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?

FAQ - Common Windows 7 Installation Questions & Answers

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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

2017-10-06T15:47:20+00:00

All the methods are showing in this long thread are waste, none worked to search Multiple file names in folder.

i tried this script from a forum but also failed.MS is a dead horse.

@echo off

REM (c) 2013 BY NEUTRON16 (http://www.sevenforums.com/member.php?u=3585)

CLS

TITLE Mass file finder by Neutron16

REM finds files in list.txt file and copies them to C:\your_files

REM CHECK FOR ADMIN RIGHTS

COPY /b/y NUL %WINDIR%\06CF2EB6-94E6-4a60-91D8-AB945AE8CF38 >NUL 2>&1

IF ERRORLEVEL 1 GOTO:NONADMIN

DEL %WINDIR%\06CF2EB6-94E6-4a60-91D8-AB945AE8CF38 >NUL 2>&1

:ADMIN

REM GOT ADMIN RIGHTS

COLOR 1F

ECHO Hi, %USERNAME%!

ECHO Please wait...

FOR /R "%~dp0" %%I IN (.) DO for /f "usebackq delims=" %%a in ("%~dp0list.txt") do echo d |xcopy "%%I%%a" "C:\your_files" /e /i

COLOR 2F

ECHO.

ECHO (c) 2013 by Neutron16 (http://www.sevenforums.com/member.php?u=3585)

PAUSE

GOTO:EOF

:NONADMIN

REM NO ADMIN RIGHTS

COLOR 4F

ECHO.

ECHO PLEASE RUN AS ADMINISTRATOR

ECHO.

pause

GOTO:EOF
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Anonymous

2017-08-03T16:20:40+00:00

Use DOS instead.

Hold down the Shift key and click on the folder name in Windows Explorer.

Select "Open Command Window here".

A DOS window will open with the full path to your folder followed by a >.

Type "dir *searchName*" with your search criteria between the asterisks

[don't type quotes!].

If you want to search subdirectories, add "/s" after the "dir".

To close the DOS window, type "exit".
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Anonymous

2017-07-22T21:26:13+00:00

If you want a XP style search on Windows 7, you may want to try FileSearchy version 1.43. This is the latest version. It is free, although no more supported. I use it regularly. You can optionally set it up so that it is integrated with W7 explorer as a right click menu on folders, or you can browse via the button (...) to select your search folder (but you don't have to, in which case it will search your whole hard drive).

As example: If you search for the word "voice", you enter voice (without the quotes) and FileSearchy will find voice, voices, invoice, invoices. The search will be for filenames only or including contents, depending on your selection.

Other options are: filename, case-sensitive, substring (meaning for example *voice*), whole word ("voice"), regex (+voice -billing), boolean (voice NOT billing), directory, include sub-folders, in contents, modified between, size, show advanced options...very similar to XP style search.

You can have several different searches, each search being inside a tab...very cool feature.

In each tab, search results show. There, you can select to show: All types of files, folders only, documents, exec, picture, music, video...very useful...extremely useful...I like this.

As with everything else: There are flip sides:

a) Just like Everything-Search tool, FileSearchy will search only in your hard-drive or hard-drives. It will not search on servers, in which case you would need to use W7 explorer using the syntax...name:~=voice.

b) FileSearchy will index your whole local hard drive C:\ before 1st time use (it needs a whole night to build the index, after which search will be very fast).

c) You can not select the folders or sub-folders you want to index, nor can you select drives located on servers. The only time you can select drives to index is when you have for example several local hard drives C: and D: and E:, etc. but the drives must be local on your PC not on server.

With this tool, so far so good. No complain.

Thanks for reading.

2017/07/22 at 5:25PM.
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