Adding document and arbitrary file results to Start Menu search


  1. sear
    Posts : 2
    Windows 7 Professional x64
       New #1

    Adding document and arbitrary file results to Start Menu search


    Hey guys,

    I've been very heavily reliant on the program Everything lately and it's basically completely taken over as the way I navigate my computer. Being able to type in a random file name and have it instantly appear is a huge win for productivity.

    But, I am wondering if there's any way to make Windows 7 behave in a similar manner. While I know I can run a standard Windows search, and Windows will let me search the Start Menu for installed applications if possible, is there a way that I can search using the Start Menu and find arbitrary files (namely documents) without needing to go into the more separate search function?

    I figured that Everything exists largely to fill this niche but if there's some tweak out there that will let me accomplish something similar with Windows' built-in functionality, that would be awesome.
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  3. Layback Bear
    Posts : 25,847
    Windows 10 Pro. 64/ version 1709 Windows 7 Pro/64
       New #2

    I also use Everything Search and I have never found a way to get Windows 7 to do the same thing in the same way.

    Because Everything Search works so easy and quick I haven't really look for a bunch of hacks to make Windows Search work the same way.
    I really don't look for hacks to make Windows 7 do things it wasn't designed to do.
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  4. sear
    Posts : 2
    Windows 7 Professional x64
    Thread Starter
       New #3

    So the answer is effectively no?
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  6. Layback Bear
    Posts : 25,847
    Windows 10 Pro. 64/ version 1709 Windows 7 Pro/64
       New #4

    It's no until someone wiser than me finds a way.
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  7. tblob
    Posts : 33
    Win 7 Home Premium 64-bit
       New #5

    Go to control Panel, under Indexing Options, add the location of the folder/documents.
    I have a folder containing all my offline emails from 2003-2013, I simply add this folder to windows indexing, and then the start menu can instantly search every word in every email and display the top 10 results.

    I have not used "Everything" so I'm sure Windows Indexing is less fancy. I just add my locations to the index, then its always instantly searchable by word.

    People use this well-known function everyday, so maybe I didn't understand your question. Apologies if I am mistaken!
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