How to search for files in windows 7. How to find files on your computer
When upgrading from Windows Vista, search in Windows 7 it just becomes more convenient and does not contain any special surprises. This cannot be said about many Windows XP users who are just discovering the daily use of the system with such a convenient tool as instant search. Searching in Windows 7 is really very simple. But, as in any search, the goal is to find what you need, and sometimes difficulties arise with this. With this article I begin a story about how search works in Windows 7, how to configure it, how to search, and most importantly, how to find.
How search works
You've most likely heard about an index - a set of files that contain various information about files and documents stored on disk. When you use search, it is the index files that allow you to quickly display results. The index includes various file properties, and this is not just the path, name or size. For example, all tags of MP3 files are indexed - from the author to the bit rate. For office documents, data is indexed, which can be seen in the file properties on the tab Details, document content, and so on. If this search is new to you, I recommend reading a couple of help articles to get some background information on searching. Minimize all windows, click F1 and in the field Search Help enter... Search.
Indexing happens constantly - if you add, delete or change a file in a folder, it will immediately be reflected in the index.
The screenshot shows the locations that are indexed by default. Therefore, if you store your documents somewhere in F:\Documents, they will not be included in the index and will not be found by a quick search - they must be added to the index separately. Setting up the search will be discussed below.
Search and indexing settings
To be honest, the standard search settings are quite good, and most users do not need to change anything in them, especially if documents and files are stored in standard folders. To configure settings, open the Start menu and type search options into the search box.
So casually we used one of the search options Windows 7- quick access to control panel elements from the Start menu.
Change search options for files and folders
I will not duplicate the parameters that are clearly visible in the screenshot.
Please note the following points:
By default, search within a folder searches all subfolders
in non-indexed locations, only file names are searched and compressed files are ignored
you can use language search, i.e. compose search queries in a more fluent language - for example, last week's video (there will be a lot of unexpected results mixed in here, especially in localized versions)
Indexing options and Windows Search services
Here you can configure many more settings. To add folders to the index, click Change.
It is no coincidence that the Windows and Program Files folders are excluded from the search - they will greatly increase the size of the index, and will be of little practical use. Programs can already be found by searching in the Start menu - after all, the main menu is indexed by default.
Clicking Additionally, you get access to two groups of settings:
indexing technical parameters
indexing options for file types
In the first of them, you can add encrypted files to the index, rebuild the index (which may be necessary in case of problems) and set a new location for it.
For file type (extension) you can:
include or exclude it from the index
determine whether only properties or content will be indexed
add new extension
For example, if your instant messaging client suddenly saves history in text files with a LOG extension, or you just need to analyze logs, their contents will not be indexed by default. But you can easily customize the search - just type log on your keyboard to move through the list of extensions and enable content search.
How to search
When starting a search, it is advisable to immediately imagine whether the search object is included in the index. As I said above, the index covers the user's profile - libraries, files, etc. Here you can find the files you need relatively easily.
But if you open the main search window and expect to find something in the Program Files or Windows folder, you may generally get the impression that “the search finds nothing” because only the results from the index are displayed. We'll talk about searching in non-indexed places later, but now we'll look at general search methods in Windows 7. You can search:
from the Start menu
in the main search window
in libraries
in other Explorer windows - folders, "Open" and "Save As" dialogs
Search in the Start menu
When you search from the Start menu, the search results show not only files and documents, but also programs and Control Panel items. Now you can safely give up the Windows XP habit of carefully sorting applications in the menu Programs. It is enough to enter the first few letters of the program name to find it. This is much more convenient, especially if you have many programs installed.
Advice. If you use portable applications, simply add their shortcuts to the %appdata%\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs folder (you can create a subfolder for them). They will appear in a group in search results Programs.
In Windows 7, search results in the Start menu are very conveniently grouped, and the number of results in each group is immediately visible - this point has been improved compared to Windows Vista. As you can see in the screenshot, a search for the word word finds not only Microsoft Word and WordPad applications, but also offers results in other groups.
