You may have saved a lot of files on your Windows 10/11 PC. Normally, you can search files by name to locate a specific file. What if you can’t remember its file name? In that case, you can search the content of files in Windows 10. Here are 3 ways to do it.
You can search through the file content from the Start Menu Search or File Explorer. This feature is disabled by default. You can easily enable it for convenience. If you prefer the command line, you can also search text in files from the command line. Sounds interesting? Keep reading to learn how.
Windows Search Content
As mentioned, it is possible to search file content in Windows 10 from Start Menu Search or File Explorer. If you are unable to do so, then it is because that feature is turned off by default. So, in order to use this feature, you need to enable this feature.
To enable searching content of files in Windows 10:
Step 1. Type “Indexing options” in the Windows Search Bar and select Indexing Options from the results.
Step 2. From the Indexing Options window, click Advanced at the bottom.
Step 3. Under Advanced Options, click on the File types tab. You can see all the extensions are selected by default. If the file extension that you want to search the content of is not listed here, you can add a new extension to the list at the bottom.
Step 4. Check the option Indexed Properties and File contents option and click OK to confirm.
After your confirmation, Windows will start to rebuild indexing. Once complete, you can now find text in file on Windows 10.
Step 5. Press Windows + E to open File Explorer.
Step 6. Navigate to the directory where you want to start the search. If you have no idea, just click This PC, which will take longer.
Step 7. You will see a search box in the right top corner. Type the text in the search box you want to search the content of the available files. Wait for the results to appear.
The results will include both the content of files and the file name that contains the text that you searched. Additionally, you can use Windows File Explorer search syntax for more convenience.
Most users, if not all, will think the File Explorer search is slow even with index properties only. Now, you are trying to search index properties and file contents, it is going to be even slower. If you want Windows to search inside files faster, keep reading to find better alternatives.
String Search text in files Windows 10 command line
Findstr is a built-in feature in Windows 10 command line search for files. You can search individual files or the entire directory with your search query. To learn all the parameters, you can simply run the “findstr /?” command from an elevated command prompt.
You can refer to the steps below to use Windows 10 command line file search.
Step 1. Open an elevated command prompt. You can type “CMD” in the Windows search bar and press Enter. In the listed results, right-click on Command Prompt and select “Run as an Administrator”.
Step 2. Refer to the syntax to type your command to start the search.
Syntax:
FINDSTR string(s) [pathname(s)] [/R] [/C:”string”] [/G:StringsFile] [/F:file] [/D:DirList] [/A:color] [/OFF[LINE]] [options]
Some examples:
Searches the document windows.txt under D:/Documents/ folder for the string “Windows 10”
findstr /c:/documents/ “windows 10” windows.txt
Searches any file under d:\documents for the string “windows”.
findstr “windows” d:\documents\*.*
Search for the occurrence of all words ending with ‘xyz’ in every txt file under D:/Documents/ including all subdirectories.
findstr /R /S [a-z]*xyz d:\documents\*.txt
Useful parameters:
- /? — display the help text
- /S — searches the directory and all subdirectories
- /I — search is not case sensitive
- /R — use search strings as regular expressions
- /B — matches patterns at the beginning of lines
- /P — skip files with non-printable characters
Findstr is quite powerful in terms of searching the content of files because you can search and filter results with the above parameters. You can also use regular expressions and wildcards to match all kinds of situations.
If you don’t know anything about regular expressions and wildcards, I would suggest you try a third-party program Anytxt. It comes with a concise interface and multiple features.
AnyTXT
Anytxt Searcher is a free, powerful local document and text search tool for Windows that is much faster than the built-in Windows Search. It works like the local disk version of the Google search engine. It’s the best full-text search engine for desktop files.
With a powerful document parsing engine, Anytxt Searcher can extract any text of common documents without the need for additional software. By harnessing the built-in high-speed indexing system, Anytxt makes it easy to locate any files based on the file content, filename, file type, etc.
Time is precocious. You don’t want to waste it on searching local files, so you should try Anytxt to see how fast it can get your files according to your request. It is completely free without limitations. You can refer to the steps below to see how it works.
Step 1. Free download, and install Anytxt. Click to free download Anytxt. It is available for Windows 7/10/11.
