Want to search ONLY file names in Windows 7 Explorer?

Anonymous

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!

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Anonymous

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?

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@CmdrKeene 90,631 Volunteer Moderator

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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87 additional answers

Anonymous

2016-09-16T05:59:45+00:00

Finally, it makes sense why Win7 search was so useless to me and I just got a copy of Agent Ransack. Spaces always threw searches off for me, so I just used Camel Cases for everything.

I got so good at it, I could find almost anything with a string of 3-4 characters

If I wanted to find, say, "JasonDerulo-WantToWantMe.mp3" somewhere in a bunch of folders, I would just search for "ttow" or "ntme" (typically, I'd search for the last two letters of one word and the first 2 of the next one) and out of 10,000 files, it might only come up with 3-4 results, one being the one I wanted.

This worked awesome in XP, but couldn't figure out why it couldn't find it in Win7.
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@CmdrKeene 90,631 Reputation points Volunteer Moderator

2016-09-16T13:31:24+00:00

You could also use the easy way instead of the full syntax.

This search: *2001

would find "grossSales2001".

Wildcards (*) or (?) have been around for decades and still work in all versions.
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Anonymous

2016-09-16T18:58:04+00:00

Oh, right right - it's just that I've developed the habit of being very specific in what I'm searching for and in what property because of the uncertainty of whether the results are going to include matches to contents and not just file names, and other peculiarities dependent on searching within indexed versus non-indexed areas.
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