📎 AI Summary:
The thread discusses limitations of the built-in Windows 10 file search, particularly its inability to find files with words in different orders or separately when searching. The original poster inquires about changing settings or finding a better search tool; a user suggests using quotation marks for exact matches, which the poster tests unsuccessfully. Another contributor recommends using the third-party utility Agent Ransack, praising its speed and advanced search options as a superior alternative to Windows' default search.
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garrett higgins

New Member
Joined
Oct 25, 2016
Messages
2
Thread Author #1
Hi. In Windows 10, the file search available on the toolbar only searches for text strings in the order you write it in the box i.e. if you write 'garrett higgins', it will NOT find any files in which those words appear in a different order or, indeed, separately. Can i change the settings to fix this? or can anyone recommend a good search app? thanks garrett higgins
 

Solution
MikeHawthorne
Hi

I've used Agent Ransack for years as my search engine.
It will find pretty much anything and is unbelievably fast.

It has a number of selectable options for running searches.
For example "Contains text" etc.

Once it is installed it will be added to the right click menu, so all you have to do it click on the drive or folder you want to search and type in your search term.

It will retain it so you can search a series of locations without having to reenter your search.

I couldn't get along without it, it is far superior to the native Windows search engine.

Agent Ransack - Free File Searching Utility

I just searched my C:\drive for .exe and found 6,562 files in 5 seconds!

Mike
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nmsuk

nmsuk

Essential Member
Joined
Sep 7, 2009
Messages
4,328
#2
Have you tried for example "garrett" "higgins" in the search?
 

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garrett higgins

New Member
Joined
Oct 25, 2016
Messages
2
Thread Author #3
yes thanks, it does not work.
so if i have a word doc with just the words 'garrett higgins is' it will find the document based on a search with any of the words individually or some or all of the words IN THE EXACT ORDER but not in any way otherwise
 

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MikeHawthorne

MikeHawthorne

Essential Member
Microsoft Community Contributor
Joined
May 25, 2009
Messages
6,684
#4
Hi

I've used Agent Ransack for years as my search engine.
It will find pretty much anything and is unbelievably fast.

It has a number of selectable options for running searches.
For example "Contains text" etc.

Once it is installed it will be added to the right click menu, so all you have to do it click on the drive or folder you want to search and type in your search term.

It will retain it so you can search a series of locations without having to reenter your search.

I couldn't get along without it, it is far superior to the native Windows search engine.

Agent Ransack - Free File Searching Utility

I just searched my C:\drive for .exe and found 6,562 files in 5 seconds!

Mike
 

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Solution
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