How to search for apps, files and other items in Windows 11

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Here's however to usage and customize the Search instrumentality successful Windows 11 to rapidly get the results you need.

Tracking down a circumstantial app, file, mounting oregon different point successful Windows tin beryllium challenging if you don't cognize oregon don't retrieve wherever it's located. That's wherever the Search diagnostic comes successful handy. With the Windows 11 Search tool, you tin hunt for astir immoderate benignant of point and tweak the Search options to power however a emblematic hunt works and what it tin find.

SEE: Windows 11: Tips connected installation, information and much (free PDF) (TechRepublic)

To entree the Search surface successful Windows 11, click the Search icon connected the Taskbar. If you're already astatine the Start menu, click the Search tract astatine the top, and that volition instrumentality you to the Search screen. The surface shows your apical apps arsenic good arsenic caller searches and speedy suggested searches. Click an point you privation to find oregon unfastened (Figure A).

Figure A

Otherwise, benignant the sanction of the app, record oregon different point you privation to find successful the Search field. The results amusement searches crossed each categories, including apps, documents and websites. Click a circumstantial class to spot conscionable those results. Click the More paper to spot results for email, folders, music, people, photos, settings oregon videos. Click the effect you privation to presumption oregon unfastened (Figure B).

Figure B

Next, you whitethorn privation to tweak immoderate of the Search options, particularly if you're not getting the afloat results you expect. Go to Settings, prime Privacy & Security, and past prime Search Permissions. Under SafeSearch, you tin acceptable the options for Strict, Moderate oregon Off to grow oregon bounds the results.

If you motion into Windows with a Microsoft relationship and privation to see contented from OneDrive, SharePoint, Outlook and Bing successful your hunt results, crook connected the power for Microsoft Account. If you're utilizing a enactment oregon schoolhouse relationship instead, crook connected the power for Work Or School Account (Figure C).

Figure C

You tin besides power the privateness and past of your searches. If you don't privation the hunt past connected your PC to origin into aboriginal hunt suggestions, crook disconnected the power for Search History On This Device. To region your recorded hunt history, click the fastener for Clear Device Search History. To further view, region oregon power your hunt history, click the links for Privacy Dashboard and Bing Search History Settings (Figure D).

Figure D

Next, spell to the erstwhile surface for Privacy & Security and click the mounting for Searching Windows. Normally, Windows volition scale your apps, files and different items periodically truthful they rapidly look successful hunt results. If you'd alternatively not person the indexing chew up artillery beingness erstwhile powerfulness is low, crook connected the power for Respect Power Settings When Indexing.

SEE: How to instal Windows 11 connected a Mac (TechRepublic)

You tin power wherever a hunt volition look for files, arsenic well. By default, the instrumentality looks lone successful circumstantial locations, specified arsenic documents, pictures and music. To grow the indexing range, click the nexus for Customize Search Locations. That triggers the Indexing model wherever you tin modify the parameters to adhd much folders. Alternatively, click the enactment for Enhanced to see your full PC successful the hunt indexing (Figure E).

Figure E

Scroll down farther to reappraisal each the folders excluded successful the hunt indexing. Click the fastener for Add An Excluded Folder to adhd immoderate different folders you privation to destruct from the indexing (Figure F).

Figure F

Finally, scroll to the bottommost of the window. Clicking the introduction for Advanced Indexing Options opens the Indexing window, wherever you tin modify the parameters. Click the introduction for Indexer Troubleshooter if you've been bumping into problems with the hunt instrumentality oregon hunt results and privation to cheque for indexing problems (Figure G).

Figure G