Turn on file search
File search is off until you turn it on in the welcome window or in Settings, under File search. It reads the folders you choose and keeps what it reads on your PC.
- Open Settings, then File search, and turn on File search.
- Under Folders, choose Add folder… to add folders. Your home folder stays in the list until you remove it with its ×, so remove it if you want only the folders you added.
- Under Skip, add folders, names or patterns to leave out, such as D:\Archive or *.iso. Rondell already skips system folders and caches.
- Add the Find files pill to your ring. If your ring has none, the File search page offers Add pill next to Find files pill.
- Wait while the first scan runs. The progress line shows how far it is, and names become searchable before file contents.
Search in your own words
Open the Find files pill and type a name, words from a document, or a description such as “invoice from last month”. You can add a file type, a date or a folder: try “pdf in Downloads” or “slides from last month”. If you select text before opening the pill, it starts with that text.
Names and words inside files work right away. To match descriptions when the words differ, download Search by meaning on the File search page. It’s about 0.6 GB. Without it, the results say search by meaning isn’t installed.
The best matches come first. More matches lists results that fit your words but not the file type, date or folder you gave.
Link to this sectionOpen, reveal or copy a result
- Arrow keys, Page Up, Page Down, Home and End move through the results.
- Enter or a click shows a file in its folder. Ctrl + Enter or Open opens it. Programs and scripts are shown in their folder, never started from the list.
- Ctrl + C copies the selected file’s path, unless you selected text in the search field. Copy path on a result does the same.
- Installed apps and Windows settings pages appear above the files, labeled App or Settings. Enter or a click opens them. Ctrl + Enter on an app shows its file.
- Apps and Windows settings are found even while file search is off. Escape closes the bar.
What file contents are searchable
File search reads text and code files, web pages, mail, Office and OpenDocument files, e-books and PDFs. It also reads the text in pictures and scanned PDFs once the main scan is done.
Reading text in pictures uses text recognition for your language, which you add in Windows language settings. Pictures that are online-only or on a network drive aren’t read.
Finding a photo by describing what it shows isn’t supported. The Index images switch doesn’t change what you can find today.
Link to this sectionPause indexing or remove the index
The row at the bottom of the Settings sidebar and the File search page show progress and a Pause or Resume button. The tray menu has Pause file search while file search is on. Indexing also pauses for full-screen apps and Battery Saver.
On battery sets what indexing does when your laptop isn’t plugged in: Pause, Light or Full speed. Light is the default; it reads files slowly and waits for power before using search by meaning.
Rondell keeps the index up to date as files change. If a folder is on a drive that isn’t connected, reconnect it before assuming its files are gone.
Delete index turns file search off and deletes what it read from your PC. Your files stay as they are. The index isn’t part of a settings backup.
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