have since been fixed through an out-of-band update, but the Excel bug has not been fixed yet.
Here's what's wrong, according to Microsoft:
"In Microsoft Excel 2024, 2021, 2019, and 2016, the paste operation might fail silently. Although users try to paste content, the source remains selected and the destination is unmodified. When this issue occurs, users receive no indication of the failure, such as a beep or error message. Microsoft is researching the issue and will post more information in this article when the information becomes available."
The September Patch Tuesday update has almost 1,000 security fixes, so it is important to install it on PCs. But it may be worth holding off a bit if your workflow would be hindered by lingering bugs.
I don't want to come across as a doomsayer. The sky is not falling because copy and paste in Excel is broken. But it's frustrating to see bugs creep into Windows 11 updates.
Microsoft is aware of negative feelings many users have toward Windows 11. The company has a Windows K2 initiative that aims to reduce pain points and improve the overall Windows 11 experience. Part of that initiative centers around improving Windows updates.
On paper, Microsoft is trying to reduce how many updates people need to install each month. But I've had to install several Windows 11 updates just in September, including the out-of-band update that fixed the audio issue.
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Windows 11 just received an out-of-band update that addresses several issues with the operating system. The September Patch Tuesday update includes almost 1,000 security fixes and other improvements, but it also had bugs that broke folder shares in Hyper-V-based Linux virtual machines, Remote Desktop Services, and certain audio devices.
Microsoft released the out-of-band update shortly after the issues were confirmed. It should download automatically in the background if you're running Windows 11 versions 26H1, 25H2, or 24H2. You can also grab the update through the Microsoft Update Catalog.
For the sake of clarity, Microsoft refers to these types of updates as out-of-band updates, but many people refer to them as emergency updates because installing them is urgent enough to ship the fixes immediately.
Here's a quick summary of the fixes, as outlined by Microsoft:
"Microsoft has identified issues that affect some devices after installing the September 2026 Windows security update, released September 8, 2026. On affected devices, host folder shares might be unavailable in Hyper-V-based Linux virtual machines, Remote Desktop Services might stop responding, which can prevent new sessions from being created and can prevent local and remote sign-in, and some USB Audio Class 1.0 devices might fail in multichannel audio modes."
Out-of-band updates have been released more in 2026 than in previous years. Some bugs in Windows 11 have required multiple patches.
When we publish a piece on Windows Central about a Windows 11 update, it's normal to see comments asking what the update will break. When there are inevitably issues with Windows 11, people ask "what do you expect" or something along those lines.
Obviously, if Microsoft finds issues, it needs to patch them. Emergency updates should be used when needed. My question is: why are they needed more frequently this year?
The situation is so bad that people celebrated the option to pause Windows 11 updates forever.
Microsoft is in the middle of an initiative to improve Windows 11 and reduce pain points in the operating system. But no one will care if they can move the Taskbar to the top of the screen or customize the Start menu if their speakers don't work.
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Jusqu'à présent, personne ne l'avait remarqué, mais sur l'écran d'installation de Windows 11 Home, celui qui vous réclame un compte Microsoft avant de vous laisser aller plus loin, il y a un tout petit lien "Learn more" planqué au milieu d'un paragraphe. Personne ne clique jamais dessus mais Bob Pony, lui, l'a fait et magie-magie, Windows l'a propulsé directement sur la création d'un compte local.
Sur la page qui s'ouvre, on vous demande alors le nom de celui qui va utiliser cet ordi, puis derrière, c'est un mot de passe, trois questions de sécurité, et hop vous voilà sur le bureau avec votre compte local ! C'est top non ? Plus besoin de vous prendre la tête avec une invite de commandes, ou des clés de base de registre !
Plusieurs sites ont fait le test, moi je n'ai pas encore eu le temps, mais apparemment ça fonctionne très bien sur la version Home de Windows 11 mais je ne sais pas pour la version Pro.
Faut dire que ça fait un an que Microsoft ferme les autres portes du compte local. La clé de registre BypassNRO, puis la commande ms-cxh:localonly
dont je vous parlais l'automne dernier
, ont été rebouchées les unes après les autres dans les préversions, avec à chaque fois la même explication foireuse : Ces bidouilles laissaient soi-disant des gens sortir du process d'installation avec une machine qui n'était pas entièrement configurée. Sauf que ce lien qui mène exactement au même compte local, lui, bah visiblement il a échappé à Microsoft... lol.
