If you use Windows, you may find it difficult to locate the files you want. The default search tool in Windows is slow, unreliable, and frequently produces irrelevant results. In that case, you want a more effective Windows file search utility.

A file search utility is a piece of software that allows you to quickly and conveniently locate files on your computer. It can index the whole system, search within files, and filter using multiple criteria, among other things. In this post, I will show you 5 free file search tools for searching for your documents, images, movies, and other data on Windows 11/10.

AnyTXT

AnyTXT is a flexible and lightweight Windows file search tool. It accepts a variety of file types, including PDF, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, ePub, HTML, TXT, and others. It can index your files rapidly and automatically update them. It also offers a basic and user-friendly UI.

Follow these steps to use AnyTXT for efficient file searches:

Step 1.  Get AnyTXT from its official website and install it.

Step 2. Start AnyTXT and let it index your files. Enter your search terms into the search box and hit Enter.

Step 3. Click the Go button to start the search.

The search results will be shown in the main windows. You may sort them by name, path, size, type, or modification date. You may also double-click any result to open it or right-click to get more choices.

By default, you will also have a quick preview of the file you select in the right window. You may also use the advanced search option to include other criteria like file properties or content matching.

AnyTXT includes various unique search features that set it apart from other file search software.

• You may mix numerous keywords or phrases by using operators (AND, OR, NOT).
• Quick file indexing and searching by content.
• OCR image search to locate images.
• Fuzzy search may be used to locate similar terms or mistakes in your keywords or file contents.
• You may use proximity search to locate terms in your keywords or file contents that are near to each other.

Everything

Everything is a powerful file search program for Windows 10/11. It can quickly index the system and display all files and directories matching your keywords. It includes a simple and intuitive user interface that allows you to execute rapid and accurate file searches.

Follow these instructions to utilize Everything for rapid and exact file searches:

Step 1.  Download Everything from the official website and install it.

Step 2.  Open Everything and type your search terms into the search box to locate a file or folder.  You may also use the Advanced Search from the Search menu for complex searches.

Step 3. The search results will be shown in the main window. You may sort them by name, path, size, type, or modification date. You may also double-click any result to open it, or right-click to get more choices.

Everything has advanced search features compared to the Windows built-in file search, making it a robust file search engine. As an example:

• Content searching in the latest 1.4 version.
• Rename multiple files in one go.
• Check searching history and bookmarks.
• Search for duplicate files.

Everything is a quick and accurate file search program that can quickly locate any file or folder on your computer.

Agent Ransack

Agent Ransack is a strong and free Windows file search program. It can search within files, including PDF, Word, Excel, and other file types. It also supports regular expressions and file content searches. It includes an extensive and customizable user interface that allows you to conduct successful file searches.

Follow these procedures to employ Agent Ransack for successful file searches:

Step 1. Download Agent Ransack from its official website and install it.

Step 2.  Enter your keywords in the File name and Containing text boxes of Agent Ransack. You may also combine search terms using familiar Boolean operators AND, OR, or NOT.

Step 3. To begin your search, click the Start button. The search results will be shown in the main window. You may sort them by name, path, size, type, or modification date. You may also double-click any result to open it, or right-click to get more choices.

Agent Ransack offers various innovative capabilities that set it apart from other file search applications. As an example:

• Regular expressions can be used to match complicated patterns in keywords or file contents.
•  Restricted Version for contexts where end-users are not permitted to search their local PC.
•  Boolean expressions can be used to combine numerous keywords or phrases using logical operators (AND, OR, NOT).

Listary

Listary is a powerful search engine with extensive functionality. It can search in real-time as you write and interface with a variety of file managers, including Windows Explorer, Total Commander, XYplorer, and others. It also includes a sophisticated and attractive user interface that allows for quick file searches.

Refer to the following steps to see how to use Listary for quick file discovery:

Step 1. Download Listary from its official website and install it on Windows 11/10/7.

Step 2. Open Windows File Explorer and press Ctrl twice. Enter your search terms and hit Enter. Use keywords like name:, ext:, or loc: for advanced searches.

Step 3. Explore Listary’s settings for customization options and custom actions, favorites, and quick switches for more functionality.

Listary includes various additional capabilities that set it apart from other file search applications. As an example:

•  You may do real-time searches while typing without opening any windows or dialog boxes.
•  Listary can be integrated with multiple file managers and its functions may be accessed from inside them.
•  You may execute actions on your files right from the search box by using commands (such as copy:, move:, rename:).
• You may search for certain file kinds or categories by using keywords (for example, music:, video:, doc:).
•  Projects (such as work:, home:, and school:) can be used to establish bespoke search scopes for distinct folders or drives.

SearchMyFiles

SearchMyFiles is a portable and customized Windows file search application. It does not need to be installed and may be executed from any folder or disk. It also has a plethora of additional search options for fine-tuning your file searches.

Follow these steps to use SearchMyFiles for specific file search needs:

Step 1. Download SearchMyFiles from its official website and extract it to a folder or disk of your choice.

Step 2. Start SearchMyFiles and type your search terms into the Base folder and Files wildcard boxes. .

Step 3. Adjust search filters like file size, date, or file attributes as needed.

Step 4. Click on “Start Search” to initiate the search process.

SearchMyFiles features extensive search capabilities as a Windows file search program:

• You may search in many locations and file kinds at the same time by using multiple base folders and wildcards.
•  You may exclude particular directories, files, or extensions from your search results by using exclude filters.
•  You may categorize your results by folder, extension, or size using summary mode.
•  Use duplicate mode to locate duplicate files on your system.

Selecting the Best File Search Utility

The best software to search files in computer is determined by your unique tastes and demands. There is no such thing as a one-size-fits-all solution for file searching. However, while choosing a file search application, you should consider the following factors:

•  Indexing and searching speed: How quickly can the program index and search your files?
•  Indexing capabilities: How extensive and up-to-date is the tool’s file index?
•  User interface: How simple is the tool’s user interface?
•  Customization possibilities: How much can you change about the tool’s settings and appearance?
•  Additional features: Aside from file searching, what other functions does the utility provide?

You may compare the speed and functionality of several file search programs.

Conclusion

Any Windows user must be able to search for files. The default Windows search tool, on the other hand, is inefficient and unreliable. That is why you want a superior file search software that can assist you in swiftly and simply locating any file on your computer.

I have shown you five effective file search applications for Windows users in this post. Among them, AnyTXT offers fast file searching and indexing. I hope this post has assisted you in locating the finest file search software for your requirements.