How to Control Windows Diacritics in Search Index

Option 1Use Windows Settings

You can change whether Windows 11 search treats words with and without diacritics as different by using the Windows Settings ⚙️ menu. This is the simplest method for most users to adjust how search works on their computer.

1. Open Settings. You can do this by pressing the Win+I on your keyboard.

   

2. On the left side, click Privacy & security. Then, on the right side, click Search.

   

3. Look for a section called Related settings and click on Advanced indexing options.

   

4. In the window that appears, click the Advanced button.

   

5. In the Index Settings tab, find the option that says Treat similar words with diacritics as different words.

   

6. Check the box to turn it ON (treat them as different). Leave it unchecked to turn it OFF (treat them as the same).
7. You might see a message saying a policy is already in effect. If so, just click OK. If not, click OK to save your choice.

   

8. Click OK again to close the Indexing Options window.
9. The search 🔍 index will now update. Click Close.
10. You can now close the Settings ⚙️ window.

Option 2Use Local Group Policy Editor (For Pro, Enterprise, Education Editions)

If you have Windows 11 Pro, Enterprise, or Education, you can use the Local Group Policy Editor to control diacritic use in search. This tool lets you set specific rules for how your computer’s search function handles characters with accents.

1. Open the Local Group Policy Editor. You can do this by typing gpedit.msc in the Windows search bar 🔍 and pressing Enter.
2. In the left-hand menu, go to: Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > Search.

   

3. In the right-hand side, find and double-click on the policy called Allow use of diacritics.

   

4. To always use diacritics (treat them as different words):

   • Select the Enabled option.
   • Click OK.
5. To disable diacritics (treat them as the same word):

   • Select the Disabled option.
   • Click OK.
6. To let Windows Settings ⚙️ control this (default):

   • Select the Not Configured option.
   • Click OK.

     

7. You can now close the Local Group Policy Editor.

Option 3Use Registry Editor

For advanced users, the Registry Editor offers a way to manage diacritic settings in Windows 11 search by directly changing system files. You can tell Windows to always use diacritics, treating words with and without them as unique, by adjusting specific values in the registry.

To always use diacritics (treat them as different words):

Navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Windows Search. If these keys don't exist, you may need to create them.

Create a new DWORD (32-bit) Value named AllowUsingDiacritics. Set its value data to 1.

To disable diacritics (treat them as the same word):

Navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Windows Search.

Create or modify the DWORD (32-bit) Value named AllowUsingDiacritics. Set its value data to 0.

To let Windows Settings control this (default):

Navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Windows Search.

Delete the AllowUsingDiacritics value if it exists.

Summary

You can control how Windows 11 handles words with accent marks (diacritics) in searches using Windows Settings, the Local Group Policy Editor (for specific Windows versions), or by editing the Registry. Changing this setting can affect search accuracy and speed.