I don't know about the loading speed of any programs using indexed files, but indexing does not hurt the programs I have installed. The indexer only creates a reference file collecting the content of your hard drive. The overall advantage of indexing is fast search including text within (text) files.

Actually indexing should not hurt anything, except for some rattle on the hard drive when the indexer is at work. I barely notice it on my fast enough computer.


Since I don't have one yet, I don't know anything regarding SSDs. With the new Samsung 850 PRO and EVO series indexing should not even hurt the expected lifetime of the drive.


Desktop; i7-2600k, 8 GB mem., Win 10 Pro, BIAB 2017; RB 2017 - latest build
Laptop: i5-2410M, 4 GB mem, Win 10 Pro, BIAB 2017; RB 2017 - latest build