Step 2. Open Anytxt Searcher, and enter any term in the search box on the left.
Step 3. Click the “+” icon on the top left to filter search directories and file types if needed. Wildcards are supported here.
Step 4. Click the “Go” button on the left, or press Enter to start searching the content of files. Instantly, all the match files will be listed here.
Hover your mouse on any result for 1 second and it will show you the matched text. Anytxt also offers translation features. In addition, you can also quickly start an Anytext search in File Explorer. You can right on any directory and select “Anytxt Search” to search any content in that directory.
If you need an OCR image search, you can download the Anytxt Searcher OCR installer to search text in images on Windows.
Conclusion
These 3 ways to search the content of files in Windows have been tested working in 2024. File Explorer search is the most convenient way, but the slowest. Findster is much faster than File Explorer search but the learning curve can stop many users. All in all, Anytxt is best for search the content of files in terms of speed and ease of use.
How to Search a File by Content in Windows 11 ?
In this article, I will show you the easiest ways to search your files in Windows 10 and 11.
1. Taskbar search
With Windows Taskbar, you can rapidly search for files in your indexed folders. Besides the document search, you can also use it to search for settings, applications, emails, folders, and different types of files – images, music, videos, and others.
Here is a quick guide on how to search with the Taskbar:
- Click on the search bar at the bottom left of your screen or press the Windows key.
- Type your keywords.
If you want to display only the documents, click the «Documents» tab.
Click the «More» tab to display a specific category of files like Music, Photos, Videos, and more.
It is important to mention that the Taskbar allows you to search only the indexed folders. In the Windows Indexing section, you can see how to add a folder to the index so that you can search it with the Taskbar.
2. File Explorer
File Explorer is the built-in file manager in Windows. It offers many functional capabilities for searching your files and folders.
Search by file name
1. Open the folder you want to search. If you choose «This PC,» you will search all drives on your computer.
2. Click on the search box and type the name or part of the name of the file you are looking for.
The more files in the folder, the longer it will take for the search to complete.
Search file contents
You can also use File Explorer to search the text content of files. If you want to find a document whose name you don’t remember, search for words you think are in the file’s contents.
To search the text of the documents:
- In Windows 10, click on «Advanced options» -> «File Contents.»
- In Windows 11, type the search words and click on the «Search options» -> «File Contents.»
Windows 10
Windows 11
This helpful feature also has some disadvantages compared to the external search tools:
- Finding all the files takes a long time, especially in a large folder.
- You can’t see the found text until you open the file and search for the same words again.
Windows indexing
When searching for files in Windows, you will mainly use File Explorer and Taskbar. While the File Explorer can search any folder, the Taskbar is limited to indexed folders only.
Indexed folders are pre-read and cataloged by your computer, so you get fast results when you search through their contents. Non-indexed folders need to be read by your computer on every search, which makes the process very slow for folders with large numbers of files.
This is why you might consider indexing your important folders.
By default, Windows indexes only the Pictures, Documents, Music, and Desktop folders (including subfolders).
You can add to the index any folder you like by following these steps:
- On the Taskbar, type «Windows Search settings» to open the Search settings.
- In Windows 10, click «Customize search locations here» under the «Classic» menu.
In Windows 11, click on «Advanced indexing options.»
- Click the «Modify» button.
- Locate all the folders you want to add to the index and select each with the checkbox.
- Click «OK» — «Close.»
If you want to index your entire PC, under the «Find My Files» menu, check «Enhanced.»
When you have selected this option, you can add some folders to exclude them from the index by clicking on «Add an excluded folder.»
Search options
Once you’ve clicked in the search box and typed the search words, you’ll see the various options you can apply to your search.
Search in subfolders – Check or uncheck this option to include or exclude subfolders.
Windows 10
Windows 11
Filter by date modified – Click the «Date modified» button and select a date. For example, if you check today’s date, only files that were changed today will be displayed.
Windows 10
Windows 11
File types – Select the type of files you want to search – such as photos, videos, music, games, and more.
Windows 10
Windows 11
Search by folder name – To search by folder name, select «Kind» -> «Folder.»
Search by file size – Click on the «Size» button to filter the files by size.
Windows 10
Windows 11
Search filters — you can specify the type of file you’re looking for. To specify a specific file type, type «ext: filetype» after your keywords.
