---
id: 672ac3f129efbf327742eb33
title: How Can You Search for Files and Folders on Your Computer?
challengeType: 19
dashedName: how-to-search-for-files-and-folders-on-your-computer
---

# --description--

Let's learn how to search for files and folders on Windows and macOS.

We'll start with Windows. You can search from the Taskbar or from the File Explorer.

To search from the Taskbar, write the name of the file or folder that you are looking for. You can also search for keywords. You'll see results from across your PC and OneDrive.

If you only want to see documents, you can click on the "Documents" tab. You also have tabs for apps and web results.

Another alternative is to use the Search File Explorer. You will find it at the top right of the Explorer window, where you can see "Search Documents."

You have three options to define the scope of the search:

- You can search from Home to find files from your PC and from the cloud quickly.

- You can search from a folder to find files stored inside it.

- You can search from This PC for a slow but in-depth search.

This is how you can search for files and folders on Windows. Now let's see how you can do this on macOS.

First, you can use Spotlight, a tool that helps you find files on your Mac. To open Spotlight, go to your menu bar at the top right and find the magnifying glass icon. If you don't see this icon on the menu bar, you can add it in the Control Center settings.

Go to your settings, filter by "Control Center", click on this option and then scroll down until you find the "Spotlight" option. You can also use a keyboard shortcut to open Spotlight: `Command + Spacebar`.

When you open Spotlight, you'll see the Spotlight Search, where you can search for any file or folder by typing its name. When you start typing, you'll see the results grouped by category, including suggestions, folders, presentations, photos, documents, and related searches.

You can also expand a specific category by clicking on "Show More."

Another way to search for files that you have recently opened is to open Finder by clicking on the Finder icon in the Dock. Then, go to "Recents" in the Finder sidebar. And there, you'll find all the files that you've recently viewed.

This is how you can search for files and folders on macOS. With these search tools, you can optimize your workflow and find the files and folders you need very quickly.

# --questions--

## --text--

If you need to perform a quick search on your Windows PC and cloud files, you should start your search from:

## --answers--

Home

---

A specific folder

### --feedback--

Think about the speed of the search process. Which one is the fastest one?

---

This PC

### --feedback--

Think about the speed of the search process. Which one is the fastest one?

---

Desktop

### --feedback--

Think about the speed of the search process. Which one is the fastest one?

## --video-solution--

1

## --text--

What is the name of a powerful search tool built into macOS that helps you find files and folder in your entire system quickly?

## --answers--

Explorer

### --feedback--

Think about the search tools available on macOS.

---

Control Center

### --feedback--

Think about the search tools available on macOS.

---

Sidebar

### --feedback--

Think about the search tools available on macOS.

---

Spotlight

## --video-solution--

4

## --text--

What is the name of the horizontal bar, typically located at the bottom of a Windows computer screen, where you can search for files and folder?

## --answers--

Sidebar

### --feedback--

Think about the search tools available on Windows.

---

Taskbar

---

Spotlight

### --feedback--

Think about the search tools available on Windows.

---

Finder

### --feedback--

Think about the search tools available on Windows.

## --video-solution--

2
