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Windows 7’s search function is “beefed” up a little. This guide will help you use the Windows 7 function but only scratches the surface. If you have other tips, please let us know in the comments.
Specifically, this guide covers the following:
- Search from:
- The Start menu
- The Search Box
- Anywhere
- Search Filters
Search from Different Locations
You can search your PC (and even the internet — see Search Connectors) from anywhere. Here’s just a few places:
The Start Menu
To search from the Start menu, press the Windows Key or click the Start button. Start typing to search your PC:
The Search Box
If you’re browsing Computer, Documents, Pictures etc. you can search right within Windows Explorer. When using Windows Explorer, press CTRL+F (or F3) to jump to the search box:
Search from Anywhere
F3 is generally used as a search key. Press it on the desktop and you’ll see this:
Press it in Firefox and you’ll see this:
Put simply, press F3 in most programs (that have a search function) and you’ll be taken to the search function.
Search Filters
Search filters are designed to… filter your search results. Here are just a few filters you can type in the Windows Explorer search box (remember to include the colon after the keyword):
kind: This will filter by the kind of file i.e. Calendar, Document etc.
datemodified: Did you work on something yesterday but can’t find it now? Use the datemodified filter to find everything you modified yesterday:
datetaken: Do you want to find photos you took on your last trip? Use the datetaken keyword to find photos taken on the day of the trip.
size: Want to find large files to clean up your hard drive? Use the size filter:
These are four I’ve used, which filters am I missing? Let us know in the comments.
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