Index iFilters

The most common add-on for SharePoint search are iFilters. Index iFilters provide specific knowledge for the SharePoint indexer on how to break open specific file types and index the text content within them. For example, PDF iFilters are a common add-on because many organizations use PDF files extensively and require the ability to search against their contents. It is subsequently important to determine which file types will be stored in SharePoint and to determine whether iFilters are available for those file types so that the files can be properly indexed.