How to find the right files when you have a lot of them

When your computer starts filling up with data of every kind, finding a document or a file you saved a while ago can get complicated. There are simple tricks, though, that will help you locate any file easily, even if all you remember is what was in it.

Finding files with your computer's search tools

Let us start with the tools built into Windows that will help you find the files you need.

The Start menu search bar

The search bar sits in the bottom left corner of your screen. It is often the first thing people reach for when they want something whose exact location on the computer they do not know. It is a very effective way of finding a file you opened recently, or of reaching one of the PC's functions. Type the name to start a search and you get a list of suggestions. You can refine the results by changing some of the settings. Windows generally lets you filter by choosing, for instance, which locations on the PC the search should cover. By default, the search may look only at your user folder, so it is up to you to select the other areas to include.

File Explorer

File Explorer is the second tool you can rely on to find documents or any other file on your computer. Once you open it, there is a search bar in the top right corner of your screen. Here too you can adjust a few settings to search better. A basic search does not cover the contents of files, which is a problem if you cannot remember exactly what name you saved something under. To get around that, first enter your search terms, taking care to include every folder on the computer (click "This PC" to cover everything). Then open the search settings, click "Advanced options" and tick File contents. Windows will then include the contents of files and give you better results. It is a handy approach for finding information when you have a lot of files and remember only a few words from a Word document, for instance. You can also change the indexed location here, just as you can from the Start menu search bar.

Using software to find your files easily

Sometimes, the tools built into Windows turn out to be very slow, just when you need a folder or a file urgently. That happens more often when you have large disks or a less powerful processor. Plenty of software vendors offer tools to solve this kind of problem. Once installed on your computer, the software improves how the contents of the PC are indexed, which gives you faster results when you run a search. Indexing is the process by which the contents of your PC (files, emails and so on) are examined and catalogued according to the information they hold. An index term can be a word or a piece of metadata characteristic of a file type. It is the index that gets consulted to produce results in a fraction of a second, once indexing has run on your computer. There are several indexing and search tools on the market, some free, some not. Before buying one, it is important to check that it is compatible with your PC and that the file formats it covers suit you. It is worth remembering that even without additional software, your operating system has a basic indexing function built in. You can check whether it is running in the "Services" window, then right-click "Windows Search".

Adopting a better filing system

Here are a few tips to help you organise the files on your PC better. Follow them where you can, and you will waste less time looking for things.

Keep your desktop clear

This is the first step towards finding your files more easily. Obvious as it may be to some, it is not unusual to see colleagues with several dozen icons on their desktop. Keep the number of folders and shortcuts down, and put shortcuts to folders on one side and shortcuts to applications on the other.

Structure your filing around clear criteria

To find things on your computer faster, put files into categories: save everything relating to your work in a single root folder, for instance. You can then structure your filing around criteria such as the date of creation, the topic, what the file is for, or the software that produced it. The idea is to find the combinations that suit your line of work and build a folder tree that is simple and easy to follow. When saving documents, give them explicit names that genuinely reflect what is inside, so you know what a file is without having to open it.

Using the cloud to keep your files

The cloud offers a new way of storing your data and managing your programs. Through online applications, you place your files (documents, music, photos and so on) on servers located elsewhere. The cloud brings a number of benefits:

• Indexing is handled automatically, and its computing power gives you quick access to the files you want.
• Your account synchronises across your devices, so you can reach all of your data at any time from a computer, a tablet, a phone and so on.
• It reduces the risk of losing data through lack of space, a hard drive crash or the theft of your computer.
• It keeps your data more secure, with an encryption system that fully protects your files on the cloud provider's servers.

In conclusion, filing the folders and files on your computer properly lets you find what you need easily.