How to Search Your Computer Files Just Like Google Searches the Internet
Plus: Searching by date, type, and content, saved searches that run with one click, Natural language date searches on Mac, Windows File Explorer filters, and the recent files shortcut
You know that document exists somewhere on your computer. You saved it last week, or maybe last month. You remember writing it, but now you need it and can’t find it anywhere. Clicking through folders wastes ten minutes before you finally locate it, buried three levels deep in a folder you forgot existed. Your computer includes powerful search tools that can find any file in seconds, yet most people never learn to use them properly.
These built-in search features work faster and more accurately than manually browsing folders. They can locate files by name, content, date modified, file type, or any combination of these factors. Once you understand how to use search effectively, you’ll never waste time hunting through folders again.
Today you’ll learn:
How to search for files by name, date, or content on both Windows and Mac
Using search operators that narrow results to exactly what you need
Mac Spotlight keyboard shortcuts that find files without opening Finder
Windows File Explorer filters that show only recent documents or specific file types
Saving frequently used searches so you can rerun them with one click
The “recent files” shortcut that most people miss completely
For new readers: Screen Skills provides practical digital advice that everyone can understand and apply within minutes. Discover hundreds of simple tricks that make your digital life more efficient and enjoyable.
Today, you can get a 20% discount on the first year of your subscription.
If this newsletter provides useful information that reduces your screen frustration, improves your output, and makes spending time online more fun for you, please consider supporting this newsletter that occupies a unique niche on Substack: digital tips for non-digital people.
Why finding files becomes harder over time
Most people accumulate thousands of files on their computers over the years of use. Documents, photos, downloads, spreadsheets, and PDFs scatter across multiple folders in locations you created once and then forgot about. The Downloads folder alone might contain hundreds of files you saved temporarily but never organized properly.
Computer file systems were designed for careful organization, but real-world usage rarely follows neat hierarchical structures. You might save a contract in Documents one day, on your Desktop the next, and in a project folder the third time. Months later, you can’t remember which approach you used for the specific file you need right now.
Searching solves this problem by ignoring folder structure entirely. Instead of remembering where you saved something, you remember anything about the file itself - part of its name, when you created it, what type of file it is, or even words contained inside the document. Modern search indexes every file on your computer and can locate matches in seconds.
The search tools built into Windows and Mac have become remarkably powerful over the past few years, yet most people still browse folders manually because they never learned what search can do. Understanding just a few search techniques eliminates the folder-hunting frustration permanently.
How to search files on Windows
File Explorer includes search capabilities that work similarly to Google, letting you use simple operators to narrow results precisely. The search box appears in the upper-right corner of any File Explorer window.
To search for a file on Windows, open File Explorer by pressing Windows+E. Navigate to the drive or folder you want to search within - typically “This PC” to search your entire computer, or a specific folder if you know roughly where the file should be. Click in the search box in the upper right corner and start typing any part of the filename you remember. Windows displays matching results as you type, updating the list with each character you add.
File Explorer search looks inside file names by default, but you can search file contents too. After typing your search term and pressing Enter, look for the Search tab that appears in the ribbon at the top of File Explorer. Note that in recent Windows 11 builds, this tab might not appear until after you’ve started a search. Click “Advanced options” and make sure “File contents” is checked. Now Windows searches inside documents for the words you typed, not just filenames. This works particularly well for finding documents when you remember what they say but not what you named them.
"I need these skills!"
Judith, a Screen Skills supporter
Windows Search supports operators that refine results dramatically. If you only want Word documents, type kind:document in the search box. For images, use kind:picture. For files modified today, type datemodified:today. You can combine operators - searching for kind:document datemodified:this week finds all documents you changed in the past seven days. These operators work like Google search filters, letting you describe what you’re looking for rather than browsing randomly.
Example search: proposal kind:docx datemodified:>1/15/2026 finds all Word documents with “proposal” in the name that were modified after January 15, 2026.
The date operators prove especially useful when you remember approximately when you worked on something. Windows understands datemodified:yesterday, datemodified:this week, datemodified:last month, and even specific date ranges. If you remember editing that budget spreadsheet sometime in November, search budget datemodified:november and Windows shows only files matching both criteria. This narrows thousands of potential matches down to a manageable list.
File Explorer’s ribbon provides additional search refinements without typing operators. After searching, click the Search tab in the ribbon (if it appears in your Windows version). You’ll see buttons for “Date modified,” “Kind,” “Size,” and other filters. Clicking these adds the appropriate operator to your search automatically. This visual approach helps if you can’t remember the exact operator syntax but know what you want to filter by.
