# Non-Indexed Folders

Non-indexed folders (<img src="https://3193631692-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2F-MWUqIqZhOK_i4HqCUpT%2Fuploads%2Fgit-blob-9a253269a37a6b4605b8f94a5635c3859dbc21f6%2Fimage%20(10).png?alt=media" alt="" data-size="line">) are designed for optimal performance in situations where no file actions are needed. They serve as fast storage in situations like temporary analysis file storage where you don't need access or searches via the GUI to individual files or subfolders within the folder. Think of a non-indexed folder as a **data container**. You can access the container which contains all the data, but you can **not access the individual data files within the container from the GUI**. As non-indexed folders contain data, they count towards your total project storage.

You can see the size of a non-indexed folder as part of the data details screen (**Projects > your\_project > Data > your\_non-indexed\_data > Data details tab**) and in the data view (**Projects > your\_project > Data)**.

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There can be a noticeable delay before the size of a non-indexed folder is updated after changes because of how the data is handled.
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The GUI considers non-indexed folders as a single object. You can access the contents from a non-indexed folder

* as Analysis input/output
* in Bench
* via the API

<table><thead><tr><th width="169">Action</th><th width="100">Allowed</th><th>Details</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>Creation</td><td>Yes</td><td>You can create non-indexed folders at <strong>Projects > your_project > Data > Manage > Create non-indexed folder</strong>. or with the <code>/api​/projects​/{projectId}​/data:createNonIndexedFolder</code> <a href="https://ica.illumina.com/ica/api/swagger/index.html">endpoint</a></td></tr><tr><td>Deletion</td><td>Yes</td><td>You can delete non-indexed folders by selecting them at <strong>Projects > your_project > Data > select the folder > Manage > Delete.</strong><br>or with the <code>/api​/projects​/{projectId}​/data/{dataId}:delete</code> endpoint</td></tr><tr><td>Uploading Data</td><td>API<br>Bench<br>Analysis</td><td>Use non-indexed folders as normal folders for Analysis runs and bench. Different methods are available with the API such as creating temporary credentials to upload data to S3 or using <code>/api/projects/{projectId}/data:createFileWithUploadUrl</code></td></tr><tr><td>Downloading Data</td><td>Yes</td><td>Use non-indexed folders as normal folders for Analysis runs and bench. Use temporary credentials to list and download data with the API.</td></tr><tr><td>Analysis Input/Output</td><td>Yes</td><td>Non-indexed files can be used as input for an analysis and the non-indexed folder can be used as output location. You will not be able to view the contents of the input and output in the analysis details screen.</td></tr><tr><td>Bench</td><td>Yes</td><td>Non-indexed folders can be used in Bench and the output from Bench can be written to non-indexed folders. Non-indexed folders are accessible across Bench workspaces within a project.</td></tr><tr><td>Viewing</td><td>No</td><td>The folder is a single object, you can not view the contents.</td></tr><tr><td>Linking</td><td>Yes</td><td>You cannot see non-indexed folder contents.</td></tr><tr><td>Copying</td><td>No</td><td>Prohibited to prevent storage issues.</td></tr><tr><td>Moving</td><td>No</td><td>Prohibited to prevent storage issues.</td></tr><tr><td>Managing tags</td><td>No</td><td>You cannot see non-indexed folder contents.</td></tr><tr><td>Managing format</td><td>No</td><td>You cannot see non-indexed folder contents.</td></tr><tr><td>Use as Reference Data</td><td>No</td><td>You cannot see non-indexed folder contents.</td></tr></tbody></table>