Search file contents windows 7 not working

You'll find this option near the top of the window. Select your preferred file type. Scroll through the list of file types near the top of the window until you find the one that you want to use, then click the file type's name to select it. Check the "Index Properties and File Contents" box. This option is below the "How should this file be indexed? Click OK. It's at the bottom of the window. Doing so will save your changes and close the window.

You should now be able to search for your selected file type both by title and by contents. Change your keywords. Windows search isn't like Google. If you are searching, let's say, "password" and no results come up, try "passcode.

Not Helpful 29 Helpful This is not working on Windows 7; maybe my Trend Micro software is blocking it. What could I do? Windows search is often not working well, you can try other tools, such as docfetcher, anytxt, dtsearch, etc. Not Helpful 1 Helpful 1. Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered. After updating your indexing options, you may have to wait some time before your results will appear as expected, as Windows must rebuild its index with the contents of the new files.

Restarting your computer may help expedite the process. Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0. You may also add additional folders to the list of indexed locations from the Indexing Options window. Enable file contents-searching may dramatically slow down your computer. This is because your computer must now search within each file as opposed to scanning only the files' titles. Helpful 3 Not Helpful 0. You Might Also Like How to. How to. About This Article. Written by:. Co-authors: Updated: March 5, Categories: Windows 7.

Article Summary X 1. Deutsch: Windows7 nach Dateiinhalten durchsuchen. Nederlands: Zoeken op inhoud in Windows 7. Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 1,, times. Reader Success Stories Kelly E. Feb 1, I had the printed version, so knew content words. This article helped me enable content-based searching, and I found the doc within 10 seconds! More reader stories Hide reader stories. Is this article up to date? Windows will inform you that it will rebuild its index in order to include file contents information and that it might take a while to do so.

Also, search results may appear to be incomplete while rebuilding of the index is going on. Click ok to continue. In addition to the information discussed above, I have included a small Windows search file contents example here. I have created a small rich text file in my documents folder which is indexed by the Windows indexer by default. I have called the file searchexample. And indeed, if I now perform the search in File Explorer on my c: drive, I immediately see the searchexample.

With this I hope to have given you a better understanding of how to search within files with Windows 10 and how to change your indexing options for better search results. Related: How to search for files in Windows If you've enjoyed this article or found it useful, I'd appreciate it if you'd let me know by clicking the Like or Share button below. Thank you! Microsoft Edge says that password monitor securely checks your saved passwords.

Here's what you need to know and how to double-check for security. Read More. Learn how to create a Windows 11 sleep mode shortcut easily so you can invoke sleep mode directly bonus: sleep mode keyboard shortcut. Learn how to remove chat from the Windows 11 taskbar if you don't use the chat function anyway. United States English. Ask a question. Quick access. Search related threads. Remove From My Forums. Answered by:.

Archived Forums. Windows 7 User Interface. Sign in to vote. All the existing threads I found on this subject where locked and didn't have an answer, so Does this make sense? Does anyone know how to fix this? Edited by sahack1 Wednesday, November 21, AM. Wednesday, November 21, AM. Inconcievably obtusely, it is working again. This stupidity just cost me two hours.

Incredibly, mind-blowingly WTF? Another hour wasted on Windows nonsense Try something like Agent Ransack free instead, that will give you more consistent results.