Saving frequently used searches saves time on repeated lookups. After configuring a useful search - like finding all Excel files modified this month - click “Save search” in the Search ribbon tab. Give the search a name and save it. Your saved search appears in the left sidebar of File Explorer under “Quick access.” Clicking it reruns the exact search instantly without retyping everything.
How to search files on Mac
Now let’s see how these same principles apply on Mac, where Spotlight handles search differently but just as powerfully. Mac computers use Spotlight as their primary search tool, offering even faster file finding through system-wide keyboard shortcuts that work from anywhere.
To search for files on Mac, press Command+Space to open Spotlight. A search box appears in the center of your screen regardless of what app you’re currently using. Start typing any part of a filename, and Spotlight displays matching files immediately. The results update instantly as you type, showing the most relevant matches at the top. Press the down arrow key to select a file from the results, then press Return to open it. You can find and open any file on your Mac without ever touching your mouse.
Spotlight searches file names, file contents, and metadata comprehensively. If you search for “invoice,” Spotlight finds files named “invoice,” files containing the word “invoice” inside them, and files with “invoice” in their tags or comments. This broad approach means you rarely need to specify where Spotlight should look.
Spotlight understands natural language date searches better than Windows. You can search documents from yesterday or PDFs created last week and Spotlight interprets your intent correctly. For more specific date ranges, use the format created:1/1/2026 or modified:>1/1/2026 to find files created or modified after that date. The greater-than and less-than symbols (> and <) work with dates to specify ranges.
Example search: kind:pdf created:2025 report finds all PDF files created in 2025 with “report” in the name or contents.
Kind filters in Spotlight narrow results by file type using simple keywords. Search kind:pdf for PDF files, kind:image for photos, kind:spreadsheet for Excel files, or kind:presentation for PowerPoint files. You can combine kind filters with other search terms - kind:pdf invoice finds PDF files containing the word invoice. These filters work identically whether you use Spotlight’s quick search (Command+Space) or the Finder search window.
For more complex searches, use Finder’s search window instead of Spotlight. Open Finder and press Command+F to open a search window with additional options. At the top, you’ll see search location options (This Mac, current folder, or recent items) and filter buttons. Click the plus sign on the right side to add additional search criteria. You can filter by name, contents, date created, date modified, file size, and dozens of other attributes. Each criterion narrows the results further, letting you construct very specific searches.
Finder search criteria can be saved as Smart Folders that update automatically. After setting up a complex search - like finding all documents larger than 10MB that you haven’t opened in six months - click “Save” below the search criteria. Give your Smart Folder a name and choose where to save it. This creates a special folder that always shows files matching your criteria, updating automatically as files change. Smart Folders work excellently for maintaining dynamic collections like “All recent documents” or “Large files taking up space.”
Spotlight’s calculator and dictionary features provide quick answers without opening apps. Type a math expression like 245*67 in Spotlight and it shows the answer immediately. Type any word to see its definition without opening Dictionary. These instant results turn Spotlight into a multi-purpose quick reference tool beyond just file searching.
Using recent files shortcuts
Both Windows and Mac include shortcuts to view recently accessed files, which solves the common problem of needing a file you just worked on without remembering where you saved it.
On Windows, File Explorer’s Quick Access section shows recent files automatically. Open File Explorer and look at the left sidebar. “Quick access” at the top includes a “Recent files” option that shows everything you’ve opened recently across all programs. This list updates automatically every time you open or save a file. Click any file in the recent list to open it immediately, regardless of where it’s actually stored on your computer.
Windows also puts recent files in the Start menu. Click the Start button and look for “Recent” or “Recently added” depending on your Windows version. This shows recently opened documents, letting you access them without opening File Explorer at all. Right-clicking any recent file shows options to open its containing folder if you need to see where it’s actually saved.
On Mac, Finder’s “Recents” folder provides the same recent files view. Open Finder and click “Recents” in the left sidebar under Favorites. This shows all recently opened files sorted by date, with the most recent at the top. You can change the sort order by clicking the column headers - sort by name, date modified, kind, or size depending on what helps you locate the file you need.
Mac’s Recent Items menu offers even faster access. Click the Apple menu in the upper left corner and select “Recent Items.” This shows recently opened applications, documents, and servers. Select any document from this list to open it instantly. The Recent Items menu persists across restarts, so files you worked on yesterday remain accessible even after shutting down your Mac overnight.
Both systems let you adjust how many recent files they remember. On Windows, you can clear recent files by right-clicking Quick Access in File Explorer and selecting “Options,” then clicking “Clear” next to “Clear File Explorer history.” On Mac, go to Apple menu, System Settings, General, and adjust the “Recent items” number or choose to clear recent items. Most people benefit from keeping recent files enabled since they provide such quick access to current work.
