Want to search ONLY file names in Windows 7 Explorer?

Anonymous
2011-02-06T06:17:16+00:00

I usually just want to seach for a "word in a file & folder name" -- and often can give a a date range. In Windows 7 Explorer, as soon as I type the word, I get all files that contain the word in the content, as well.  How can I have it search only the file or folder name?

I also don't use "my documents" or "Libraries"...I create my own subfolders -- and generally on a stick drive...so I don't really understand "indexing" or if it's relevant to how I organize my files.

I miss the Windows XP search feature in Windows 7 Explorer!

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

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Anonymous
2011-02-06T06:32:16+00:00

How can I have it search only the file or folder name?

Folder:

foldername:example

Word in name:

name:example

I miss the Windows XP search feature in Windows 7 Explorer!

Let Microsoft know you want Windows Explorers features returned:

Since many people seem to agree that some or all the changes made to Windows Explorer have actually made it less user friendly, you can go to the Windows 7 Feedback page and (politely) let them know your suggestions for improving it:

http://mymfe.microsoft.com/Windows%207/Feedback.aspx?formID=195

Note: don't make the message too long, there is a size limit to your message even though the page doesn't tell you about it.

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@CmdrKeene 90,631 Reputation points Volunteer Moderator
2011-02-06T18:05:52+00:00

No need for anything complicated.  Just type what you're looking for.  If it's in the filename, those results will be returned first, above any results where your search term isinside the file.  Easy.

Non-indexed locations such as stick drives can still be searched, but take a little more time to search (sort of like XP).

If this solves your issue, click the 'Propose as Answer' link below, and vote as helpful by clicking the green triangle to the lelft. Thanks!

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  1. Anonymous
    2016-05-04T00:43:40+00:00

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  2. Anonymous
    2016-05-04T00:41:29+00:00

    Yeh, and it takes half an hour as it searches through huge files while searching for just the filename would take seconds.

    I really hate this about W7 as I always forget how to use the "name:" option and don't want to spend 10 minutes looking. (Happens every few months.) After using W7 for years I am thinking about going back to XP due to annoyances like this.

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  3. @CmdrKeene 90,631 Reputation points Volunteer Moderator
    2015-12-09T18:49:53+00:00

    It certainly should.  Perhaps it's not sorted right.  The search engine will always give a higher score for name matches than just 'somewhere inside the file' matches.

    To ensure the ones with the better score are shown first, sort by this column.  As you can see, the file with the search word in the file name gets a higher score, and you can make it show first by sorting by the ranking.

    Now of course if you sort by something else (like size or date or author or whatever), then the rank won't matter since your sort preference trumps it.  If you want to totally cancel out any non-name matches, use the filename: command in your phrase (details above in this thread).

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