How to Create a Search Shortcut in Windows 7
Information
This will show you how to create or download a Search shortcut that opens the Search window. You can also Pin to Taskbar or Pin to Start Menu this shortcut, or move where you like for easy use.
Note
Credit belongs to our member MoinMoin for this tip.
Tip
Before doing a search in Windows 7, you should make sure that you have set your Search Options for the What to search, How to search, and When searching non-indexed locations settings. If you have the index enabled (it is by default), then you should also have any locations and file types added to be indexed so they will be included in the search results when doing a search.
EXAMPLE: Search
NOTE: Normally you can press F3 or Windows Key + F to open the Search window. For more on how to use search, see How to Search in Windows 7.
OPTION ONE
To Download the "Search" Shortcut
1. Click on the Download button below to download the Search.zip file.
Download
2. Click on Save, and save the .zip file to the desktop.
3. Open the .zip file and extract the Search shortcut to the desktop.
4. Right click on the Search shortcut, and click on Properties, General tab, and on the Unblock button. (See screenshot below)
NOTE: If you do not have a Unblock button under the General tab, then the shortcut is already unblocked and you can continue on to step 5.
5. Move the shortcut to where you like for easy use.
6. When done, you can delete the downloaded .zip file on the desktop if you like, or save it to use again.
OPTION TWO
To Manually Create the "Search" Shortcut
1. Right click on a empty area on desktop, and click on New and Shortcut.
2. Copy and Paste either location below into the location area, and click on the Next button. (See screenshot below)
%SystemRoot%\explorer.exe search-ms:
OR
%windir%\explorer.exe shell:::{9343812e-1c37-4a49-a12e-4b2d810d956b}
3. Type Search for the name, and click on the Finish button. (See screenshot below)
NOTE: You can name this anything you would like though.
4. Right click on the new Search shortcut on the Desktop and click on Properties.
5. Click on the Shortcut tab, then click on the Change Icon button. (See screenshot below)
6. In the line under "Look for icons in this file", Copy and Paste the location below and press Enter. (See screenshot below)
C:\Windows\System32\imageres.dll
7. Select the icon highlighted in blue above and click on OK. (See screenshot above)
NOTE: You can use any icon that you would like instead though.
8. Click on OK. (See screenshot below)
9. Move the shortcut to where you like for easy use.
That's it,
Shawn
Related Tutorials
- How to Search in Windows 7
- How to Change or Restore the Default Windows 7 Search Options
- How to Add or Remove Windows 7 Index Locations
- How to Add or Remove a File Type from the Windows 7 Index
- How to Rebuild the Windows 7 Index
- How to Turn Windows 7 Search On or Off
- How to Save a Search in Windows 7
- How to Enable or Disable the Search Index in Vista and Windows 7
- How to Have More Accurate Search Results in Windows 7 and Vista
- How to Configure and Fully Utilize Windows 7 Search
- How to Create a Shortcut to Search the Web for a File/Folder Name from Windows Explorer
- How to Add "Search" to "My Computer" Context Menu in Vista and Windows 7
- How to Use Windows Search Filters and Operators to get better Search Results in Windows 7
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