Un truc à savoir quand même avant de choisir le compte local, et c'est Microsoft qui le dit : le chiffrement de l'appareil ne s'activera pas tout seul. Quand vous ouvrez la session avec un compte Microsoft, il boote et la clé de récupération va se loger dans ce compte alors qu'avec un compte local, il reste inactif. Ça peut bien sûr se régler en allant dans les Paramètres, Confidentialité et sécurité, Chiffrement de l'appareil, mais faut y penser avant le jour où votre portable partira sous le bras de quelqu'un d'autre pendant que vous tapez votre meilleure sieste dans le TGV...
Alors maintenant, combien de temps tiendra cette astuce ?
Aucune idée, mais on espère tous que Microsoft laissera ça tranquille. Et si le lien a disparu quand vous lirez ces lignes, sachez qu'il reste des chemins qui passent par le média d'installation notamment via Rufus, que je vous ai déjà présenté . Suffit de cocher une case et hop, ça vous fera une clé USB qui ne réclamera aucun compte.
Voilà, si vous avez une machine à installer ce week-end, c'est donc le bon moment de tester cette astuce !
Source : les tests de Windows Latest et de PC Gamer , et XDA pour la méthode Rufus.
The latest Windows 11 update gives you plenty of reasons to upgrade, including hundreds of security fixes. But it also includes some bugs that range from frustrating to workflow-breaking.
Microsoft recently confirmed that a bug in Windows security update KB5124008 can cause some audio devices to fail. Affected systems will see one or more of the following issues:
I believe my PC was affected by this bug. After installing the most recent Patch Tuesday updates, my external USB speakers stopped working, and Windows automatically defaulted my audio output back to my docked laptop's built-in speakers.
The problems only affect USB Audio Class 1.0 devices. Just about any operating system or platform that supports USB audio works with USB Audio Class 1.0. That class was the first standard for audio devices and shipped in 1998. There are USB microphones, headsets, speakers, and many other devices that fall into the category.
Because some modern platforms (most notably gaming consoles like the PS5 and Nintendo Switch) do not support newer standards, headsets and other peripherals are often made to be USB Audio Class 1.0 devices so they work everywhere.
The bug affects Windows 11 versions 26H1, 25H2, and 24H2. Microsoft has confirmed the issue but has not released a fix at this time.
You may be able to workaround the bug by switching to 2-channel mode, but that is not a permanent fix. You can also uninstall the KB5124008 update, though it may be better to just wait for an official fix or to find a workaround.
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Microsoft is testing automatic Light and Dark Mode switching in Windows 11, with scheduling based on sunrise, sunset, fixed times, or PC activity.
The post Microsoft May Soon Fix Windows 11’s Obvious Dark Mode Automation Gap appeared first on TechRepublic.
Apple and Google charge more than $1,000 for two very different flagship strategies. Here’s where iPhone 18 Pro and Pixel 11 Pro earn their premium.
The post iPhone 18 Pro vs Pixel 11 Pro: Which $1,000+ Flagship Is Better? appeared first on TechRepublic.
Move over iPhone Duo announcement, the real news is here. Windows 11 will soon feature a few more emojis. Microsoft recently shipped Windows 11 Builds 26100.9539 and 26200.9539 to Insiders in the Release Preview Channel. Among other changes, the update adds support for Emoji 17.0.
Since these are Release Preview builds, many of the included changes have already been seen during earlier Insider testing.
Several changes have been made to File Explorer that should make for a smoother experience. Home within File Explorer now preserves the state of sections, so the next time you open the app things will be expanded or collapsed as before. Thumbnail previews for cloud files should appear more consistently as well following this update.
Emoji lovers will be happy to hear that Emoji 17.0 support comes with this build of Windows 11. Emoji 17.0 adds the distorted face, fight cloud, and hairy creature (Bigfoot) emojis.
Microsoft continues on its recent push to create more widgets. These Insider builds add a Tips widget that provides guidance about Windows features. Microsoft recently announced a battery widget that's in the works as well.
Another welcome change is the update to remap the Copilot key to function as the Right Control key or Context Menu key. Copilot already has a keyboard shortcut (Alt + Space) for those who want to use it, so having a dedicated key for a niche tool felt a bit like overkill.
Microsoft detailed the changes that are gradually rolling out.
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This refurbished HP ProBook x360 flips into tablet or tent mode and keeps working professionals connected.
The post Get a Touchscreen Business Laptop for $149.99 Right Now appeared first on TechRepublic.
