Tips for finding files

Finding a file is a lot like looking for a pair of socks when you get dressed in the morning.
You can’t really start working until you locate those socks, and it’s something you need every
single day. Windows can’t help you find your socks any faster, but it can definitely lend you
a hand when it comes to finding your files. Here are some ways to find and organize your
files, no matter where they might be stored.

Where should I start searching?

There are so many ways to find files on your computer that you might not know where to
start. Most of the time, you will probably start by using the search tools that are available
within any folder. For example, here are the search tools that are available in the Documents
folder:

Search tools in the Documents

folder
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Which search method should I use?

The method you use depends upon what you're searching for, and where you're searching for
it. The following table describes the different search methods and when they're useful:

Search
When it's useful
method
The If you're looking for a file or folder located in a common folder (such as
 Search
When it's useful
method
Documents or Pictures), you can often find it fastest by using the Search box at the
top of the folder window. For more information, see Use the Search box later in
this article.
Search box
If you're looking for a program, a website in your browser history, or a file that
you've stored anywhere in your personal folder, you can use the Search box at the
bottom of the Start menu. For more information, see Find a file or folder.
If you're looking for several related files, such as all the files from a particular
month, or all the documents that you have written, you can use the headings above
File list
the file list to filter, stack, or group your files. Organizing your files in one of these
headings
ways makes them easier to locate and select. For more information, see Use file
list headings later in this article.
When you need to build a search with multiple filters, or when you're looking for
files from several folders at once, create your search in the Search folder. When
Search
you are done, you can save the search criteria, and use it in the future to find the
folder
same set of files again with a single click. For more information, see Create an
advanced search in the Search folder later in this article.
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Use the Search box

The Search box is located at the top of every folder. It filters the current view based on text
that you type. The Search box finds files based on text in the file name, text within the file,
tags, and other common file properties that are attached to the file. In addition, it searches the
current folder as well as all subfolders.

The Search box

For example, if you created a trip report called "Las Vegas Seminar," as soon as you type Las
into the Search box, most files in the folder would disappear from the list, but the trip report,
and any other files with the word Las in them, would immediately be displayed.

The following table lists the common properties that you can use in the Search box:

How to use it in the Search

Property What it is
box
Type part or all of the file
name you are looking for. For
File name The name you have given the file. example, to find a file called
November invoice.txt, you
can type Nov or inv.
Kind of A broad description of the content. Most of your files Type the kind of file you're
file fall into one of these kinds: Document, Picture, or looking for. For example, to
Music. find all of your text,
 How to use it in the Search
Property What it is
box
spreadsheet, and presentation
files, type Document.
A more specific indication of the file's content. The
last three letters of the file name, called the file name Type the file name extension.
Type of extension, identify the file type. Common types If you want to find only MP3
file include DOC (Microsoft Word document), XLS files, type MP3. For more
(Microsoft Excel spreadsheet), JPG (JPEG image), accurate results, type *.mp3.
and MP3 (a standard digital audio format).
Type any tag to see a list of
Words or phrases you add to your files to describe
Tags files to which that tag has
them.
been applied.
Type the name of an author
Author The name of the person who created the file. to see a list of files by that
person.

Advanced searches in the Search box

Windows will usually search for whatever you type in the Search box by looking in the file
name, file contents, and file properties of all the files in the current view. Type "Summer," for
example, and it will find files named "sunset in summer.jpg," files tagged with "summer,"
and files written by anyone named Summer. This broad approach to search usually helps you
find your file quickly.

If you want to search more selectively, however, you can filter your search in the Search box
by specifying which file property to search. To filter by file property, separate the name of
the property and the search term with a colon, as these examples show:

Example Use this to

Name:Sunset Find only files that have the word sunset in the file name.
Tag:Sunset Find only files that are tagged with the word sunset.
Find only files that have been modified on that date. You can also type
Modified:05/25/2006
Modified:2006 to find files changed at any time during that year.

Which file properties can you use in this way? Anything you see in a folder. You can filter by
any property that appears in the file list headings, for example. To see the complete list of
properties that you can filter by, right-click the heading you want to see properties for, and
then click More.

For more information about advanced searches, go to the Windows Desktop Search:
Advanced Query Reference website.

Searching using Boolean filters

Using Boolean filters is another way to perform a more precise search. Boolean filters let you
combine search words using simple logic, as you can see in the following table.
 Filter Example Use this to
tropical AND Find files that contain both words "tropical" and "island" (even if
AND
island those words are not right next to each other).
tropical NOT
NOT Find files that contain the word "tropical," but not "island."
island
tropical OR
OR Find files that contain either of the words "tropical" or "island."
island
"tropical
Quotes Find files that contain the exact phrase "tropical island."
island"
(tropical Find files that contain both words "tropical" and "island," in any
Parentheses
island) order.
date: Find files that are more than or later than a certain value, such as
>
>01/05/06 after 01/05/06.
Find files that are less than or earlier than a certain value, such as
< size: < 4 MB less than 4 MB. You can also specify other sizes, such as KB and
GB.

