Let’s face it: Searching your PC for files within Windows has always been mildly confusing, especially with several options for searching right in Windows 10 and 11. But if you’re convinced a particular file is hidden somewhere on your PC, try these tips to find it and get back to work.
We can’t guarantee that finding a file will be as easy as using a search engine like Google. (Incidentally, Google once made a desktop search engine for your PC, but it has since been discontinued.) But realizing what Windows is searching, when it’s doing it, and how to interpret results should make life much easier.
Finally, it’s important to realize that there are essentially two search mechanisms built into your PC: the built-in Windows Search, and File Explorer. The first is best for commonly used files, while File Explorer’s search function is a power tool that can be used to root out more deeply hidden files. Both Windows Search and File Explorer are integrated with Microsoft’s OneDrive cloud storage, but File Explorer does a better job of letting you know which files
