Can I use Windows Search to find hidden files?

Yes, you can use Windows Search to find hidden files, but there are a few settings and steps you need to adjust to ensure that hidden files are included in your search results. By default, Windows does not include hidden files in its search results. Here’s how you can enable searching for hidden files:

1. Show Hidden Files in File Explorer

Before you can effectively search for hidden files using Windows Search, you need to configure File Explorer to show hidden items:

• Open File Explorer.
• Go to the View tab on the ribbon menu.
• Check the box labeled Hidden items. This will make hidden files and folders visible within File Explorer.

2. Include System Files (Optional)

If you also want to include system files (which are typically hidden), you can do so by adjusting Folder Options:

• In any File Explorer window, click on the View tab.
• Click on Options (or Folder Options) on the far right of the ribbon, then select Change folder and search options.
• In the View tab of the Folder Options dialog box, under Advanced settings, you can uncheck Hide protected operating system files (Recommended) if you want to include system files in your searches and view them in File Explorer.
• Click Apply and then OK.

3. Search for Hidden Files

Once you have adjusted these settings, you can now search for hidden files using the search bar in File Explorer as you normally would. For example, if you’re looking for a hidden file named example.txt, you can simply type name:example.txt into the search bar in the folder where you believe the file is located or in a parent directory.

4. Use Advanced Query Syntax

To refine your search further, especially when looking for hidden files, you can use Advanced Query Syntax (AQS). For instance:

• To specifically search for hidden files, you could use attributes:20 in your search query. The 20 value corresponds to the attribute code for hidden files in Windows.
• Alternatively, you might combine this with other criteria like kind:text name:example.

By following these steps, you should be able to locate hidden files using Windows Search. Remember that searching for hidden files is generally less common, so ensuring you have a good reason for accessing such files is important, as they may contain critical system information or configurations.