To search for two or more types simultaneously, type OR between them:
You can combine multiple filters with multiple options.
You can access these filters from the search menu as well. Just head to the «Refine» section.
Sort the files — right-click the results pane and select «Sort by.»
Choose your sort criteria and the display order – whether ascending or descending.
Boolean operators
Boolean operators consist of the words «AND,» «OR,» and «NOT.» They allow you to add more conditions to your search.
You can use the Boolean operators in File Explorer. For example, if you want to search for .docx and .pdf documents containing both terms «art» and «e-commerce» and not the term «reports,» you can type:
art AND e-commerce NOT reports ext: doc OR pdf
Finally, let’s take a look at the advantages and disadvantages of File Explorer in terms of searching files.
Advantages
- You don’t need to install anything – it is built into Windows.
- It offers a wide variety of options.
- You can search in the text of the documents.
Disadvantages
- The tool doesn’t show the found text – you need to open each file separately and search for it again in the document.
- You cannot see the folder containing each file in the results.
- You cannot search for word combinations.
- Searching the text of files is slow unless you enable the indexing option.
SeekFast’s unique text search capabilities
When it comes to searching for text in your files, I recommend SeekFast — a popular and convenient program for textual search on your computer, created in 2008. It supports Windows and macOS and comes with a free and paid version.
SeekFast’s user-friendly interface and intelligent search function set it apart from similar tools. The intelligent search function allows you to search as conveniently on your computer as with web search engines such as Google and Bing. You can search for combinations of words that occur in different places in the text. SeekFast then analyzes the results and ranks the most relevant at the top, making it easy for you to find what you’re looking for.
SeekFast can search in all popular document types – MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint, PDF, WordPerfect, OpenOffice, LibreOffice, LaTeX, RTF, email files, eBook files, audio files, video files, and many types of text files, including programming language files.
Some other essential features of SeekFast are:
- Load a list of search terms from a text file.
- Save the search result to a CSV or text file.
- Sort results by relevance, date, or file name.
- Fine-tune the search using the «Case sensitive,» «Match word,» «Any of words,» and other options.
How to use SeekFast
To start using SeekFast, follow these steps:
1. Download and install SeekFast.
2. Press the «Browse» button to select a folder to search.
3. Type a search word or combination of words in the search box and click «Enter.»
4. In the search results you see both the names and folders of the found files and the sentences containing the search words. You can click on the file name to open it.
5. Click on the sentence to see a larger context without opening the file.
You can load previously searched folders instantly:
Fine-tune your search
Below the SeekFast search field is a ribbon from which you can fine-tune your SeekFast search:
- Choose how to sort results — by relevance, date, or file name.
- Search Case sensitive.
- Search by exact word match.
- «Any of words» option allows you to see all sentences in which at least one of the searched words occurs.
- Search file names — search both text and file names.
- Include subfolders — control whether the search should be only in the main folder or all its subfolders.
In addition, the «Options» menu allows you to control many other program features.
Advantages
- Intelligent search, allowing you to see the most relevant results on the top.
- You can search for combinations of words.
- The search is very fast.
- Support of all commonly used document types.
- You can sort the results by different criteria.
- Convenient and easy to use interface.
- The program has a free version.
Disadvantages
- The free version can only search up to 50 files at a time.
4. Everything
If you need to search only the names of the files, Everything is a very suitable program for you – it is fast, convenient, and is made just for this purpose.
I do not recommend Everything to search the text of your documents because it is relatively slow for this kind of search. In addition, you will not be able to see the text of the sentences found without opening the file itself.
How to use Everything
1. Download Everything.
2. When installing the program, in the «NTFS indexing» options, leave the default option «Install Everything service» so that your searches can be fast.
3. Start the program and enter the word you are looking for in the search field.
4. Click on a folder or file to open it.
Search within a specific folder
By default, Everything searches your entire PC. If you only want to search a specific folder, follow these steps:
1. Go to «Search» -> «Advanced Search.»
2. Click the «Browse» button and select the desired folder.
3. Leave «Include subfolders» checked if you want to search in subfolders.
4. Click «OK» to close the Advanced Search.
5. Type your search word to the right.
Search the text of the documents
Everything can search the text of almost all types of documents, but the search is very slow. I recommend you use it only in a specific folder with a small number of documents.
