Windows Search Gatherer Logs (%ProgramData%\Microsoft\Search)

Bottom Line: It is 100% safe to reset the Windows Search Index and clear Gatherer logs. Resetting Windows Search will NOT delete your local documents, Outlook emails, or system files.

What are Windows Search Gatherer Logs?

Located at %ProgramData%\Microsoft\Search\Data\Applications\Windows, these transaction logs are created by Windows Search Service (SearchIndexer.exe).

Windows Search uses this directory to store:

• Gatherer Transaction Logs (gthr*.log): Temporary write-ahead transaction logs generated while indexing local files.
• Search Index Database (Windows.edb): The primary index database file.

If a local file becomes corrupted during indexing, SearchIndexer.exe can get stuck in a transaction log loop, generating gigabytes of gthr*.log files that fill up the C: drive.

Can You Delete Gatherer Logs?

✅ Yes, it is safe to clear.

• No document loss: Your files remain 100% safe.
• Fixes 100% disk usage: Resetting Windows Search rebuilds a clean index database and wipes stuck transaction logs.

How to Safely Clean Up Windows Search Gatherer Logs

Method 1: Using Windows Search Troubleshooter (Recommended)

1. Open Settings > Privacy & Security > Searching Windows.
2. Scroll down and click Indexer troubleshooter.
3. Select Reset Windows Search.

Method 2: Manual Index Reset via Command Prompt (Admin)

1. Open Command Prompt as Administrator.
2. Stop the Search Indexer:

   net stop WSearch

3. Delete the transaction logs and index database:

   del /f /s /q %ProgramData%\Microsoft\Search\Data\Applications\Windows\gthr*.log

4. Restart the service:

   net start WSearch

Related Guides

• Learn about deleting Windows.edb database.
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• Check if you can clean PerfLogs folder.