# Choose Files to Index

Choose which files your index processes. You can filter files by name prefix<FeatureFlag flag="file-meta-filter"> or by metadata</FeatureFlag>. Only matching files are indexed.

***

## About This Task

By default, an index processes all files in your workspace. You can restrict indexing to a subset of those files:

- By file name prefix: Index only files whose names start with one of the prefixes you set. For example, `legal*` matches `legal-contract.pdf` and `legal_memo.docx`.
<FeatureFlag flag="file-meta-filter">
- By metadata: Index only files whose metadata matches a condition you set. For example, index files where `category == reports`.
</FeatureFlag>

Only files that match your filters are indexed, counted, and listed on the Index Files tab. All other files are skipped.

<FeatureFlag flag="file-meta-filter">
You can use both filters at the same time. When both are set, a file must match the prefix filter and the metadata filter to be indexed.
</FeatureFlag>

You can update these filters only while the index is disabled. Disable the index first, then change the filters. Changing the filter does not re-index files that were already indexed.
<FeatureFlag flag="file-meta-filter">
Changing a file's metadata after it was already indexed does not automatically re-index that file.
</FeatureFlag>

## Prerequisites

- A disabled index. If the index is enabled, disable it before you change filters.
<FeatureFlag flag="file-meta-filter">
- File metadata, if you want to filter by metadata. For details, see [Add Metadata to Your Files](/docs/how-to-guides/working-with-your-data/working-with-metadata/add-metadata.mdx).
</FeatureFlag>

## Set a File Name Prefix Filter

1. In <ProductName />, go to **Indexes** and click the index you want to configure. This opens the Index in Builder.
2. Open the **Settings** tab.
3. In the **File Name Prefix Filter** section, type one or more prefixes in the *Prefixes* field.
   - Separate multiple prefixes with commas. A file is indexed if its name matches any of the prefixes.
   - You can end a prefix with `*` as a wildcard, for example `doc*` or `contracts/`.
   - Each prefix can include letters, digits, `.`, `_`, `-`, and `/`.

## Clear the File Name Prefix Filter

1. Open the **Settings** tab for the disabled index.
2. Clear the *Prefixes* field in the **File Name Prefix Filter** section.

## Set a File Name Prefix Filter with the API

Use the [Update Index](/docs/api/main/update-index-api-v-1-workspaces-workspace-name-indexes-index-name-patch.api.mdx) endpoint to set or clear the prefix filter.

Pass a comma-separated list of prefixes in `file_name_prefix_filter`. A file is indexed if its name starts with any of the prefixes. The trailing `*` is optional: `docs/` and `docs/*` both match names that start with `docs/`.

To remove the prefix filter, set `file_name_prefix_filter` to `null`.

**Example: Index files whose names start with `legal` or `contracts/`**

```
PATCH /api/v1/workspaces/{workspace_name}/indexes/{index_name}

{
  "file_name_prefix_filter": "legal*,contracts/"
}
```

<FeatureFlag flag="file-meta-filter">

## Set a Metadata Filter in the UI

The **File Meta Filter** in the UI uses one equality condition: you specify a metadata field name and a value, and only files where that field equals that value are indexed. Files without that field, or with a different value, are skipped.

1. In <ProductName />, go to **Indexes** and click the index you want to configure. This opens the Index in Builder.
2. Open the **Settings** tab.
3. In the **File Meta Filter** section, type the metadata field name in the first field. For example, `category`.
4. The operator is fixed to `==` (equals).
5. Type the value to match in the second field. For example, `reports`.
6. Click **Save**.

The index now processes only files whose metadata field matches the value you entered.

## Clear the File Meta Filter

To remove the filter and index all files again:

1. Open the **Settings** tab for the disabled index.
2. In the **File Meta Filter** section, clear both the field name and the value fields.

The filter applies to file metadata, not to file content. Add the relevant metadata to your files before you enable the index. For details, see [Add Metadata to Your Files](/docs/how-to-guides/working-with-your-data/working-with-metadata/add-metadata.mdx).

In the UI you can set one metadata rule at a time, and the operator is always `==`. To use `!=` or combine several conditions, set the filter with the API.

## Set a Metadata Filter with the API

Use the [Update Index](/docs/api/main/update-index-api-v-1-workspaces-workspace-name-indexes-index-name-patch.api.mdx) endpoint to set or clear the metadata filter.

Each condition in `file_meta_filter` must include:

- **`field`** — The metadata field name to filter on.
- **`operator`** — The comparison operator: `==` (equal) or `!=` (not equal).
- **`value`** — The value to compare against. Supported types: string, integer, number, boolean, or null.

All conditions are combined with AND logic: a file must satisfy every condition to be indexed.

To remove a metadata filter, set `file_meta_filter` to `null`.

**Example: Index only files in the "legal" category that are not in German**

```
PATCH /api/v1/workspaces/{workspace_name}/indexes/{index_name}

{
  "file_meta_filter": [
    {"field": "category", "operator": "==", "value": "legal"},
    {"field": "language", "operator": "!=", "value": "de"}
  ]
}
```

You can set `file_name_prefix_filter` and `file_meta_filter` in the same request.

</FeatureFlag>

## What To Do Next

After you update the filters, [enable the index](/docs/how-to-guides/working-with-indexes/enable-an-index.mdx) so it applies the new conditions to incoming files.