To search the text of documents, follow these steps:
1. Go to «Search» -> «Advanced Search» and select the search folder as described above.
2. In the «A word or phrase in the file» field, enter the search word.
3. Click «OK» to close Advanced Search.
Advantages
- Completely free.
- When searching by file name, it shows the found files instantly.
- The interface is simple and easy to use.
Disadvantages
- Searching the text of the files is slow.
- The tool does not show the sentences found in the text.
5. Listary
Listary is a handy tool for searching by file name on your computer. It has a free and paid version.
In addition to searching for files, with Listary, you can open applications, copy and move files between folders, and perform other operations.
How to use Listary
1. Download and install the program.
2. Open File Explorer and double-click the «Ctrl» key.
3. Enter the search word in the search box.
4. Click on the file or program you want to open.
You can add favorite folders using the icon to the right. You can also view the recently opened and modified files.
From the last icon on the right, you can display a context menu with other useful program features.
Advantages
- The tool has a free version.
- Quickly finds files and programs.
- Easily to open with a shortcut key.
Disadvantages
- The tool cannot search the text of the documents.
- The free version does not offer advanced search, filters, and other valuable features.
- There is no standard graphical interface.
6. Findstr
If you are okay with working from the command line without using a graphical interface, findstr is a good choice. It is a built-in Windows tool with excellent search capabilities, but requires some knowledge. It is similar to the grep tool in Linux. The findstr commands resemble the grep commands – you can see them in the article about searching files in Linux.
It is important to note that findstr can only search in plain text files, such as *.txt, *.html, *.xml, *.csv, and others. If you want to search complex file types such as MS Word, Excel, or PDF documents, it will not work.
The most significant advantages of findstr search are the wide range of options and the ability to use regular expressions.
To use the tool, open the Search Box, type «cmd», and click on «Command Prompt» – it is the working environment for findstr, where you will write the commands.
Search for a word in a folder
Finding a word in the text files in a folder is easy. For example, if you want to search for the word «painting» in the «books» folder located on drive D, your search should look like this:
findstr painting "D:\books\*"
Search subfolders
To search in subfolders as well, you need to add the /s option:
findstr /s painting "D:\books\*"
Search for files with a specific extension
To search only for files with a specific extension, add the extension after the asterisk. For example, to search for «.txt» files, enter:
findstr /s painting "D:\books\*.txt."
Case insensitive search
To ignore the case, use the /i option. For example, if you’re looking for «painting,» you’ll also find «Painting»:
findstr /s /i painting "D:\books\*"
Write the line number
If you want to see the line number in which the search word is located, add the /n option:
findstr /s /i /n painting "D:\books\*"
You can find more useful information on using findstr in the official findstr user guide.
Advantages
- You do not need to install anything as the program is built into Windows.
- You have a wide variety of search options.
- You can use regular expressions.
Disadvantages
- There is no graphical interface.
- The tool can only search text files.
- Knowledge of command line options is required to work with the program.
7. Conclusion
I hope this short guide to searching for files in Windows was helpful to you.
If you’re running macOS, make sure to check out our article about searching on Mac.
Now I would like to hear from you – which task do you have to do more often?
Which of these programs is most convenient for you?
Let me know by leaving a comment below!
About the author
Borets is a specialist in electronics and software technologies from Sofia, Bulgaria. In his articles, he tries to explain as synthesized as possible the most helpful things in using software tools.
Searching for specific file contents is a handy feature in any operating system, and Windows 11 offers a straightforward method to do so. Whether you’re looking for a specific phrase in a document or searching for a particular word in a text file, Windows 11’s search functionality can save you time and effort. In this tutorial, we’ll guide you through the steps to search file contents on Windows 11.
Step 1: Open File Explorer by clicking on the folder icon located on the taskbar or by pressing the Windows key + E on your keyboard.
Step 2: In the File Explorer window, navigate to the directory where you want to search for file contents. For example, if you want to search for a specific phrase in your Documents folder, select Documents in the left-hand navigation pane.
Step 3: Once you’re in the desired directory, click on the search bar located at the top-right corner of the File Explorer window.
