When a network drive source is indexed in Outmind, content remains automatically synchronized with its actual state on the source storage.
There are several ways to remove content from the Outmind index ("deindex" documents or folders).
✅ Available Methods to Deindex Content
1. Completely delete the source
The simplest method is to delete the network drive source from the Outmind administration.
👉 This triggers the complete deindexing of all content associated with that source.
Use this when:
the source is no longer needed,
the network share has been deleted,
or an entire scope needs to disappear from Outmind.
2. Modify the source's root folders
A network drive source can contain one or more root folders configured at creation time.
By modifying these folders in the source settings:
newly added folders will be indexed,
removed folders will be progressively deindexed.
👉 This allows reducing or changing the indexed scope without deleting the entire source.
3. Delete files or folders from the network drive
Outmind works with incremental synchronization ("delta sync").
In practice:
if a file is deleted from the network drive,
it will automatically be removed from the index during the next synchronization pass.
👉 The same behavior applies to deleted folders.
This method is often the most natural when the content simply no longer exists on the storage side.
4. Remove access permissions to the content to the account indexing your files
By default, when Outmind loses access to a file or folder (error of type EPERM / access denied), the content is not automatically deindexed.
This safety behavior prevents massive unintentional deindexing caused by:
a permission error,
a temporary network outage,
an authentication issue,
or a momentary storage unavailability.
👉 The automatic removal of inaccessible content only works if the EPERM deindexing mechanism (EPERM flag) is explicitly enabled.
Once this mechanism is enabled:
files that have become inaccessible are deindexed at the next delta sync pass,
child folders that have become inaccessible are also deindexed,
including when permissions have been intentionally removed.
To know more don't hesitate to look at : 🔐 Managing Access Loss (EPERM)
💡 Best Practices
Enabling EPERM deindexing is primarily recommended during intentional and controlled deindexing phases.
👉 It is generally not recommended to leave this mechanism permanently enabled, in order to avoid unintentional deindexing caused by temporary access or permission issues.
To learn more, refer to the article: 🔐 Managing File Access Loss (EPERM)
Depending on the need:
Situation | Recommended Method |
Remove an entire source | Delete the source |
Modify the indexed scope | Change the root folders |
Remove obsolete content | Delete the files on the storage side |
Exclude a sensitive subfolder | Remove permissions |