How to Search for Files in Windows

Windows offers multiple methods for locating files, from built-in search tools to command-line utilities. Below are different ways to efficiently find files on your system.


1. Searching with Windows Search (Start Menu & File Explorer)

A. Start Menu Search

Press the Windows key or click the Start Menu.

Type the file name or a keyword.

Select the file from the results or press Enter.

 - Example: Searching for “notes.docx” will display all related files.


B. Searching in File Explorer

Open File Explorer (Win + E).

Navigate to the desired folder.

Use the Search Bar (top-right corner) to enter a file name or keyword.

Press Enter to view results.

- Search Filters in File Explorer:

You can refine searches using:


ext:pdf → Finds all PDF files.

date:today → Finds files modified today.

size:>10MB → Finds files larger than 10MB.

2. Searching via Command Prompt (cmd)

A. Searching for a File by Name

Use the dir command to search for a file in a specific location:


cmd

dir C:\Users\ /s /p | findstr "notes.docx"

/s → Searches in all subdirectories.

/p → Pauses after displaying each page of results.

B. Searching for Files by Extension

cmd

dir C:\ /s /b | findstr ".txt"

This lists all .txt files in the C drive.


3. Searching with PowerShell

A. Finding a File by Name

powershell

Get-ChildItem -Path C:\ -Recurse -Filter "notes.docx"

-Recurse → Searches all subfolders.

B. Searching for Files Containing Specific Text

powershell

Get-ChildItem -Path C:\Users -Recurse | Select-String "invoice"

Finds all files that contain the word “invoice.”


4. Enabling Windows Search Indexing for Faster Results

Open Control Panel → Indexing Options.

Click Modify to choose folders for indexing.

Use Win + S to quickly search indexed locations.

5. Using Third-Party Search Tools

For faster and more advanced searches, consider:


Everything – A lightweight, instant search tool.

Agent Ransack – Searches within file content.

Listary – Provides quick access to files.


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