Step 4: Type the keyword or phrase you want to search for within the files’ contents. As you type, Windows 11 will start displaying the search results in real-time.
Step 5: Once the search results are displayed, you can click on a specific file to open it or right-click on a file to access additional options like copying the file path or opening the file location.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| 1. Convenient way to locate specific content within files. | 1. May require indexing files for faster search results, which can consume system resources. |
| 2. Real-time search results, allowing you to see matches as you type. | 2. Limited to searching within the supported file types. |
| 3. Easy to use and accessible within the native File Explorer. | 3. Results might not be as comprehensive or accurate compared to specialized search tools. |
Searching file contents on Windows 11 can be a time-saving and efficient way to find the information you need within your files. Whether you’re a student searching for specific details in your notes or a professional looking for a particular code snippet, Windows 11’s file content search feature has got you covered. Give it a try and experience the convenience it offers.
Video Tutorial: How do I search files in Windows 11 with a specific date range?
How do I search for contents in Windows 11 not working?
If you’re experiencing issues with the content search feature in Windows 11, here are some steps you can follow to troubleshoot the problem:
1. Restart your computer: Sometimes, a simple restart can resolve minor software glitches or temporary issues.
2. Check for Windows updates: Ensure that your Windows 11 operating system is up to date with the latest patches and updates released by Microsoft. Outdated software can cause compatibility issues and affect various features, including content search.
3. Check Indexing settings: Make sure that the folders you want to search within are included in the indexing settings. Here’s how you can check:
a. Open the Start menu and search for «Indexing options» and open it.
b. Click on the «Modify» button and ensure that the folders containing the content you want to search in are selected.
c. If the folders are not listed, click on the «Show all locations» button and check the boxes next to the correct folders.
d. Click «OK» to save the changes.
4. Rebuild the search index: If the search problem persists, you can try rebuilding the search index. Here’s how:
a. Open the Indexing Options as explained in step 3 above.
b. Click on the «Advanced» button.
c. In the Advanced Options window, switch to the «Index Settings» tab and click on the «Rebuild» button under the Troubleshooting section.
d. Click «OK» and wait for the search index to be rebuilt (this may take some time).
5. Run the Windows Search troubleshooter: Windows 11 includes a built-in troubleshooter that can automatically detect and fix issues related to search functionality. Follow these steps:
a. Open the Settings app by pressing Windows key + I on your keyboard.
b. Select «System» and then click on the «Troubleshoot» tab in the left menu.
c. Scroll down and click on «Other troubleshooters.«
d. Under Find and fix other problems, locate «Search and indexing» and click on it.
e. Follow the on-screen instructions to run the troubleshooter and apply any recommended fixes.
6. Consider third-party search alternatives: If the built-in search functionality in Windows 11 continues to give you trouble, you may want to explore alternative search tools, such as Everything or Agent Ransack. These software options provide powerful and efficient search capabilities.
Remember to check official Microsoft forums or support pages for further guidance or assistance specific to your issue, as there may be known issues or updates from Microsoft addressing these problems.
Why is there no search bar on Windows 11?
Windows 11 introduced several changes to the user interface, including the absence of a traditional search bar in the taskbar. Here are some reasons why Microsoft may have made this design choice:
1. Centralized Search: Microsoft has shifted the search functionality to the Start menu in Windows 11. By doing so, they have consolidated the search experience into one location, creating a more streamlined and focused interface. Users can simply click on the Start button or press the Windows key on their keyboard to access the search feature.
2. Simplified Taskbar: Windows 11 aims to provide a cleaner and more centered taskbar experience. Removing the search bar allows for a more visually consistent layout, promoting a decluttered and minimalist design approach. This decision aligns with Microsoft’s goal of modernizing the overall user interface and optimizing the user experience.
3. Enhanced Search Integration: While the search bar may not be visible on the taskbar, Windows 11 brings improved search functionalities. The Start menu now includes an integrated search box, enabling users to search for files, applications, settings, and online content seamlessly. Additionally, the revamped Microsoft Store provides a dedicated search option for finding and installing apps.
4. Increased Focus on Microsoft 365 Web Integration: Windows 11 emphasizes cloud-based productivity and connectivity. The absence of a search bar on the taskbar may encourage users to leverage Microsoft 365 web services for searching and accessing their documents, emails, calendars, and other online resources. Integrating the search functionality within the Start menu supports this web-centric approach.