What happens when a Porsche 911 stops worrying about staying low to the ground? Tangent Design Group has an answer. Lift it three inches, widen its stance, add chunky off-road tires, and turn one of Stuttgart’s most recognizable sports cars into something that looks ready to escape the city rather than attack a racetrack. Built in Chicago, the Urban Safari 911 is an unusual exercise in rethinking what a modern Porsche can be.
The project began in 2019, when the Chicago-based industrial design studio decided to build a Porsche without the constraints of a conventional client brief. Tangent eventually started with a 2021 Porsche 911 Carrera 4, chosen for its all-wheel-drive platform. Finished in Porsche’s Paint-to-Sample Black Olive with a tan interior, the car already had a distinctive character before the transformation began.
Designer: Tangent Design Group
Tangent approached it like a product-development exercise. The original 992 was digitally scanned, including its bumpers, fenders, wheel wells, rocker panels, and rear engine cover. That data became the foundation for developing new components that could properly integrate with the factory body and its increasingly complex electronics. Full-scale parts were then 3D-printed and physically fitted to the car to refine proportions and attachment points before final production.
The most significant change sits underneath the body. Tangent developed a bespoke three-inch lift system while retaining the Porsche’s stock suspension architecture and avoiding software errors. The additional clearance makes room for larger off-road tires and fundamentally changes the stance of the 911. On a truck, three inches might be unremarkable; on a low-slung sports car, it transforms the proportions completely. Something similar to what Vagabund Moto did in collaboration with NINE ELEVEN OUTLAW and DakarGarage to transform a Porsche 924 S into an off-road-worthy ride.
The wheels received the same level of attention. Tangent designed them in-house and worked with Brixton Forged to produce bespoke forged aluminum wheels. Full-scale printed versions were used during development to judge how the design sat against the widened body before the final wheels were manufactured. Visually, the Urban Safari combines wide fender extensions, revised rocker panels, a custom front bull bar and a pronounced ducktail-style rear wing. Auxiliary lighting and roof-mounted adventure equipment reinforce its rally-inspired character, while the graphics package borrows from historic Porsche rally liveries without simply recreating one.
That distinction is important. Tangent’s project predates Porsche’s factory 911 Dakar, having been conceived in 2019, but it draws from the same broader history of Porsche competition cars built for surfaces far removed from a racetrack. Instead of copying a classic rally car or dressing the 992 in retro cues, Tangent has created something that feels contemporary and purpose-built.
The result is currently a one-off, but Tangent is accepting inquiries about the Urban Safari kit, leaving open the possibility that its design language could eventually find its way onto other 992-generation cars.
The post This Porsche 911 was lifted and rebuilt into a Chicago-ready urban safari car first appeared on Yanko Design.
Windows 11 now includes new family safety features that can reduce how much adult content children are exposed to or able to view. Microsoft has a pair of blog posts on the topic, one that focuses on consumer-facing features and another that covers how APIs and Microsoft accounts are used to make the Windows experience safer.
The first change Microsoft highlighted is not a new feature, but a speed boost to an existing one. Granting parental approval is now faster than before, which allows parents and guardians to quickly approve things like additional screen time, access to specific apps, and purchases.
Speed is important when it comes to family safety. Occasionally children run into blocks when trying to access content that is required for homework or that is otherwise age-appropriate. Delayed approvals leave children sitting around and can cause frustration for kids and parents.
Microsoft has also made it easier for parents to keep track of web activity, app activity, and spending. Managing family groups has been improved as well, including options that make it simpler to add or remove members.
Some people complain about Microsoft accounts being a requirement to use certain services. Microsoft has budged a bit in this area. For example, it's now possible to sign in to Microsoft Edge with a Google account.
But managing family safety settings relies heavily on a Microsoft account, as explained by the company:
"At Microsoft, we believe safety should be easier for families to understand and easier for developers to build into experiences for children to use. On Windows, that starts with the account. Microsoft account is a trusted foundation through which Windows brings age-appropriate protections and parental choices into more of the digital experiences encountered by children and teens every day."
Setting up accounts for children is a requirement to set parental controls for individuals. Microsoft accounts also allow Windows to know if a user is a child, teen, or adult.
Microsoft has introduced a new API to extend age awareness beyond the OS and across the entire Windows ecosystem. The Windows Age APIs can verify a user's age and then send that verification to an app without sharing personal information. It's a bit like Windows Hello but for age verification.
The new Windows Age APIs are available now to Windows Insiders and should ship to all Windows users soon.
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