Easy Ways to Search for Files on Windows Laptops and Desktops
Morrissey Technology – Searching for files on desktops and laptops will usually become more difficult, as the drive capacity used increases. Usually, file management is always ignored by PC users, because the majority of users only focus on the available storage space. New users will feel the impact when they need a file, which has not been used for a long time. However, there is actually a more effective and efficient way to search for these files. Here’s how to efficiently search for files on a Windows laptop, according to The Verge.
Windows file index
By default, Windows only indexes files in four areas of the PC: Documents, Pictures, Music, and Desktop folders, plus subfolders that branch off https://kepriprov.org/ of those folders. If the file is not in these folders, users can look for it elsewhere, by changing Windows search.
1. Open Settings then go to Privacy & security > Windows Search
2. Under Find my files, you will usually find the Classic search type has been selected automatically. By selecting Classic, the file search can be customized to the selected search location > Change to add the folder to the list of indexed locations by checking the appropriate box.
3. Or if you want it to be easier, users can select Enhanced so that all PCs are included in the query. However, Microsoft warns that this may affect CPU usage and battery life.
Still in the Privacy & security > Windows Search section, at the bottom of Can exclude certain folders from search, users can select folders that do not need to be included in data searches.
Excluding folders can also speed up the indexing and searching process. When the user has decided which folders he wants to index by Windows, the user can immediately search.
Finding Files in Windows
There is a search box or icon on the taskbar, just to the right of the Start menu button, that can be used to start a file search. Just type as many file names as the user can remember, and the results will appear as you type. If you want, users can also use the search box when opening the Start menu.
When you start typing, Windows will pop up a dialog showing the user what it considers the best match, and more matches below that. Users will find a series of tabs with various categories that can be used to narrow the search.
Depending on the search terms, Windows may prioritize results from the web and/or the Start menu before files, so users may need these additional filters. If all you want to access are recently installed applications or recently opened files, users Scatter Hitam don’t need to do any searching. Click the Start menu button on the taskbar, and under Recommended, there will be recently accessed apps and files.
Search in File Explorer
For further searches, users can use File Explorer and use the search box in the top right corner. Here are some tips:
- Note the location in File Explorer, the search will be run on the folder being viewed, along with any subfolders. If you want to search all PCs, first click PC in the left navigation panel. Type the name of the file you are looking for in the search box and press Enter.
- If you are unsure of the full file name, you can use asterisks as wildcards to represent any combination of characters. For example, searching for am* can produce files named “amstrad”, “america”, and “am8811!g”.
- You can also use a question mark as a one-letter wildcard. For example, when searching for am?, it will give the user files named “amy”, “amd”, and “am3”.
- Another trick is to add file extensions. searching with *.jpg, the user will get all the JPEG files in the folder and its subfolders.
- Boolean operators are also supported. For example, use the words “samsung or google” to find files that include both words or “samsung not google” to get files that have the name Samsung but not Google.
- If you want to further filter your search, look for Search Options at the top of the File Explorer window. Click to get a list of different search variables that can be used. For example, users can limit searches based on file size or when a file was last edited. There is also a File contents option, which can be used if you want Windows to search the file thoroughly for matches, but this takes more time.
Use third party applications
There are many third-party applications ready and willing to help with searches. Although the features offered are very similar to File Explorer, they are presented in a more intuitive way. The following is a file finder that users can use to search for data/files in Windows.
1. Agent Ransack, is a fast and sleek file finder for Windows, allowing users to search for file name matches and file contents simultaneously. Easy to select search locations and supports wildcards and Boolean operators.
2. Everything, the lightest and easiest file search tool for Windows that can also be run as a portable application directly from a USB drive. It has its own set of advanced features, including the option to match uppercase and lowercase letters in file names and being able to save searches for future use.
3. SearchMyFiles, a free search application that displays results very quickly and offers a convenient search options panel, where users can limit file matches based on file size, file date, and file attributes. It can even help users in searching for duplicate files.
4. PowerToys Run can provide a search experience similar to Spotlight on macOS. Press Alt + Space to bring up the search box in the middle of the screen, then type the name of the file you are looking for. Very useful for finding and opening certain files quickly.