The Start menu displays multiple results for each group, and clicking on the group name opens a search box with all the search results for the group.
Searching in the Start menu is good when you have an idea of the file name or its contents - the first 5 - 10 results are visible immediately, and you don’t have to look far. In addition, the Start menu is indispensable for quickly accessing programs and Control Panel items using search.
Main search window
A blank search window can be opened by pressing the keyboard shortcut WIN+F. It, in my opinion, has somewhat lost its meaning, since it no longer contains advanced file search capabilities. Searching in Explorer windows practically forces it out of the system. It seems to me that links to help on using search or a link to this article could brighten up its dull appearance.
However, the main search window still carries a payload. It opens with search results if you enter a query in the Start menu and click on the name of the search result group, or on View more results right above the search field.
Libraries
Now I will explain why I separated the search in libraries and other Explorer windows. Notice how library search results are displayed. They correspond to the type of files in it and are very well perceived visually. For example, for music files, the album cover, large song name, size are displayed, and there are also “musical” options for organizing the results. This is a property of all libraries, which confirms the thesis - the capabilities of Windows 7 are best used together. In this case, it is searching in libraries, which has other advantages.
This is what a simple library search will suggest: Music.
While in File Explorer, you can organize your search results by available file properties. The default display order is top scores, but, for example, you can organize music files by album or genre. This feature is available along with the traditional Explorer tools of sorting and grouping (although the latter may be new to Windows XP migrants).
In this case, the results will display several tracks from each album. You can view all the songs on an album, and then “fold” it if the one you need is not there.
If you don't find the file you need in the current folder, you can search again:
Other Explorer windows
In folders and libraries, the search field is the same as in the main window. But we must not forget that the same option is available in the “Open” and “Save As” windows, which are used even by those who prefer alternative file managers.
It is more convenient to search in folders when you know the approximate location of the file or document - in this case you will not get lost in the results. In addition, this method is useful when it is known for sure that the file is not included in the index. Finally, in the Open and Save As windows, you can quickly filter the contents of a folder using search.
I'm sure you've already tried simple search queries and you're probably completely satisfied with them. However, sooner or later you will need to find the file, and a simple query will not help with this. Next, I'll show you how to use Windows 7's advanced search capabilities to find the files you need.
New advanced search features in Windows 7
To master search, of course, you need to practice using its capabilities. In articles about Windows 7 search, I will give a number of examples that you can easily reproduce in your own home.
If you're upgrading from Windows XP, absolutely everything in your Windows 7 search will be new. Compared to Windows Vista, Windows 7 looks:
have changed search filters
Search filters
When you roughly know the name of a file or the topic of a document, finding the desired file is usually not difficult - you simply enter a partial or full query into the Start menu search. But this information is not always stored in the RAM of the brain, and it is simply often necessary to set special search conditions - size, modification date, or author of the file. Windows XP had a search assistant, Windows Vista had filters.
At first glance, there is nothing that stands out visually in Windows 7. In fact, filters are still there - they just become visible when you place your cursor in the search field.
Advice. To see more filters, expand the search field - position the cursor on the separator between the field and the address bar and drag to the left.
In the screenshot you see a standard set of filters in the main search window.
Hints
Your search queries are remembered if they were entered:
to the search window
in explorer folder or library
in the Start menu (assuming you navigated to results and didn't just open the file)
These prompts annoy some users, and they tend to turn them off immediately. And, in my opinion, they are doing it in vain. The tips remember not only search queries as such, but also filters searches that you specified - for example, the size or modification date of the file. Suggestions are very useful if you want to use the full power of Windows 7 search. It's easy to change the old condition to the current query, and it's faster than entering it again. And you can always delete an unnecessary hint - just select it (with the mouse or cursor) and press Delete on the keyboard.