5. Customization and Flexibility: Windows 11 offers users more flexibility in customizing their taskbar layout. While the search bar is not present by default, users can choose to enable it or customize the taskbar to their preferences. Adding or removing the search bar from the taskbar can be done through the settings, allowing users to tailor their desktop experience according to their needs.
It’s important to note that Microsoft’s decisions regarding the design and features of Windows 11 are based on various usability studies, market trends, and a desire to adapt to the evolving technological landscape. The absence of a search bar on the Windows 11 taskbar represents a deliberate design choice aimed at enhancing productivity and providing an improved user experience.
How do I turn on search indexing in Windows 11?
To turn on search indexing in Windows 11, follow these steps:
1. Open the Settings app. You can do this by clicking on the Start button, selecting the gear icon for Settings, or by using the keyboard shortcut Windows key + I.
2. In the Settings app, click on the «System» category.
3. On the left side of the System settings, click on «Storage«.
4. In the Storage settings, click on the «Advanced storage settings» link.
5. Scroll down to find the «Indexing Options» and click on it.
6. In the Indexing Options window, click on the «Modify» button.
7. A new window will open with a list of included locations for indexing. By default, the main drive (usually C:) is indexed. However, you can click on the «Show all locations» button to include additional drives or specific folders for indexing.
8. Check the box next to the location(s) you want to include in the search index.
9. Click on the «OK» button to save the changes.
10. You may see a warning message that indexing will take some time to complete. Click on the «OK» button to proceed.
11. Finally, close the Indexing Options window.
After following these steps, search indexing will be enabled on your Windows 11 computer. This will allow the operating system to index the contents of the selected locations, making it faster and easier to search for files, apps, and other information on your computer.
How do I view the contents of a file?
To view the contents of a file, you can follow these steps:
1. Locate the file: Find the file on your device or within the file explorer/finder. It may be saved in a specific folder or directory.
2. Determine the file type: Identify the file extension to understand which program or app you need to open it. Different file types require specific software to view them.
3. Choose the appropriate application: Once you know the file type, select the appropriate application or software to open it. For example, if it is a text document, you can use a word processing program like Microsoft Word or Google Docs.
4. Open the file: Double-click on the file to launch it with the chosen application. If the application is already open, you can navigate to the «File» menu and select «Open» to choose the file you want to view.
5. Read the file contents: After the file is opened, you can read its contents within the application. Use the available tools and controls to navigate through the document, such as scroll bars, zoom options, or search functionalities.
6. Modify or save the file (optional): If necessary, you can make changes to the file using the editing features provided by the application. Remember to save any modifications you make by selecting the «Save» or «Save As» option in the file menu.
It’s worth noting that the specific steps may vary slightly depending on the operating system, file type, and applications installed on your device. However, the general process outlined above should guide you in viewing the contents of most files on various platforms.
How do I search for a specific file type?
To search for a specific file type on your computer, you can follow these steps:
1. Open the File Explorer or Finder on your computer. On Windows, you can do this by clicking on the folder icon in the taskbar, while on macOS, you can click on the Finder icon in the dock.
2. Once the File Explorer or Finder window is open, you will see a search box at the top right or top center of the window. This is where you can enter your search query.
3. To search for a specific file type, you can use the file extension in your search query. For example, if you want to search for all PDF files, you can type «*.pdf» (without quotes) in the search box. The asterisk (*) is a wildcard character that represents any combination of characters before the file extension. This search query will look for all files that end with «.pdf«.
4. As you type the search query, the File Explorer or Finder will start filtering the results in real-time. You should see the files matching your search criteria appearing in the file list.
5. If you want to refine your search further, you can combine the file extension with other search terms. For example, if you are looking for PDF files related to a specific topic, you can enter something like «keyword *.pdf» in the search box. Replace «keyword» with your desired search term.
6. Depending on your operating system, you may have additional search options available. For example, on Windows, you can use the Search Tools tab in the File Explorer to filter the search results by file size, date modified, and other criteria.
By using these steps, you should be able to effectively search for specific file types on your computer without relying on third-party software or complex commands.
