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
    2013-12-12T20:21:48+00:00

    Nice joke since there is no "Tools" option in file explorer windows.

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  2. Anonymous
    2013-12-12T19:58:21+00:00

    In an explorer window click Tools > Folder Options > {Search tab} > select the always search fine names and contents (...) radio button. Click ok.

    This should make it so you can simply type what you want in the search box and have it search for names within documents. Not sure why MS decided to hide this when it was so simple before.

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  3. Anonymous
    2013-05-21T17:09:46+00:00

    In the search box, upper right hand corner, there is no option for content.  There are options for kind:, date modified:, type:, and name:.  There is a faded option saying "add a search filter", but there it sits unable to be activated.  entering a word or phrase activates no response, and there is no activating search mechanism.

    So, back to to original question for me.  How do you search for text content in the library?

    Thanks.

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  4. Anonymous
    2012-10-10T12:50:33+00:00

    Another way is to use the MS-DOS emulator in the command prompt alongside with FINDSTR  command. If Microsoft creates a GUI tool based on that it would be helpful.

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