As I said above, the new features of Windows 7 are best used together. The connection between search and libraries is not only in the display of results, but also in the formation of search conditions. In the next part of the article I will look at:
using filters to search libraries and mail
search in Internet Explorer 8
search in non-indexed places
search operators
The Windows 7 operating system has many different features and utilities that make life much easier for the user. Sometimes, the user accumulates a huge amount of information, folders and files on his computer, which are not systematically located on the computer and make them difficult to find. Then finding the desired file or folder becomes difficult, and sometimes impossible, without special Windows 7 operating systems. Then the file and folder search system in Windows 7 comes to the rescue.
Let's take a closer look at all the possible ways to find a file or folder in Windows 7.
How to find a folder or file in Windows 7
There are three simple ways to find the desired folder with files or the files themselves among a lot of other information in the Windows 7 operating system:
- Using the search field in the Start menu;
- Using the search field in a folder or library;
- Or using advanced search beyond folders and libraries.
Let's look at each method in more detail.
Search box in the Start menu
The easiest way to find folders or files on your computer is to use the search box in the Start menu. To do this, just open “Start” and write any name in the search field, which is located at the bottom next to the computer shutdown button. After this, the Start menu is transformed into a list of possible options for files and folders with the same name.
Moreover, with such a search, a list will be displayed not only of files and folders with the same name, but also files where this word may be mentioned in one form or another inside the file or its properties. In addition, please note that only those files that have been indexed are displayed in the list. However, most files are indexed automatically.
Search field in a folder or library
You can also search for files locally if they are stored in a specific folder or library. For this:
This search returns results even for part of a word. The search is carried out by name, internal text of the file and file properties. The library searches all folders within a particular library. It is not necessary to enter the full name. Just enter the part and find the file you need. Also, when displaying a search result, words will be highlighted in color for user convenience.
Among other things, you can enter several keywords that will narrow the search area very significantly.
Advanced Search
If a folder or file cannot be found by searching specific folders and libraries, you can expand the search scope. For this.
If you want to find something in Windows 7, then you probably came across a simple form that is surprising by the lack of familiar settings that were useful and understandable.
It has become unusual to use the search because most likely the developers followed the following logic - for ordinary users they need to make it simpler, and more advanced users will figure out how to make queries more complex.
So, let's find out how to search for files and folders in Windows.
Finding folders in Windows 7
1. To start the search, go to the logical drive or folder where we will search.
If you are looking on your hard drive, then go to “My Computer”; if on logical drive C, then you need to go to logical drive C.
2. Having opened the folder, you will see in the search window - the search area - the place where your computer will search.
If you are looking for the “Windows” folder in the “documents” folder, then your search will not be successful, so pay attention to the “Search Area”.
(Picture 1)
3. Enter the request.
You can enter not the entire word, but part of it.
Are complex queries done using symbols? And *.
? - any character at the beginning of a word
* - any number of characters
Example: ?lot*
The word plotter will match this query and if you have a document or file with that name, it will be displayed in the search window.
(Figure 2)
Example: *ter
The words hard drive and computer would fit this query.
(Figure 3)
Searching for files in Windows 7
The peculiarity of searching for files is that files have extensions.
If you need to find all the videos on your computer, enter the query *.avi and you will receive in the search results window all films and videos with this extension, at the same time you will find films with the mp4, 3gp extension only by changing the query.
Thus, you can find any files in Windows 7.
Search filters in Windows 7
If the number of files and folders found is too large, you can use filters; to do this, click on the form and select “Date modified” or “Size” in the drop-down context menu that appears.
(Figure 4)
Finding programs in Windows 7
There is another way to find something on your computer by clicking on the “Start” button - here you can also enter a search query.
(Figure 5)
conclusions
So, all the complaints about search in Windows 7 are groundless, since this function is still preserved, it can be used, the only thing is that it has become easier to get to.
Happy searching.
Very often we need to find files or folders on our hard drive that are definitely there, but we can’t remember where exactly. We always have a file search at our disposal in Windows 7. In order for us to be able to find any objects on our computer, we just need to enter the name of the required directory or file into the start menu. Your device will then search for the required information. You will see elements that contain the query you entered or parts of it in their name.
