What Are Windows.edb and Windows.db Files

1. Windows.edb

What is this file?

The Windows.edb file is a database used by the Windows Search service. This file contains indexed data from your hard drive, allowing faster search results for files, documents, emails, and other data on your computer. When you use the search function in Windows, the operating system accesses this file to quickly provide results.

Where is the Windows.edb file located?

C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Search\Data\Applications\Windows\Windows.edb

Note: The ProgramData folder is hidden by default, so you may need to enable the option to show hidden files and folders to see it.

Why does Windows.edb take up so much space?

Windows indexing runs automatically and includes a large number of files, especially if you have many documents, images, and emails. Over time, the size of the Windows.edb file can grow significantly, especially if the system is set to index all types of files.

How to reduce the size of Windows.edb?

  • Rebuild the search index:
    1. Open "Control Panel" → "Indexing Options".
    2. Click the "Advanced" button.
    3. Select "Rebuild Index".
  • Change indexing settings:
    1. In "Indexing Options", click "Modify".
    2. Uncheck the folders you don't want to index.

Can you delete Windows.edb?

Yes, you can delete the Windows.edb file, but this will temporarily slow down the search function until the index is rebuilt. To safely delete it:

  1. Stop the Windows Search service via "Task Manager" → "Services".
  2. Delete the Windows.edb file.
  3. Restart the service.

2. Windows.db

What is this file?

The Windows.db file is less known but also related to indexing and caching in Windows. It often appears in folders containing images and other multimedia files, serving as a cache file for thumbnails.

Where is the Windows.db file located?

You can usually find Windows.db in media folders, such as: 

C:\Users\Your_Username\Pictures\

Can you delete Windows.db?

Yes, Windows.db can be safely deleted. It is a temporary cache file and does not contain critical information. After deletion, Windows will automatically recreate it the next time you browse a folder with media files.

How to disable Windows.db creation?

  1. Open "File Explorer" and go to "Folder Options" → "View" tab.
  2. Check the option "Always show icons, never thumbnails".
  3. Click "Apply".