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Quick Answer

Press the Windows Key and simply start typing the name of the app, file, or setting you are looking for. You do not need to click a search box first. Press Enter to open the top result.

How to Use Windows Search to Find Files, Apps, and Settings ​

Applies to: Windows 11, Windows 10
Article Type: How-To
Last Updated: 2026-05-17

Summary ​

This article shows you how to use Windows Search to quickly find files, applications, system settings, and email messages. It covers the Start menu search bar, File Explorer search, advanced search operators, and how to manage indexing options for faster results.

Prerequisites ​

  • Windows 11 or Windows 10.
  • Files you want to search must be stored on a local drive, OneDrive, or a mapped network location.
  • No admin rights are required for any step in this article.

Instructions ​

1. Search from the Start Menu or Taskbar ​

The fastest way to find anything on your computer is the Start menu search bar.

  1. Press the Windows key on your keyboard, or click the Search icon (magnifying glass) on the taskbar.
  2. Start typing what you are looking for. Examples:
    • An app name: Excel, Notepad, Snipping Tool
    • A setting: Bluetooth, default browser, display resolution
    • A file name: Q3 Budget, meeting notes
  3. Results appear instantly, grouped into categories: Best match, Apps, Documents, Web, Settings, and More.
  4. Click the result you want to open it. To see all results for a category, click the category header.

Tip: You do not need to type the full name. Typing the first few letters is usually enough for Windows to find the correct result.

2. Search for Files in File Explorer ​

File Explorer search lets you search within a specific folder or drive for more targeted results.

  1. Open File Explorer by pressing Windows + E.
  2. Navigate to the folder or drive you want to search. The search only looks within the selected location and its subfolders.
  3. Click the Search box in the top-right corner of the File Explorer window (or press Ctrl + E).
  4. Type your search term and press Enter.
  5. Results populate in the main pane. Click any file to open it, or right-click and select Open file location to navigate to the folder containing the file.

Verification: The search results list shows file names, locations, and dates modified. Double-click any result to confirm it is the correct file.

3. Use Search Operators for Precision ​

Search operators let you narrow results by file type, date, size, or other properties. Type these directly into the File Explorer search box.

Filter by File Type ​

Use the kind: operator to search only for specific file types:

OperatorWhat It Finds
kind:documentWord, PDF, and text files
kind:spreadsheetExcel workbooks and CSV files
kind:presentationPowerPoint files
kind:pictureImages (JPEG, PNG, GIF, etc.)
kind:videoVideo files (MP4, AVI, MOV, etc.)
kind:emailEmails indexed from Outlook
kind:folderFolders only

Example: To find all PowerPoint files containing the word "budget," type: budget kind:presentation

Filter by Date ​

Use the date: or datemodified: operator to narrow by time:

  • datemodified:today — Files changed today.
  • datemodified:this week — Files changed this week.
  • datemodified:last month — Files changed last month.
  • date:>2026-01-01 — Files created or modified after January 1, 2026.

Example: report datemodified:this week kind:document

Filter by File Size ​

Use the size: operator to find large files consuming disk space:

  • size:empty — 0 KB
  • size:small — 1–16 KB
  • size:medium — 16 KB–1 MB
  • size:large — 1–128 MB
  • size:huge — 128 MB–1 GB
  • size:gigantic — Greater than 1 GB

Example: size:gigantic finds all files over 1 GB — useful for freeing up disk space.

Filter by File Extension ​

Use ext: to search for a specific file extension:

  • ext:.pdf — PDF files only.
  • ext:.xlsx — Excel files only.
  • ext:.docx — Word documents only.

Example: invoice ext:.pdf datemodified:this month

4. Use Search Filters in the File Explorer Toolbar ​

Windows 11 provides clickable filter buttons as an alternative to typing operators manually.

  1. Open File Explorer and click the Search box.
  2. Click Search options in the toolbar that appears at the top.
  3. Select from the available filters:
    • Date modified: Choose a date range (Today, This week, This month, This year).
    • Kind: Select a file type category.
    • Size: Select a size range.
    • Other properties: Filter by author, tags, or other metadata.
  4. The filter is applied to your search automatically. You can combine multiple filters.

Verification: The search box displays your active filters as text. For example, selecting "This week" adds datemodified:this week to the search box.

5. Search for Settings Directly ​

Windows Search indexes all system settings, so you can find and open any setting without navigating menus.

  1. Press the Windows key and type a description of what you want to change. Examples:
    • night light — Opens the Night Light (blue light filter) setting.
    • default apps — Opens the Default Apps page.
    • mouse pointer size — Opens the Mouse Pointer accessibility setting.
    • proxy — Opens the Proxy settings page.
    • storage — Opens the Storage management page.
  2. Click the matching Settings result to open it directly.

Tip: This is often faster than manually navigating through Settings > System > Display > etc. Think of it as a shortcut to any setting.

6. Manage Search Indexing Options ​

Windows indexes certain folders (such as your user profile and Start menu) by default. If search is not finding files in specific locations, you can add those locations to the index.

  1. Press Windows + I to open Settings.
  2. Click Privacy & security > Searching Windows.
  3. Under Find my files, choose one of the following:
    • Classic — Indexes only your Desktop, Documents, Pictures, Music, and Videos folders. Faster, but may miss files stored elsewhere.
    • Enhanced — Indexes your entire computer (excluding system folders). More comprehensive, but the initial indexing takes longer.
  4. To add specific folders to the Classic index, scroll down and click Customize search locations here (this opens the legacy Indexing Options control panel).
  5. Click Modify, check the folders you want to index, and click OK.
  6. Close Settings. Windows rebuilds the index in the background — this may take several minutes to a few hours depending on the number of files.

Verification: After the index rebuilds, search for a file from one of your newly indexed folders. It will appear in search results.

Troubleshooting ​

INFO

Windows Search depends on the Windows Search service running in the background. If search is completely non-functional, this service may need to be restarted. Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open Task Manager, click the Services tab, find WSearch, right-click it, and select Restart.

Symptom / ErrorPotential CauseSolution
Search returns no results for known filesFile location not indexedOpen Settings > Privacy & security > Searching Windows and switch to Enhanced indexing, or add the folder manually.
Search is very slowIndex is being rebuiltWait for indexing to complete. Check progress in Settings > Privacy & security > Searching Windows — it shows the number of items indexed.
Start menu search shows only web resultsLocal index not workingOpen Settings > Privacy & security > Searching Windows > Advanced indexing options > Advanced > Rebuild to recreate the search index.
File Explorer search box is missingFile Explorer in compact mode or bugMaximize the File Explorer window. If still missing, press Ctrl + E to activate the search box. Restart File Explorer via Task Manager if needed.
Search does not find Outlook emailsOutlook not added to indexOpen Indexing Options (search for it in the Start menu), click Modify, and ensure Microsoft Outlook is checked.