Tip

When you type Boolean filters like AND or OR, you need to use all capital letters.

Combining Boolean filters and file properties

You can combine Boolean filters with other filters. The following table shows how you can
get very different results using the same search words, but different Boolean filters. Also note
how the use of parentheses can change the effect of a filter.

Boolean filter Use this to

author: Charlie Find files that are authored by Charlie as well as any files that include
AND Herb Herb in the file name or in any file property.
author: (Charlie
Find only files that are authored by both names.
AND Herb)
author: "Charlie
Finds only files that are authored by someone with exactly this name.
Herb"

Find files with natural language search

If you turn on natural language search, you can perform searches in a simpler way, without
using colons and without the need to enter AND and OR in capital letters. For example,
compare these two searches:

Without natural language With natural language

kind: music artist: (Beethoven OR Mozart) music Beethoven or Mozart
kind: document author: (Charlie AND Herb) documents Charlie and Herb

To turn on natural language search

 1. Open Folder Options by clicking the Start button , clicking Control Panel, clicking
Appearance and Personalization, and then clicking Folder Options.
2. Click the Search tab.
3. Select the Use natural language search check box.

To use natural language search

Even with natural language search turned on, you can continue to use the Search box in
exactly the same way. If you want to use Boolean filters or introduce filters with colons and
parentheses, you can. In addition, you can use all the same properties to fine-tune your
searches. The difference is that you can enter searches in a more casual way. Here are some
examples:

 email today
 documents 2006
 author Susan
 pictures vacation

Note

Some searches might give more results than you expect. For example, if you search for
"email today" you will see all messages sent today as well as any messages with the word
"today" in the contents.

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Use file list headings

By clicking the headings that appear above the file list in a folder, you can change how files
are displayed. Viewing files in this way can help you find files that share something in
common.

Show all
To filter your files

When you filter the contents of a folder by file properties (such as file name, date, author, or
tag), only files with those properties are displayed. For example, if you want to see only files
written by a particular author, filter by that person's name.

1. Open the folder that contains the files you want to filter.
2. Click the arrow to the right of the heading that you want to filter by.
3. Click the property that you want to filter by. If you want to filter by two or more
properties, select the check box for each property that you want to filter by.
 The Authors heading displaying the
properties that are available to filter by, with one property selected

To stack your files

When you stack files, all of the files in the view are arranged into piles, called stacks. If you
stack by Author, for example, you'll see one stack for each author. If you want to see only the
files written by a particular author, open the desired stack.

1. Open the folder that contains the files you want to stack.

The files can also be located in subfolders inside this folder

2. Click the arrow to the right of the heading that you want to stack by.
3. Click Stack by to arrange the contents of the folder into stacks that correspond to the
heading.
4. To see the files that are contained in an individual stack, double-click the stack.

These files are stacked by file type

To group your files

Unlike a stack, which hides the files it contains behind an icon, a group displays a sequential
list of all of the grouped files. When you group your files by Author, for example, you'll see
several groups, each one displaying all the files written by a particular author.

1. Open the folder that contains the files you want to group.
2. Click the arrow to the right of the heading that you want to group by.
3. Click Group to arrange the contents of the folder into groups that correspond to the
heading.
 These files are grouped by file type

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Create an advanced search in the Search folder

The is a good choice for searches whenever you:

 Don't know where a file or folder is located, and want to look in many locations at
once.
 Want your search results to include files from several folders at once.
 Want to create an advanced search that looks for files using several different criteria.

To customize your search, click the Advanced Search button in the Search folder.

The Search folder

Here, you can change any of the following:

 Location. By default, the Search folder searches in a set of locations called Indexed
Locations. This includes all of the folders in your personal folder (which includes
Documents, Pictures, Music, Desktop, and other common locations), e-mail, and
offline files. You can add additional locations to Indexed Locations if you commonly
store files in different locations. For more information, see Improve Windows
searches using the index: frequently asked questions. Alternatively, you can choose to
search a different set of locations, though any searches on files that have not been
indexed will be slower.
 Date. You can narrow the search to any time before or after the date you specify.
 Size. You can look for files larger or smaller than the specified size.
 Property. You can filter the search according to one or more file properties, such as
file name, tags, and authors. The search will be limited to files that include all the
properties you specify.