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

Locked Question. This question was migrated from the Microsoft Support Community. You can vote on whether it's helpful, but you can't add comments or replies or follow the question.

0 comments
Answer accepted by question author
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.

Have Questions About Installing Windows 7?

FAQ - Common Windows 7 Installation Questions & Answers

Was this answer helpful?

40+ people found this answer helpful.
0 comments
Answer accepted by question author
@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!

Was this answer helpful?

20+ people found this answer helpful.
0 comments

87 additional answers

Sort by: Oldest
Most helpful Newest Oldest
  1. @CmdrKeene 90,631 Reputation points Volunteer Moderator
    2016-05-04T20:24:05+00:00

    Just spaces, it's pretty much like a web search engine would use.

    For example, you could find every jpeg that was modified last week.  You can be super strict:

    filename:"*.xlsx" modified:last week

    Or more casual:

    *.xlsx modified last week

    Both of these return the same results.  And since you're not doing any content searching, the results should be instant as long as your location is indexed, and pretty quick even if not as long as it's not coming from a network drive or server that doesn't have its own index separate index.

    You know your phrase was interpreted correctly when it turns blue.

    You can just keep adding more paramters to get more focused.

    *.xlsx modified last week by eflorist

    This finds every Excel file that was modified last week, but only files with "eflorist" as the author:

    You can keep going if you wanted:  excel files, modified last week, by that author, that are larger than 5 MB.  Instant if you're indexed, slightly slower if crawling filenames only, and slowest if using a network location that doesn't use Windows Server search.

    Every criteria is assumed to be "and'ed" together, that is your results have to satisfy all conditions.

    Was this answer helpful?

    0 comments
  2. Anonymous
    2016-09-14T22:44:41+00:00

    Why is it that I can search for

    .xls

    It will find

    grossSales2001-2015.xlsx

    But if I search for

    2001

    it won't find it?

    Was this answer helpful?

    0 comments
  3. Anonymous
    2016-09-16T05:29:18+00:00

    Because there is no space or punctuation preceeding 2001, the entire grossSales2001 is treated as a word unit, and by default, the search does not match endings of word units.  To search and match the 2001, you can use special search syntax symbols ~= which mean "match anywhere", as in:

    name:~=2001

    Was this answer helpful?

    0 comments