How to Search in Windows 7 for text within a document?

Anonymous
2010-06-28T02:30:00+00:00

How do you search for a document by using searching specific text in the document? (Word or other searchable doc.) Other forum answers suggest that this will happen with the general search box that appears in the upper right corner of explorer - but this does not seem to be the case.

I have searched for known words, and documents do not come up.

Is there a default? Is there a way turn on the search within document? (formerly, the detailed search option for any folder would prompt you to select 'search within document.')

Windows for home | Previous Windows versions | Files, folders, and storage

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Anonymous
2010-07-06T20:15:26+00:00

Try just typing the phrase into the search box. If this doesn’t work, try content: “words in phrase”

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  1. Anonymous
    2011-07-21T12:44:16+00:00

    It seems that when you search the first time it searches the file names but then under the search results you'll see a label titled "Search again in:"  Choose the Content button under "Search again in" and the search will restart and search the contents of the documents.

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  2. Anonymous
    2012-07-20T02:24:19+00:00

    Unfortunately my system does not show "Content" - WHERE DO I FIND "CONTENT" PRAY TELL ??   This was so simple in XP - now I need a degree in finding stuff.

    This is the norm I am finding with W7 - obvious simple stuff that used to work perfectly in Xp is now hidden and made almost impossible to use in W7.  Classic stuff up is the new dialogue for Copying files - you are so, so stupid - it was perfect in Xp - now you need to read the options 10 times to understand what is going to happen - cheers for all the dumbos in Microsoft!

    Why has Microsoft taken this major step backwards.

    I did notice that once Bill gates moved aside, all the crazies in Microsoft were let loose to stuff up anything and everything that was good - you guys will be kicked out by any sane IT person when the choice comes along in the future.

    Please dont try to defend Microsoft's studity - even a stupid person will defend their peers who pay their salaries

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  3. Anonymous
    2012-06-26T10:01:16+00:00

    We have the same problems.  With XP and previous versions, you could put .doc, .xls etc, the word you were looking for, the date between which to search and Windows 7 doesn't do this.  Why to MS keep changing things that work perfectly well.  They are supposed to be intelligent but are not at all practical!!

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  4. Anonymous
    2011-09-09T18:14:50+00:00

    Me too, there seems to be no way to do this. It was a piece of cake in XP. What's wrong with you, Microsoft?

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