In Windows 10, you can easily search for files using the Search tool on the Taskbar or directly within File Explorer. After the November 2019 Update, Microsoft incorporated Windows Search into File Explorer. This allows you to type a keyword in the search field and see file suggestions based on your input.
To get started, make sure you’ve upgraded to the November 2019 Update (version 1909). Open File Explorer and navigate to the folder you want to search. Click in the Search field, and if everything is set up correctly, you’ll see items from previous searches. Just start typing, and matching items will appear. Hit Enter to view all results, and click on the one you want to open.
Use the Search Ribbon in File Explorer to fine-tune your searches. If you want to search your entire computer, click on “This PC.” To limit it to just the current folder, choose “Current Folder.” If you want to include subfolders, select “All Subfolders.” For different locations, click “Search again” and pick another folder.
You can further refine your search by date, file type, or size. Click on the “Date Modified” icon to filter results to Today, Yesterday, or This Week. The “Kind” icon lets you specify file types like documents, pictures, or videos. To narrow by size, select “Size” and choose Small, Medium, or Large.
If you want to search by specific properties, click on “Other Properties.” You can choose options like Type, Name, or Tags. For example, if you want to search by name, type the filename or a keyword. You can also add multiple filters. For specific file types, use an asterisk with the extension, like .png or .docx.
To revisit past searches, click on “Recent Searches” and pick one to run again. Windows indexes certain locations to speed up searches. If you want to modify this, go to “Advanced Options” and select “Change Indexed Locations.” Here, you can add or remove locations and tweak what gets included in the index.
To save your current search settings, click “Save Search,” give it a name, and hit Save. To quickly access a file’s folder, click the file, then select “Open File Location.” When you’re finished, simply close the search tool.
For Windows 11, the search process is similar. The interface has some updates, like labeled context menus, color options for folders, and new ‘Favorites’ and ‘Recent Files’ sections. Microsoft has also started testing AI-powered search that allows for natural language queries, which will roll out to all Windows 11 users soon. Windows 10 support will end in October 2025, so keep that in mind!
Fiona Jackson updated this article in January 2025.
