10 Best Windows Search Alternatives.
The Windows Search characteristic is a handy software for simply discovering what you’re on the lookout for in your system. However, it has its personal drawbacks; for instance, it doesn’t search the contents of information and could be fairly gradual.
If the built-in search characteristic doesn’t meet your wants, you may customise your Windows by putting in wonderful third-party Windows search instruments. Below, we’ve listed 10 of the very best alternate options to the Windows Search characteristic.
1. WinFindr
WinFindr is a free, user-friendly software for Windows that permits you to seek for information, folders, and registry information. You can make use of numerous sorts of search key phrases, together with wildcards and superior search patterns, all concurrently. The software even allows you to use “negative” phrases to exclude particular outcomes out of your search. Once you’ve situated what you’re in search of, you may effortlessly save the ends in textual content, CSV, or HTML codecs.
The software program is each quick and light-weight, guaranteeing that it gained’t decelerate your laptop. It is obtainable in two handy codecs: a transportable model that’s simply 2MB in measurement and a model that operates inside the Windows Command Prompt.
Notable Features:
- Permits simultaneous searches for a number of file sorts
- Supports a number of search phrases and wildcards
- Fast, light-weight, and transportable
- Offers Windows darkish mode and customization choices
- Completely free to make use of
2. Everything
One of my private favourite, Everything, is an astonishingly mild, quick, and easy-to-use search software for Windows. While it will not be filled with a myriad of options, it excels at shortly discovering information and folders.
This software permits you to seek for information and folders solely by their names. This limitation allows it to be extremely quick, as it might index your PC’s information in only a few seconds – about 8-10 seconds in my expertise.
The outcomes are up to date in real-time as you start typing, with no delay of their show. It additionally gives different handy options, reminiscent of the flexibility to type information by numerous standards, seek for particular file sorts, open information instantly from its interface, and bookmark information or folders for fast entry later.
Notable Features:
- Easy to make use of
- Fast outcomes
- Displays an entire index in a single location
3. Listary
Listary is basically a file explorer assistant targeted on enhancing your productiveness. When you’re inside Windows File Explorer, merely begin typing what you’re on the lookout for, and outcomes will seem in real-time. You may press the Ctrl key twice to convey up the search bar from wherever and start your search.
You can create key phrases to go looking instantly inside on-line web sites, reminiscent of using “fb” to go looking instantly on Facebook. Other options embrace keyboard shortcuts, the flexibility so as to add filters, create executable instructions, and assign shortcuts to them, entry current information, and examine full file historical past.
Additionally, it gives numerous themes to customise its interface. The free model of Listary is obtainable just for private use. To use it in a enterprise atmosphere or achieve more management, it’s best to improve to the professional model.
Moreover, Listary is able to itemizing Windows settings and packages within the search outcomes, a characteristic I haven’t present in another instruments on this listing.
Notable Features:
- Direct typing in File Explorer.
- Fast indexing and outcomes.
- Ability to go looking the web.
- Indexes Windows settings and native packages.
4. ExtremelySearch
ExtremelySearch scans MFT (Master File Table) of your drive partition to search for information as a substitute of indexing every thing in your PC. This permits it to allow you to instantly begin a search with out having the necessity to index information first. It might not have the ability to monitor file modifications in real-time, however you may at all times rescan MFT to manually update information.
Apart from MFT primarily based search, you may use filters, create search patterns, use information sort to search for information and kind the outcomes using various factors. ExtremelySearch additionally has an attention-grabbing “Content search” characteristic that allows you to seek for content material contained in the information. This characteristic is a bit of gradual in working however invaluable.
Notable options:
- Scans MFT and doesn’t require indexing.
- Search content material of information.
5. SearchMyFiles by Nirsoft
Nirsoft is thought for extremely customizable instruments, and SearchMyFiles is certainly one of its most customizable search instruments, providing full management over your search. I wouldn’t say it’s the very best various to the built-in Windows search, primarily as a result of it takes a number of seconds to arrange your search, and the outcomes additionally take a while to seem.
However, its customization instruments make it excellent for locating hard-to-pinpoint information. You can use options reminiscent of wildcards, excludable folders, file extension exclusion, adjustable file measurement, subfolder depth, file attributes, and timestamps for when the file was created, modified, or accessed to search out the precise file you’re on the lookout for.
It additionally has a dependable content material search characteristic that permits you to search the contents of information. You can specify the kind of content material the file might comprise using textual content, binary, or wildcard choices.
