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Are You Desperate for a Fix to the Frustratingly Slow Server Search in Windows 11?
A crucial security update for Windows 11 may be causing major problems for users. The November 2025 update, known as KB5068861, appears to significantly slow down searches on file servers. This issue makes finding files on a network a slow and frustrating process for those on Windows 11 versions 24H2 and 25H2. The problem was first noticed in an optional preview update (KB5067036) in October 2025 before becoming more widespread with the mandatory security update.
How the Update Breaks Search
The core of the issue is how your computer looks for files after the update. Normally, when you search a file server, your computer uses the server’s powerful index to get results almost instantly. However, this update seems to prevent that from happening. Instead of using the server’s index, your own computer tries to do all the work, causing search results to appear one by one very slowly. For large servers with terabytes of files, this slowdown makes the search feature almost unusable.
The Security Dilemma
Because KB5068861 is a security update, it presents a difficult choice. On one hand, the update is essential for protecting your computer from security threats. On the other hand, it introduces a bug that can severely impact productivity, especially in a business environment. Uninstalling a security update is not recommended because it leaves your system vulnerable.
What You Can Do Now
While there is no official fix from Microsoft yet, you have a few options to consider.
- Uninstall the Update: The only confirmed way to restore search speed is to remove the KB5068861 update. This is a temporary solution and carries security risks, so it should be done with caution.
- Pause Windows Updates: If you choose to uninstall the update, you should also pause future updates for a short time. This will prevent Windows from automatically reinstalling the problematic update.
- Report the Issue: You can report the problem to Microsoft using the Feedback Hub app in Windows. The more users report an issue, the faster it is likely to be acknowledged and fixed.
- Try General Troubleshooting: Some users suggest generic solutions like rebuilding the Windows Search index or running the search troubleshooter. While these steps can sometimes help with general search problems, they may not fix this specific issue, as the problem lies with accessing the server’s index, not your local one.