Today, you can get a 20% discount on the first year of your subscription.
If this newsletter provides useful information that reduces your screen frustration, improves your output, and makes spending time online more fun for you, please consider supporting this newsletter that occupies a unique niche on Substack: digital tips for non-digital people.
Worth knowing
File search technology evolved significantly from early computers, where you had to know exact file paths and names. Modern search indexes - databases that catalog every file on your computer - run continuously in the background, updating whenever you create, modify, or delete files. This indexing makes searching nearly instantaneous, even across computers with hundreds of thousands of files.
Windows Search indexing can be controlled through Settings, Privacy & Security, Searching Windows. Here you can see what folders Windows indexes and add or remove locations. By default, Windows indexes your user folders (Documents, Desktop, Downloads, Pictures) but not your entire hard drive. Adding network drives or external storage to the index makes searching those locations faster, though initial indexing takes time.
Mac’s Spotlight indexing happens automatically for all internal drives and external drives connected during the indexing process. You can exclude specific folders from Spotlight indexing in System Settings, Siri & Spotlight, Spotlight Privacy (note that the exact menu location may vary slightly depending on your macOS version). Adding folders here speeds up search slightly but means Spotlight won’t find files in those locations. This works well for excluding backup drives or temporary work folders you don’t need to search.
Search indexing consumes some computer resources and storage space - the index database can be several gigabytes depending on how many files you have. However, the time saved by instant searching far outweighs this minor resource usage for most people. Computers automatically rebuild corrupted search indexes if problems occur.
Tech news you can use
Windows 11 added AI-powered search suggestions in File Explorer. Recent updates include search recommendations based on your recent activity and commonly accessed files. When you click in the search box, Windows now suggests searches before you type anything, often predicting what you’re looking for based on patterns in your file access. This predictive search reduces typing for frequently accessed files while maintaining the powerful search operators for specific lookups.
Mac Spotlight now searches iCloud Drive files even when they’re stored only in the cloud. If you use iCloud Drive with “Optimize Mac Storage” enabled, many files exist only on Apple’s servers to save local disk space. Spotlight searches these cloud-only files and displays them in results alongside local files. Clicking a cloud-only file downloads it automatically before opening. This extends Spotlight’s reach beyond your physical computer to your entire iCloud storage.
Microsoft integrated Copilot AI into Windows search on newer computers. Copilot can answer natural language questions about your files like “show me the presentation I worked on last Tuesday” or “find contracts from this year.” This natural language interface works alongside traditional search, offering a more conversational way to locate files for people who prefer describing what they want rather than learning search operators. The feature requires Windows 11 with Copilot enabled.
App spotlight: Everything (Windows only)
Everything is a lightweight Windows app that indexes and searches files almost instantaneously, often faster than Windows’ built-in search. The app creates its own file index that updates in real-time as you create, move, or delete files, making searches appear to complete instantly even on computers with hundreds of thousands of files.
Unlike Windows Search which indexes file contents (requiring significant time and resources), Everything indexes only file names and locations. This limitation actually creates the speed advantage - you can’t search inside documents, but you can find any file by name in a fraction of a second. For most file-finding tasks, searching by name proves sufficient and the instant results make Everything remarkably useful.
The search interface resembles Google’s simplicity - type in the search box and results appear immediately as you type. Everything supports Boolean operators (AND, OR, NOT), wildcards, and regular expressions for power users, though simple partial filename searches work perfectly for everyday use. Searching “invoice” instantly shows every file with “invoice” anywhere in its name or path.
Everything is completely free with no ads or premium features. The app uses minimal system resources - typically less than 15MB of RAM even when indexing hundreds of thousands of files. Installation takes seconds and the initial indexing of your entire computer typically completes in under a minute.
The app works particularly well for people frustrated with Windows Search’s occasional slowness or incomplete results. Everything finds files Windows Search sometimes misses and does so faster. Many Windows power users install Everything immediately on new computers and use it as their primary file search tool.
App spotlight: Alfred (Mac only)
Alfred enhances Mac’s Spotlight search with additional features, custom workflows, and faster performance. The current version (Alfred 5.x, compatible with macOS Sonoma and Sequoia) continues to be a favorite among Mac power users who want keyboard-driven file management.
The file search in Alfred works similarly to Spotlight but with additional filtering options and customizable hotkeys. You can assign different keyboard shortcuts for different types of searches - one shortcut to search only documents, another for images, a third for specific folders. This hotkey customization speeds up searches when you know what type of file you’re looking for.