But it’s fair to say that this is not always enough to ensure that searching for files in Windows 7 is successful. The above steps cannot guarantee that you will find the necessary information on your computer or laptop. There are cases when you need to find a document or documents that contain certain words in their title in the text. For example, if you are looking for the name of free computer courses, but Seven does not support this function by default.
Let's figure out how to set up file search in Windows 7. In order to do this, you need to open your computer and on the left side click on the organizing tab, where you need to select options for folders and search.
A settings and settings window will open in front of you, in which you need to click on the search section at the top and select the search process for files by name and content. For these parameters to take effect, confirm them with the “Ok” button. If you did everything correctly, the system on your device will search for data not only by its name, but also by its content. Moreover, it will not depend on what types of files in Windows 7 you are looking for.
Now let's check the work done. This must be done in order to make sure that everything will now work correctly for us. For this purpose, you need to re-open your computer, where in the search field you need to enter the required word that will be contained in the searched data. As an example, let's try to find data that contains the keyword “quality”. Searching for files in Windows 7 begins immediately after a word or phrase is entered into the field, meaning there is no need to click or confirm anything to start it.
Once your machine completes the search task for the keyword you entered, below you will see a list of files in which the word we entered “quality” will appear. You should also remember that after finishing your search, you need to change the settings (the ones you set to the default ones). This must be done in order to reduce search time in the future. Indeed, with the settings that we are talking about, it occurs not only by the name of the data, but also by its content.
If you know approximately where the folder or file you need is located, then go to this directory in Explorer and enter the required information there. This way, searching for files in Windows 7 will be much faster. That's all I wanted to tell you. Use it for your health!
After understanding the extension of the lost file, for example, “.zip”, all that remains is to enter it in the “Search” field and press Enter. A search on your computer will immediately display a list of files with this extension. From them we already select the one we need.
Rules for searching files on a computer by size
Many users may object - video files can have many extensions, what should you do to search in this case? One of our clients once lost a missing film and asked for advice on this issue.
We noticed that on the user’s computer all films were in the “.avi” format. It would seem that you just need to enter the extension into the search, and everything will work out right away. But not everything turned out to be not so simple; finding the file on the computer was not so easy. Therefore, it was decided to search for the required file by size.
The client's total video files were approximately 1.45 GB in size. Therefore, it was quite reasonable to assume that the lost file had a similar size. Consequently, it was enough to perform a simple procedure System.Size:>1000MB to search the computer memory for files larger than 1 GB.
Based on the search results, a list of 20 video files appeared, including a file without an extension at all. But just by the title itself one could guess that this was exactly the missing film. All that remained was to add the “.avi” extension to the file – and again you could enjoy watching the video. Later we managed to understand that our client’s acquaintances were just making a joke and removed the extension.
How to find hidden files in Windows OS
Sometimes Windows assigns the “Hidden” attribute to some files as a result of virus attacks or a system failure. Because of this, files cannot be seen or found even through “Search”, unless the “Show hidden files and folders” checkbox is checked. Although nothing will happen to the files themselves.
To make hidden files visible, open the “Control Panel”, then go to “Folder Options” - “View”. Next to the “Show hidden files and folders” item, check the box and click OK. After this, sometimes the lost file is immediately found on the desktop. Or you can find it by searching by extension or name, as we discussed earlier.
Search files by their content
For example, if you lose text documents from Microsoft Office Word, Notepad, OpenOffice or other programs. When working with text, some of the content is still stored in the user’s memory. Therefore, in the search, enter part of the text, press Enter and find the desired document.
Although you should keep in mind that on an old and slow computer, the search process may take a long time. Upgrading your PC is something you can think about while you wait for the results.
Total Commander for easy search of necessary files
A popular and convenient file manager that allows you to quickly search for files on your computer using several parameters simultaneously - extension, name, content. To do this, you need to set the search location in the program (for example, C:), then go to “Commands” and “Search files” (or press the hotkey combination Alt+F7).