Update the search index for project items

As you create maps and layouts and add items to your project, ArcGIS Pro automatically updates the project's searchable index. However, if items are created or deleted in a database by someone else working on a different project, or if new data becomes available in a shared network folder, the project's search index may not reflect the current state of those locations.

Different options are available to update the index. Specific folders and databases can be reindexed as needed. However, scheduling periodic updates to the index can help when folders and databases have content that frequently changes.

Refresh a folder, database, or toolbox in your project

If you browsed to a folder, database, or toolbox some time ago and since then an operation has updated its contents, you can refresh the contents list to bring it up to date. For example, if you copied items into a folder using Windows Explorer, those items do not automatically appear in the contents list. Refreshing the list updates the contents listed in the Catalog pane, catalog view, or browse dialog box. Also, when indexing is enabled, the folder, database, or toolbox is completely reindexed; existing information in the index for this item and all its contents is removed and information about the item and its contents is added to the index again.

If the project's items haven't been indexed before, refreshing a folder, database, or toolbox creates an index and starts indexing all items in the project.

Learn about refreshing a location's content

Re-create item thumbnails in the index

When a folder or file geodatabase is refreshed, thumbnails are regenerated for items with spatial data. If an item's metadata contains a thumbnail, the existing thumbnail is included in the index. New thumbnails are created for items with spatial data that do not have a thumbnail in their metadata if the option to Generate thumbnails when a connection is refreshed is checked. These new thumbnails are only stored in the index; metadata isn't created for the items.

Thumbnails are not updated when you browse a folder or file geodatabase.

1. Open the Options dialog box.
   • If a project is currently open, click the Project tab and click Options.
   • Start ArcGIS Pro and click Settings at the bottom of the start page.

   The Options dialog box appears.

2. Click the Indexing tab.
3. If you want thumbnails to be created automatically, check Generate thumbnails when a connection is refreshed.

Schedule index updates

There are two types of scheduled index updates: incremental updates and reindexing. Incremental updates complete quickly. They check for the following situations:

• New items have been added to a location, such as a folder, that was previously indexed.
• Items have been deleted or moved from an indexed location, or an item in an indexed location has been renamed.
• A project item that was previously indexed has been removed from the project.

For example, someone may have added a raster dataset to a network share you're using, or you may have saved an email attachment to your project's home folder. Alternatively, you may have deleted a shapefile in a folder under a folder connection, or you may have removed a database from your project. Also, you may have renamed an item after it has been indexed. If an item is renamed, the index entry for the old name is deleted and a new entry is added.

Reindexing involves deleting the existing indexed content and indexing items currently stored in the selected location from scratch. Reindexing is periodically necessary to account for items that have been deleted from a folder, database, or toolbox. This can take a while when many items must be indexed. Generally, reindexing should occur during off-peak hours.

Both types of scheduled index updates support all projects you use on a computer. The index is updated to reflect the current status of all items associated with all projects currently stored on a computer.

A Windows scheduled task is created on the local computer to automatically update the index at regular intervals. This task runs even when ArcGIS Pro is not running. If the task is scheduled to run at a time after you have left work when you are signed out, the task can only run successfully if it has your credentials. Otherwise, the scheduled task doesn't have permission to access your project items on a local or network computer. If the scheduled task can't run, deleted items are never removed from the search index and your search results will be inaccurate.

Update the index when you are signed out

By default, the Windows scheduled task used to update the ArcGIS Pro search index only runs when you are signed in to your computer. Automatic updates occur hourly and reindexing is scheduled for noon. Automatic updates occur successfully during the day but do not run during the evening if you sign out of your computer when you leave. If you lock your computer when you leave for lunch, reindexing runs successfully because you are still signed in. If you sign out of your computer at lunch time, reindexing does not occur. When reindexing occurs during the lunch hour, the process may still be running when you return. Searching for project items doesn't return any results at first. When a portion of the indexing process is finished, searches produce incomplete results. Complete results are available when indexing is entirely finished.

