Windows Explorer, now known as File Explorer, is an advanced tool and the backbone of file management in Windows OS. While its default settings are functional for regular use, there are various options and settings that you can use to organize and search files more effectively.
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So, whether you're overwhelmed by your cluttered hard disk partitions or struggle to find files in Windows, these 9 tips will enable you to unlock File Explorer's full potential.
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9 Utilize quick access and pinning
Access your frequently used folder with a single click
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Quick Access is an excellent way to open your most frequently or recently used folder more efficiently. It will automatically pin the latest folder you use, while you can also manually pin any folder you like under it. Instead of opening and going through multiple folders, you can directly navigate to your pinned folder with a single click. The Quick Access section is on the left side of the File Explorer.
It's pretty simple to pin a folder to Quick Access. Right-click on any folder you want to pin to the Quick Access section. From the context menu, select the Pin to Quick Access option, and that's it. If you feel annoyed with it in the future, you can easily remove the Quick Access section from the Explorer window.
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8 Use the "Details" view
Get comprehensive file information and simplify sorting by multiple criteria
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The "Details" view in Windows Explorer is ideal for getting an organized overview of your files. It displays attributes such as file name, size, type, and date modified in a columnar layout. This is especially useful when working with directories containing a large number of files, as you can sort and filter files based on these attributes.
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For instance, if you want to sort files under a folder in ascending order of size, you can select view as Details and then click the Size column header to sort files in ascending or descending order. Here are the steps to set it.
Open the folder that you want to organize according to details you prefer. Click the View button on the Explorer's toolbar at the top and select Details from the menu. You can also do that by right-clicking on an empty spot in the folder and selecting View > Details. You can also use the Ctrl + Shift + 6 key combination. Now, click on any column header to sort files according to it.
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7 Tag your files
Tags help in organizing files and making search efficient
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Windows allows you to add tags to your files that act as virtual labels, helping you categorize them and making them easy to find, regardless of where they are saved. For example, tagging all the invoice related Excel sheets with "Finance" will help you locate them all quickly with just the "Finance" keyword.
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Tags are especially helpful when you are required to sort files under multiple categories. You can assign multiple tags to a single file. Currently, Windows only allows you to tag Microsoft Office files (DOCX, EXCEL, PPT, etc.) and image files. Here's how you can add tags to your files.
Right-click on any file that supports adding tags and select Properties.
Switch to the Details tab and then click the Tags option.
Type all the tags you want to assign to the file separated by semicolons.
Finally, click Apply and OK.
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After assigning tags to the files in a folder, you can also add a Tags column in the Details view. This will allow you to sort files according to tag, which makes locating a file even easier.
6 Enable grouping
Organize files and folders into visually distinct groups
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Windows allows you to group your files and folders under various attributes like Name, Date Modified, Type, Size, and more. This makes it easy to organize and access files of certain criteria. For example, in the Downloads folder, you generally require recently added files on the top. So you can simply group the files and folders by Date Modified attribute and choose Descending order. This will always group the recently downloaded files and folders on the top. Similarly, you can select the Type attribute, which will group the files of a particular type (say JPEG images).
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Grouping files and folders in Windows is pretty easy. Here's how to do it under a drive or any folder.
Open the drive or folder where you want to group files. Right-click on an empty space and select the Group By option from the context menu. Select the attribute by which you want to group files and folders. Also, select the Ascending or Descending order.
The files and folders will be grouped in the selected manner.
5 Utilize different panes
Explorer panes provide additional context and functionality for managing files
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Windows Explorer has several panes, such as the Navigation Pane, Preview Pane, and Details Pane, each designed to improve your file management experience. The Navigation Pane is enabled by default and can be accessed from the left side of the Explorer window. It is used for navigating to different sections or folders like Quick Access, This PC, and more.
The Preview Pane and Details Pane can be enabled under a specific drive or folder. The Preview Pane allows you to view the contents of a file, such as a PDF or image, without opening it. The Details Pane provides metadata like file size, creation date, and tags. It's simple to enable Preview or Details Pane.
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Open the folder where you want to enable one of these panes. Click the View button on the Explorer's toolbar and select one of the Preview or Details Pane.
If you cannot access the selected pane, click the pane name button on the top-right corner of the Explorer window again. For example, if you have selected the Details pane, click the Details button.
I personally like the Preview pane, as it allows me to preview images or PDF files without actually opening them.
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4 Create logical folder structures
Plan your directories to mirror your workflow
A well-thought-out folder hierarchy saves time and reduces confusion. For example, instead of a single directory named Work, you can create sub-directories like Work > Projects > Project Name. This structure keeps your files and folders compartmentalized and easier to locate.
Best Practices:
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Use clear and concise folder names that reflect their content Avoid excessively deep hierarchies; aim for simplicity Use a consistent naming convention (e.g., "ProjectName_DD-MM-YYYY")
3 Use advanced search filters
Filter your searches by type, size, or date
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Windows Explorer search supports various search filters like kind, size, date modified, and more, making the search efficient. With these filters, you can list exactly the file types which have the same or similar attributes. For example, using kind: pdf will display all the PDF files in the folder you performed the search. Here are some common filters to use, for example:
Search by size (e.g., size: <100MB) Search by date modified (e.g., datemodified: 11/08/2024) Search by file extension (e.g., ext: jpg)
Apart from that, if you are dealing with a huge amount of files in a folder of different types, you can also combine the multiple filters to make the search even more precise. For example, if you like to search for the PDF files that are modified in the current month, simply use the kind: pdf datemodified: this month filter.
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2 Use boolean operators
Add logical conditions to queries for precision
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The boolean operators (AND, OR, and NOT) allow you to include or exclude certain terms from the search, making results even more precise.
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You can search for files and folders containing both terms using AND. For example, searching grade AND PA will list all the files that contain both terms. Using OR, you can search for files and folders containing either term. For example, searching for grade OR PA will show all the files that either contain grade or PA. Using NOT, you can search for files and folders that contain the first term but not the second. For example, if you search for grade NOT PA, the results will display all the files with grade in their name but not PA. You can use boolean operators with the search filters, too. For example, the ext: PDF OR ext: JPG will list all the files with .pdf and .jpg in the search results.
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1 Use wildcards for partial matches
Find files with incomplete names using wildcards
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Wildcards are helpful if you don't remember the exact name of the file you want to search. Wildcards like * and ? allow you to search for files with partial names. For instance, the *.pdf will display all the files with .pdf in their name. Similarly, if you forget the exact number of characters from a file name, you can use the ? wildcard. For example, if there are file names that begin with Pranav, but you don't remember the first three characters, you can simply use the ???nav in the search box.
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Organize and find with ease
There you have it, the 9 best ways to effectively organize and search files on Windows. If you work with a huge dataset, applying these methods will make you efficient and reduce frustration. These are all available within Windows settings and options and are pretty easy to apply. You are not required to install a particular third-party application for anything. Just start implementing these tips today and experience a positive change in your workflow and productivity.
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