Windows Search takes several seconds to find files on a typical installation, and it misses things. Everything (voidtools.com) finds any file or folder on your entire drive in under a second — typically in the time it takes to finish typing the filename. It does this by indexing only the Master File Table (MFT) of NTFS drives, not file contents, which makes the index tiny (a few MB even on a 4 TB drive) and the results instantaneous.
Everything is free, created by David Carpenter at Voidtools, and has been available and actively maintained since 2008. It is one of those tools that, once installed, you cannot imagine working without.
Installation and Setup
- Download Everything from voidtools.com. The installer and portable versions are both available. The installer integrates with the system tray and starts with Windows.
- Run the installer and accept defaults. Everything appears in the system tray and opens its search window.
- On first run, Everything indexes your drives. On NTFS drives this takes under 5 seconds. FAT32 and exFAT drives are supported but index more slowly.
- The index stays current in real time — as soon as you create, rename, or delete a file, Everything reflects the change immediately. No rescanning needed.
Basic Searching
Open Everything with the keyboard shortcut (default: Alt+Ctrl+F, or double-click the tray icon) and start typing. Results appear as you type.
- Searching for
reportfinds every file and folder with "report" anywhere in the name. - Searching for
report 2025(two words) finds files containing both "report" AND "2025" in the name, in any order. - Searching for
"annual report"(quoted) finds files with that exact phrase. - Searches are case-insensitive by default. Enable case sensitivity in Search → Match Case if needed.
Advanced Search Syntax
Everything supports search operators that make complex searches precise:
| Syntax | What It Does | Example |
|---|---|---|
*.ext |
Files with a specific extension | *.pdf finds all PDFs |
path:folder |
Limit to a path containing the word | path:downloads *.zip |
parent:C:\folder |
Files directly inside that folder | parent:C:\Users\Name\Desktop |
size:>50mb |
Files larger than specified size | size:>1gb *.mov |
date:today |
Files modified today | date:today *.docx |
dm:last7days |
Modified in the last 7 days | dm:last7days *.log |
folder: |
Search only folders, not files | folder: projects |
Pipe | |
OR logic between terms | *.jpg | *.jpeg |
! prefix |
NOT — exclude results | report !draft |
Practical Tips
Open Folders, Not Just Files
Right-click any result and choose "Open path" to open the folder containing the file rather than the file itself. This is faster than navigating manually when you know a file exists somewhere but not exactly where.
Copy File Paths Quickly
Right-click a result and choose "Copy full path to clipboard." Useful when you need to paste a file path into a command line or a dialog box. You can also hold Alt while double-clicking to open the file's parent folder.
Bookmark Common Searches
Everything supports bookmarks (Bookmarks menu → Add bookmark). Save searches you run regularly — like *.pdf size:>10mb date:thismonth — and access them from the menu or a keyboard shortcut.
Replace Windows Search in Explorer
In Everything's options (Tools → Options → Integration), enable "Explorer integration" to have Ctrl+F in File Explorer open Everything's search instead of the built-in search box.
What Everything Cannot Do
- It does not search file contents — only filenames and paths. To search inside documents, you still need Windows Search or a tool like Agent Ransack (free).
- It only indexes NTFS drives in real time. External drives and network shares can be indexed but require manual setup.
- It is Windows-only. No Mac or Linux version exists.
For filename-based search — which covers the vast majority of "where did I put that file?" scenarios — Everything is the correct tool and Windows Search is not. Install it once and make it your default way to find files. The productivity gain compounds every time you use it instead of browsing folder trees or waiting for a spinning search animation.