If there’s one thing that every Windows user can agree on, it’s that the default search has always been awful. Luckily, you’re not stuck with it. Everything is a free app that turns searching for files into the quick, painless experience it should always have been.
Everything is perfect for lightning-fast searches
When you’re trying to track down a specific file or folder, speed is everything. That’s where Windows search often falls short. It works, sure, but it can often be sluggish and sometimes even cause File Explorer to freeze.
You type a file name, wait, then wait some more, only to be greeted with a blank result or a confusing list that doesn’t quite match what you had in mind. I’ve often found it easier to abandon Windows search altogether and dig through folders manually.
Everything completely changes the game. As soon as you start typing, results appear in real time. It feels as snappy and responsive as a Google search, but it happens locally on your machine. Even if you have created or renamed a file seconds ago, Everything can find it.
The magic lies in how it works. Unlike Windows search, Everything doesn’t waste time scanning the contents of your files. Instead, it only indexes file names and folder structures, which allows it to be faster and more efficient.
Easy sorting and powerful filters
Finding files and folders on your PC isn’t always as simple as typing the exact name and hitting Enter. Sometimes you might only remember part of the name, or worse, end up with dozens of results with nearly identical titles.
If your search brings up multiple results, there’s no need to scroll endlessly or guess which file is the right one. Head to View > Sort by and choose the option that makes the most sense. You can sort by name, type, size, date created, date modified, and more.
One small but brilliant feature is that Everything keeps track of how often you open a file. If you regularly select the same file after running a search, it learns from your habits and automatically places that file at the top of the list.
And if you still can’t pin down the file, head to Search > Advanced Search and you’ll see options that will help you find the file quickly.
Everything also supports the advanced search features you get in File Explorer. For example, typing report AND 2023 ensures both words must appear in the result, while invoice OR receipt shows you either option. If you want to exclude something, you can use NOT draft to filter out unwanted versions.
Wildcards make the process even more flexible. An asterisk (*) can stand in for multiple characters, so searching for project* will catch project-final, project-notes, and project123. The question mark (?) covers a single character, which comes in handy if you’re unsure about part of a name, like file?.txt to match file1.txt or file2.txt.
Once you find your file or folder, you can right-click it and select Open Path to view it in File Explorer.
It’s free and lightweight
Another major problem with Windows search is that it’s a resource hog. You might not notice it, but the indexing process runs constantly in the background. If you’ve ever wondered why your fans suddenly spin up or why your system feels sluggish even when you’re not doing much, Windows Search could be one of the reasons.
Everything is the complete opposite. It’s incredibly lightweight and uses minimal system resources, even with hundreds of thousands of files across multiple drives. The initial index builds in seconds after you install it, and after that, the app sits quietly in the background and consumes almost no memory at all.
Installing Everything allowed me to turn off Windows search indexing altogether, which freed up resources and made my PC noticeably faster. So it’s not only about the convenience of blazing-fast searches.
Replacing Windows search with Everything
For someone who relies on Everything exclusively, being able to open it quickly is important. The good news is that it’s possible to add it to the taskbar, making it feel native.
First, download the Everything Toolbar from GitHub and run it. Once installed, open Everything and navigate to Tools > Options. Under the General tab, check both Show Search for Everything folder context menu item and Run as Administrator.
Next, search for the Everything Toolbar in your Start menu, right-click it, and choose Pin to Taskbar. This way, you’ll be able to access it with a click. If you prefer a cleaner look, you can even hide the default Windows search icon from the taskbar by heading into Taskbar Settings.
If you’ve ever been frustrated by slow searches, Everything is the tool you didn’t know you needed. It’s a must-have for me and has even earned a spot among the portable tools I keep on my USB stick, so I can take it anywhere and have instant, reliable search on any PC.