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This opens the Windows Search box.
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A list of matching results will appear.
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It should be the first result in the list (and it may be the only result).
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It’s the button at the bottom of the window. Depending on your settings, you may also be asked to confirm the action or enter your administrator password.
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It’s near the top of the window. A list of file types on your computer will appear.
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It’s the second radio button beneath the list of file types.
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Windows will now begin to index the text within your documents instead of just their titles. Now that you’ve made this change, you can search for a file by typing some of the words it contains.
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This opens the search box. Now you’ll try searching for a file based on some of its text.
- You can also search using the File Explorer (which you can launch by pressing ⊞ Win+E). Just type your search criteria into the search bar at the top-right corner of the window.
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Windows will return a list of files that contain the text you entered.
- This tool will only return exact matches. Make sure all spaces and symbols are in the correct places, and that you’ve made no spelling mistakes.
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The file should open in its default application, such as Microsoft Word or Notepad.
- See this method to learn how to search the currently-open document for a string of text.
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This method should work for the majority of text/word processing applications, including Microsoft Word and Notepad.
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This opens the Find or Find and Replace dialog.
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Be specific—this tool will only return exact matches. Make sure all spaces and symbols are in the correct places, and that you’ve made no spelling mistakes.
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The application should now display the text you searched for highlighted in a different color. If no matching text is found, you’ll see a message that says something like “The search item was not found.”
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In Windows 11, you can search for files that contain certain texts or contents using the default search in File Explorer or Start. However, if the files and folders are not indexed by Windows, the search may take a very long time to complete depending on the number of files it has to search.
To speed up the search, you can configure Windows 11 to index the files and folders for faster searches, or you can use a software instead to perform much more powerful searches and replaces.
This guide will show you how to use a powerful tool called grepWin to search for text and contents in files on Windows 11 with much faster search speed.
Search for Text or Contents in Files on Windows 11
GrepWin is a powerful tool that allows you to search for files containing certain text in any folder or directory on Windows 11. You can even search an entire drive for files that containing a certain text you want to search for.
It has all the tools you need to filter your search results such as file size filter, types of files, etc. It also supports regular expressions that some users may find useful when performing advanced searches.
GrepWin also allows you to do search and replace. You can search for certain texts in files and let grepWin to automatically replace them with other texts.
You can download grepWin from https://github.com/stefankueng/grepWin/releases/.
If this is your first time downloading an app or tool from GitHub, here’s what you should look for. On the download page, look for the post marked with “Latest“, which usually appear as the top most post. Then, click on an installer under Assets of that release. For example, if you are using 64-bit Windows 11, select grep-Win-x64.msi.
Optionally, you can also download the grepWin portable version if you don’t want to install the software. Portable means that you can use the software by directly running its executable file without the need to install the software first. However, installing grepWin can add a “search with grepWin” to the Windows context menu which allows you to quickly search with grepWin by just right-clicking a folder or a drive.
How to search for files containing text in Windows 11 using grepWin
After installing grepWin, to search for files containing certain text in a folder or drive, right-click on the folder or drive, select Show more options > Search with grepWin.
Alternatively (especially if you run grepWin portable version), you can directly run grepWin and manually enter the path to the folder you want to search in the “Search in” field.
To search for text in files in the selected folder, enter the text you want to search for in the “Search for” field. Then, click on the Search button. The search results will then return all the files that contain the string you’ve entered. Make sure the All sizes under Limit search is selected if you want to search all the files regardless of their file sizes.
To search and replace using grepWin, in the grepWin window, enter a text you want to search for in the “Search for” field, and enter a text you want to replace with in the “Replace with” field. Then, click on Replace. GrepWin will then search the folder for matching texts and automatically replaces them whenever the stated text is found. It is recommended that you select the “Create backup files” before replacing to allow the tool to automatically create a backup whenever it has to replace texts on a file.
Tip: You can also use the advanced filters in the tool to further narrow down your search results. For example, you can limit your search by file size. Simply select “Size is” under Limit search, and select either “less than“, “equal to” or “greater than” option, and finally enter a file size you want to filter.
There are other filters such as “search case-sensitive”, include or exclude system items, subfolders, hidden items or binary files, date created of files, file names match, and regular expressions.