Alfred’s file navigation features go beyond simple searching. Start typing a filename and use keyboard shortcuts to navigate into folders, preview files with Quick Look, move files to different locations, or reveal files in Finder - all without leaving the Alfred search window. This keyboard-driven workflow eliminates most mouse usage when managing files.
The free version of Alfred provides enhanced search capabilities beyond Spotlight. Alfred Powerpack ($35 one-time purchase) adds workflows, clipboard history, snippets, and automation features that extend far beyond file searching. For people who want just better search, the free version suffices. For those wanting comprehensive keyboard-driven computer control, Powerpack provides substantial additional functionality.
Alfred’s appearance is customizable with themes that change colors, fonts, and layout to match your preferences or improve visibility. The default theme works well, but people with vision challenges can choose high-contrast themes that make search results easier to read. This customization extends to search behavior - you can configure exactly which file types appear in results and in what order.
Quick fix: Search from anywhere on Mac
Mac’s Spotlight search (Command+Space) works from anywhere - you don’t need to open Finder first. When you need a file while writing an email, editing photos, or browsing the web, just press Command+Space, start typing the filename, and press Return when you see it in the results. The file opens immediately without interrupting your current task or requiring you to navigate through folders. This system-wide availability makes Spotlight faster than Windows search, which requires opening File Explorer first. On Windows, you can search from the Start menu, but opening File Explorer (Windows+E) then pressing Ctrl+F provides more powerful search options.
Meanwhile: When search fails to find files
Occasionally search fails to locate files you know exist. This usually happens because search indexing hasn’t caught up with recent changes - you saved a file moments ago but search hasn’t indexed it yet. On Windows, waiting a few minutes then searching again typically works. On Mac, you can force Spotlight to reindex a folder by adding it to Privacy settings (excluding it from search) then immediately removing it again. This triggers a fresh index of that folder.
If search consistently fails to find files in specific folders, verify those folders are included in your search index. Windows lets you add folders through Settings, Privacy & security, Searching Windows. Mac’s Spotlight searches everywhere by default unless you’ve explicitly excluded locations in Spotlight Privacy settings (System Settings, Siri & Spotlight). Check these settings if search works poorly for files you know exist in specific locations.
Did you read this one?
Questions?
Today’s newsletter covered methods for finding files quickly using built-in search tools on Windows and Mac. I hope this helped you discover search features you didn’t know existed and techniques for locating files without folder hunting, but I know file management is just one of many digital challenges.
What problems are you encountering with your phone, tablet, or computer right now? Maybe it’s something you’ve been putting up with for months, or a new issue that just started this week. Screen Skills works best when it addresses real problems that real people face, so leave a comment, send me a direct message, or reply to this email and tell me what’s making your digital life harder than it needs to be. Your question might become next week’s newsletter.
Until next time,
Alexander
Today, you can get a 20% discount on the first year of your subscription.
If this newsletter provides useful information that reduces your screen frustration, improves your output, and makes spending time online more fun for you, please consider supporting this newsletter that occupies a unique niche on Substack: digital tips for non-digital people.
A new newsletter: More
There’s always more to say than fits in a daily newsletter. That’s why I started “More“—a place for follow-ups, deeper explorations, and the content that doesn’t fit the structured format here. Think of it as the notebook behind the newsletters.
You can subscribe here:
Read the latest More newsletter that I posted two days ago:
I also publish on Patreon:
For instance: Along the Old IJssel: Stories of Nature, History, and Growing Up
Or perhaps you enjoyed the article and would like to support my writing by buying me a coffee?
Still here?
Then have a look at my other two newsletters:
The Planet: a weekly newsletter examining American democracy, freedom of speech, and environmental policy through a European perspective. Having lived, worked, and traveled extensively in the US and beyond as a backpacker, diplomat, and journalist, I explore current events through historical context, showing how lessons from the past inform today’s challenges to democratic values and planetary health.
This weekend, I published:
Daybreak Notes and Beans: a daily newsletter with a focus on positive news to counterbalance the negative headlines you see all day. Five days a week, I share ten uplifting news stories about science, health, art, travel, archaeology, or any other topic I think you’ll enjoy reading or that will give you hope now that we need it.
Here is yesterday’s newsletter:
Good one!
I have a pretty decent filing system. One thing that I tend to do is save a file quickly without considering a name or folder (if I have to leave it in a rush - like when I'm at my stop on a train). I just put dokument11111 or something as the file name.
I guess the trick is to just name and save the file right away...
So helpful. Love "Quick Access" and now Spotlight is my new friend. And thank you for all your Command prompt suggestions. Happy Friday. 💻