Advanced Windows Search Features Print

  • 3

The search bar found in your Windows Explorer window offers an amazing amount of flexibility for performing advanced searches on files and folders on your computer.  Unfortunately the interface for performing advanced searches is very limited, so you need to learn a few commands.

Here are a few examples of advanced searches:

Match files or folders begining with the word "Help"
name:~<"Help"

Match only folders begining with the word "Help"
name:~<"Help" type:folder

Match only folders containing the letters "Help"
name:~="Help" type:folder

Match any folder NOT matching the word "Help"
name:<>"Help" type:folder

Here is a quick article for understanding the basics:
http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows7/advanced-tips-for-searching-in-windows

Here is a complete list of the available parameters:
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa965711%28VS.85%29.aspx

And an article discussing the parameters:
http://blogs.technet.com/b/danstolts/archive/2011/06/08/taming-windows-7-search-syntax-knowing-the-syntax-makes-all-the-difference.aspx


Was this answer helpful?

« Back