Universal Search is using a lot of Synology CPU. How do I check whether indexing is responsible?

Applies to: DSM systems with Universal Search installed; process names and available controls depend on the package version.

Work through these checks

1. Identify the process. Open Resource Monitor and compare CPU activity with current work. Synology associates Universal Search with processes including synoelasticd, fileindexd and synocontentextractd.
2. Check indexing activity. Open Universal Search preferences and review File Indexing. Note newly added folders, a recent update or a large influx of documents before assuming the index has failed.
3. Use a controlled pause. Where the package provides a pause control, pause the indexing task and observe the CPU again. Active searches may still consume resources, so ask users to avoid searches during the comparison.
4. Reduce unnecessary indexing. Review the indexed folders and content types with their owners. Restrict the scope to what is useful, and schedule larger indexing work for a quieter period.

Confirm the result

The responsible process and its workload are identified, and a controlled change produces the expected CPU behaviour without removing user files.

If you need help

Include these details in your ticket: NAS/DSM/package versions, process name, indexing state and a redacted Resource Monitor capture.

Related guidance: Why is my Synology volume still full after I delete files?

Updated 261110