No more endless and fruitless searches with Windows File Explorer. This small, completely free utility finds any file or folder in the blink of an eye.
Finding a specific file among hundreds or even thousands can be particularly time-consuming and tedious on Windows. Although the operating system has a search function built into its File Explorer, it is neither very fast nor very convenient. If you’ve ever tried to do a search based on a word on the entire storage space of your PC, you know something about it: the results are painfully displayed in dribs and drabs, and the entire process can last for long, interminable minutes.
That’s good, there is a solution to achieve the same results (and even more), not in just a few seconds, but instantly: Everything. This application, completely free and easy to use, works like a mini but powerful search engine for Windows. Once installed and launched, simply write a few letters or words in a search bar to see the list of all corresponding folders and files appear, as you type, without any waiting or loading time.
In addition to this instant display of results, Everything has many options to improve and refine searches. The files and folders found can, for example, be filtered by type (audio, video, document, executable), sorted according to different criteria (date of creation, modification, location), displayed in the form of thumbnails or a detailed list, or even be previewed in a side panel. And of course, all these options apply immediately and without any delay to the results.
Beyond the classic search with letters, numbers or words, Everything also offers several advanced search functions and techniques, for experienced users who want to go even further. Wildcards, such as * or ?, are supported, as are logical operators, such as AND, OR or NOT, and regular expressions. The application even includes an “Advanced Search” module to combine a very large number of criteria simultaneously and carry out surgical searches.
Everything is therefore both quick and easy to use with its default settings for ordinary people, and extremely powerful and customizable for experienced users who want to get their hands on the engine. Finally, it takes up very little storage space (3 MB), uses little RAM in the background (around 60 MB) and works on all versions of the Microsoft OS, from Windows XP to Windows 11. In short, a lightweight tool that quickly becomes essential once you’ve tried it!