How to Remove Windows Desktop Search

Windows Desktop Search (WDS) is a powerful search tool integrated into many Windows versions and often installed alongside Microsoft Office 2007 or Outlook 2007. While it enhances file and email search capabilities, some users prefer to uninstall it for performance reasons or personal preference. This guide walks you through the safest methods to remove WDS from your computer.

What is Windows Desktop Search?

Windows Desktop Search indexes your files, emails, and other content to provide faster search results. It integrates with Windows Explorer and Microsoft Outlook, making searches more efficient. However, if you experience system slowdowns or conflicts with other software, removing WDS might be necessary.

Before You Begin

• Backup important data: Although uninstalling WDS is generally safe, it's always a good idea to backup your important files.
• Administrator access: You must be logged in with an administrator account to uninstall programs or run uninstallers.
• Check for dependencies: Some Microsoft Office features rely on WDS. Uninstalling it might affect these features.

How to Remove Windows Desktop Search (WDS) from Your Windows PC

Here are a couple of methods you can use to remove Windows Desktop Search from Windows:

Method 1: Uninstall WDS via Control Panel

1. Click Start and open the Control Panel.
2. Select Add or Remove Programs (or Programs and Features in newer Windows versions).
3. Make sure to check "Show updates" to reveal installed updates.
4. Scroll through the list and locate Windows Desktop Search.
5. Click on it and select Remove or Uninstall.
6. Follow the on-screen prompts to complete the uninstall process.

Method 2: Manual Uninstallation Using spuninst.exe

If WDS does not appear in the program list, you can manually uninstall it using the spuninst.exe uninstaller located in the Windows directory corresponding to your installed WDS version.

Finding Your WDS Version

To find out which version of Windows Desktop Search is installed:

• Open Windows Update from the Control Panel.
• Click View update history.
• Look for entries related to Windows Desktop Search to identify the installed version.

Common Uninstall Paths by WDS Version

• Windows Search 2.6.0.2083:
  C:\Windows\$NtUninstallKB907371-V2$\spuninst.exe
• Windows Search 2.6.0.2057:
  C:\Windows\$NtUninstallKB907371$\spuninst.exe
• Windows Search 2.6.5 Beta:
  C:\Windows\$NtUninstallKB911993$\spuninst.exe
• Windows Search 3.01:
  C:\WINDOWS\$NtUninstallKB917013$\spuninst.exe
• Windows Search 4.0:
  C:\WINDOWS\$NtUninstallKB940157$\spuninst.exe

How to Run spuninst.exe

1. Open File Explorer and navigate to the uninstall folder for your version of WDS (see paths above).
2. Locate spuninst.exe and double-click it.
3. Follow the prompts to uninstall Windows Desktop Search completely.

Troubleshooting

• If the uninstaller is missing or corrupted, consider running a System Restore to a point before WDS installation.
• Use the Microsoft Program Install and Uninstall Troubleshooter to fix problems that block program removal.
• Ensure no Office or Outlook features that depend on WDS are running during uninstallation.

What Happens After Uninstalling WDS?

Once removed, Windows will revert to the default built-in search features, which may be slower or less comprehensive. You can consider using alternative search tools such as Everything Search or third-party search utilities.

Additional Tips

• Reinstallation: If you want to reinstall WDS later, download the appropriate version from the Microsoft Download Center.
• Performance: Disabling indexing services instead of uninstalling may improve performance without losing search capabilities.
• Windows Versions: Note that Windows Vista and later versions have built-in desktop search functionality integrated; uninstalling WDS may not be applicable.