Finding anything on your computer shouldn’t feel like digging for buried treasure. Windows File Explorer offers a built-in search bar, but sometimes it seems to miss more than it finds. Thankfully, you can use Windows File Explorer search syntax.

In this article, I will show you how to improve your file search experience on Windows by using advanced search syntax and more.

Advanced Search Syntax in Windows File Explorer

You can improve your file search experience on Windows by employing advanced search syntax options. These options enable you to tailor your search queries, resulting in more accurate and relevant results. These are some of the most helpful advanced search syntax choices in Windows File Explorer.

Searching by file extension

If you know what kind of file you are looking for, you can use the asterisk (*) wildcard character followed by the file extension to narrow down your search. For example, if you are looking for a PDF file that contains the word “report”, you can type in “report *.pdf” in the search bar. Alternatively, you can use the type: operator followed by the file extension to achieve the same result. For example, “report type:pdf”.

Searching by file type

The kind: syntax in Windows File Explorer allows you to search for files based on their type, such as documents, pictures, music, videos, etc. To use the kind: syntax, you need to type it in the search box of the file explorer, followed by a colon and the file type you want to find.

Examples:

kind:folder to find folders only.

kind:email to find email files (e.g., .eml, .msg).

kind:music to find music files (e.g., .mp3, .wav).

kind:picture to find image files (e.g., .jpg, .png).

kind:document to find document files (e.g., .docx, .pdf).

kind:video to find video files (e.g., .mp4, .mov).

How to use store: syntax in Windows File Explorer

While Windows File Explorer doesn’t have a built-in store: syntax for general searching, it does have a mechanism for searching within specific data stores or locations, primarily in the context of Windows Search.

To search within a specific app’s data or store, use store: followed by the app’s name or identifier.

Examples:

store:outlook to search within Outlook email content and attachments.

store:notes (if configured) to search within Lotus Notes data.

Other apps might have their own store names for searching, but this functionality isn’t always well-documented or user-friendly.

Applying filters

If you want to filter your search results by date, size, or other attributes, you can use various filters in your search query. These filters allow you to specify a range or a condition for your search criteria.

For example, if you are looking for a document modified in the last week, you can type “report datemodified:this week” in the search bar. If you are looking for a document that is larger than 1 MB, you can type in “report size:>1MB”. You can also use multiple filters together to further refine your search results.

Using boolean operators

If you want to combine multiple keywords or phrases in your search query, you can use boolean operators like AND, OR, and NOT. These operators allow you to specify whether you want to include or exclude certain terms from your search results.

For example, if you are looking for a document that contains both the words “report” and “summary”, you can type in “report AND summary” in the search bar. 

If you want to find files that are either music or video files modified within the last week, use the parentheses and syntax “(kind:music OR kind:video) AND datemodified:lastweek”.

No Need to Remember Windows File Explorer Search Syntax

Windows search tools in File Explorer can help you use these search syntax. Here are some steps to use them:

Step 1. Open File Explorer from the taskbar or the Start menu, or press the Windows logo key + E.

Step 2. Click on the search box on the top right, the Search tab for Search Tools in the ribbon will be available

Step 3. Now you can click Kind, Size, Other properties, and Date modified to add advanced syntax in your file search. 

If you want to search by file contents, you can click the Advanced options to enable it in Windows 10/11. 

Limitations and Challenges with Windows File Explorer Search

While using advanced search syntax options can improve your file search experience on Windows, they still have some limitations and challenges. In that case, you may want to use Findstr commands or an alternative app for faster file search. Some of these limitations and challenges are:

Inconsistency: Windows may disregard or misinterpret some of your search terms, returning different results depending on how you type them.

Compatibility: Using advanced search syntax options may not work with all file types or apps. Some file formats or programs may use proprietary metadata or indexing methods that Windows does not recognize or support.

Performance: Depending on the intricacy of your search query and the amount of files involved, Windows may take longer to complete your request and use more system resources. Especially, when you click This PC to search your entire computer for a file.

Use AnyTXT for Quick File Search

If you are looking for a more powerful and efficient file search alternative for Windows, consider AnyTXT. It is a versatile and lightweight file search tool that can help you find any file on your hard drive in seconds. It supports various file formats, such as PDF, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, TXT, HTML, and more, and allows you to perform quick and accurate file searches with advanced search options.

Some of the key features of AnyTXT are:

– Fast indexing: AnyTXT can index your files in the background without affecting your system performance. It can scan your hard drive and create a searchable database of your files in minutes. You can also customize the indexing settings to include or exclude certain folders or file types from your index.

Quick search: AnyTXT can search your files in seconds using its powerful search engine. You can type in any keyword or phrase in the search bar and get instant results. You can also use advanced search options, such as boolean operators, filters, wildcards, and more, to refine your search results.

Customizable search options: AnyTXT can offer more customizable search options than Windows File Explorer because it uses its own search engine instead of following Windows’ default rules. You can use advanced search options, such as boolean operators, filters, wildcards, and more, to refine your search results according to your needs and preferences.

User-friendly interface: AnyTXT has a simple and intuitive user interface that makes it easy to use. You can access AnyTXT from the system tray or by pressing a hotkey. You can also preview your files in the search results window or open them with their default applications.

Conclusion

Mastering Windows File Explorer search syntax can help you improve your file search experience on Windows. However, it is slow and hard to use.

If you are looking for a more powerful and efficient file search alternative for Windows, you might want to consider AnyTXT. It is a versatile and lightweight file search tool that can help you find any file on your hard drive in seconds. It supports various file formats and allows you to perform quick and accurate file searches with advanced search options.