Notable Features:
- Highly customizable search filters.
- Search for textual content and binary content material inside information.
6. MasterSeeker
MasterSeeker is one other easy-to-use Windows search software that can also be extremely quick. In my expertise, it was fast to index all of my information, taking solely about 3 seconds to index all of the drives.
At the highest of the interface, you will have three search fields: Filename, Directory, and File Size. The Filename area permits you to seek for information or folders by their names. The Directory area allows you to choose the listing by which you need to search, and the File Size area permits you to seek for information primarily based on their measurement.
I significantly appreciated the “search by file size” characteristic, which allows you to shortly enter a file measurement to search for matching information. You may filter outcomes using symbols like >, <, =, or ~.
Notable Features:
- Quick indexing.
- Reliable file size-based search.
7. Quick Search
Quick Search encompasses a smooth interface that may be very intuitive to make use of. It swiftly indexes all information and shows it in columns reminiscent of paperwork, photos, movies, shortcuts, and music, amongst others. Additionally, it gives a handy preview part that shows a preview of every file you choose.
When you seek for content material, the appliance highlights your search key phrases within the outcomes and likewise shows really useful associated searches on the Internet (powered by Bing). I need to say, Quick Search boasts the very best interface amongst all of the apps on this listing; it’s smooth, interactive, and easily works.
Notable Features:
- Organizes information into classes by default.
- Allows information preview.
- Highlights key phrases in search outcomes.
- Displays associated searches from Bing.
8. DocFetcher
An open-source Windows search various that focuses solely on indexing and discovering content material inside information. For the sake of privacy, it permits you to specify which elements of the exhausting drive needs to be listed, in contrast to different instruments that index your complete exhausting drive.
Once the information have been listed, you may swiftly seek for any sort of content material inside them. Unfortunately, DocFetcher doesn’t present real-time outcomes for its searches, so you will want to click on the “Search” button every time.
Notable Features:
- A complete search software for locating content material inside information.
- Indexes solely the desired directories.
9. Searchmonkey
Another open-source search software, much like DocFetcher, Searchmonkey permits you to choose a selected listing to index slightly than indexing every thing. Its interface is each quick and user-friendly, arguably surpassing that of DocFetcher.
You can search each the listed file names and the content material inside these information. However, I discover its content material search capabilities to be more dependable than its file-finding options.
Simply specify the listing you want to search and the content material you’re on the lookout for. Searchmonkey will shortly find all related information and show a preview of their content material instantly in its interface. The key phrases you looked for will likely be highlighted in purple.
Notable Features:
- Indexes solely the desired listing.
- Easy to make use of and quick.
- Searches for content material inside information.
- Previews content material with key phrases highlighted.
10. FileGlossy
Although FileGlossy is a paid software, it gives a highly effective free model appropriate for private use. FileGlossy can discover each information and folders in addition to content material inside these information.
You can search a number of directories concurrently, filter information by sample, title, or sort, preview outcomes, seek for particular key phrases, filter by time, filter by measurement, and way more.
To discover content material inside information, you may use both common expressions or superior expressions with operators like +, -, and, OR, and so forth. The paid model gives extra options reminiscent of the flexibility to open ends in a number of tabs, export information, and sync your information throughout units, amongst others.
Notable Features:
- Search a number of directories concurrently.
- Powerful filters for exact looking.
- Advanced expressions for content material search.
Bonus: FileSearchy
FileSearchy permits you to shortly seek for information in your PC, in addition to inside information. Although its capabilities are restricted to doc codecs when trying to find content material, it excels in velocity. In addition to looking by title, you can too filter information by date and measurement.
The software program gives different helpful search customization options, reminiscent of the flexibility to make use of wildcards, conduct multi-keyword searches, carry out actual word searches, and execute case-sensitive searches. It additionally highlights the key phrases within the search outcomes and maintains an entire historical past of your searches for straightforward reference.
Notable Features:
- Search inside file content material.
- Conduct multi-keyword searches.
- Highlight key phrases in search outcomes.
- Maintain an entire historical past of searches.
Time to Search Like a Pro
If your sole want is to seek for information and folders shortly, then Everything is certainly a dependable choice. However, for those who goal to be more productive, Listray is unbeatable on account of its in-depth search capabilities and dependable options. I additionally discovered Quick Search by GlarySoft to be pleasing; give it a attempt for those who’re undecided.
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