To successfully update and rebuild the search index during the evening, choose the option to update the search index when you are signed out and provide the operating system with your credentials. By default, automatic updates occur hourly and reindexing is scheduled for midnight. The index is rebuilt and updated overnight and ready to use in the morning when you return to work. If you work on many different projects and access network shares that contain a large number of items, you may want to schedule reindexing to occur earlier in the evening.

Reindexing should occur at a time that makes the most sense for your work schedule and a specific computer. If your laptop is generally turned off in the evening or doesn't have access to enterprise resources because it is disconnected from the network, it doesn't make sense to schedule reindexing for midnight on that computer. If you use ArcGIS Pro on that computer most of the day, try scheduling updates during your lunch hour or during a meeting that occurs regularly.

1. Open the Options dialog box.
   • If a project is currently open, click the Project tab and click Options.
   • Start ArcGIS Pro and click Settings at the bottom of the start page.

   The Options dialog box appears.

2. Click the Indexing tab.
3. Check Update the index periodically.
4. Under A scheduled task will automatically update the index, click the Update even if you are signed out of the computer option.
5. Provide the credentials you use to sign in to your computer in the Windows system dialog box that appears, and click OK or press Enter. For example, type the password associated with your Windows login.
6. Click OK on the Options dialog box.

   Your credentials are associated with the scheduled task in the operating system. ArcGIS Pro does not store or use these credentials. The next time a scheduled index update occurs, the operation will succeed even if you have signed out of the computer.

Schedule when incremental updates occur

By default, the ArcGIS Pro search index is incrementally updated every hour to include new items that have been added to locations associated with your projects.

1. Open the Options dialog box.
   • If a project is currently open, click the Project tab and click Options.
   • Start ArcGIS Pro and click Settings at the bottom of the start page.

   The Options dialog box appears.

2. Click the Indexing tab.
3. Check Update the index periodically.
4. Check Update items in the index every.
5. Type a whole number greater than or equal to 1 into the Hour(s) text box to indicate how many hours will elapse before previously indexed projects and locations are checked to see if new items must be added to the index.
6. Click OK.

   The Windows scheduled task is updated to incrementally update the index after the specified number of hours have elapsed. If the index was last updated at 1:30 p.m., the current time is 2:00 p.m., and the new reindexing interval is every three hours, the next incremental update will occur at approximately 4:30 p.m.

Schedule when items are reindexed

By default, the ArcGIS Pro search index reindexes every 24 hours at either noon or midnight depending on the selected option under A scheduled task will automatically update the index.

You can change how often reindexing occurs, and at what time of day it will begin. Specify the number of days that should elapse before reindexing occurs again, and at what time it should begin on the following day. For example, if the items stored in the databases you use are fairly stable, it may be sufficient to reindex once a week. Individual folders and databases can be reindexed manually as needed by refreshing their contents.

Reindexing may not occur exactly at the specified time. The scheduled task runs at the specified update interval. When the task runs close to the scheduled time for reindexing, the index is re-created instead of updated.

1. Open the Options dialog box.
   • If a project is currently open, click the Project tab and click Options.
   • Start ArcGIS Pro and click Settings at the bottom of the start page.

   The Options dialog box appears.

2. Click the Indexing tab.
3. Check Update the index periodically.
4. Check Reindex all items from scratch every.
5. Type a whole number from 1 to 366 into the Day(s) text box to indicate how many days will elapse before projects and their items will be reindexed.
6. Specify the approximate time when reindexing will start by clicking the time component you want to change and typing the appropriate value.
7. Click OK.

   The ArcGIS Pro indexing configuration file is updated to reflect how many days should elapse between reindexing events, and at what time reindexing should occur.

   If the current time is 2:00 p.m. and the new reindexing interval is every ten days at 10:00 p.m., the index will be rebuilt today at approximately 10:00 p.m. The next day at 10:00 p.m. marks the first day of the interval. During the interval, the index is updated incrementally as specified. After ten interval days have passed, on the eleventh day near 10:00 p.m., all items associated with all projects will be reindexed. If the closest incremental update is scheduled to occur a few minutes before or after 10:00 p.m., that is when the index is re-created.