Windows 10 tips, tricks and search shortcut cheat sheet.
Windows 10 always provides the best user interface to it’s users to make it easier to navigate on the operating system. One of the best and the most used operating systems in the world is windows 10. The operating system offers easier way of navigating and locating files, folders and programs using the search method….
Windows 10 always provides the best user interface to it’s users to make it easier to navigate on the operating system. One of the best and the most used operating systems in the world is windows 10.
The operating system offers easier way of navigating and locating files, folders and programs using the search method.
There are tricks and tips involved that will enable you to easily locate any file you are looking for on your computer.
Using windows search is the easiest way of locating your files on the computer without having to go through many processes just to locate on file.
All you need to do is to open the windows search by pressing the windows key on the keyboard or clicking on the built in search button on the taskbar.
Cortana is also another alternative way of searching for files on your computer and also on the internet. Just hit windows + Q to open Cortana.
The table below displays the cheat sheet of windows search and some other tricks and tips that is useful.
Basic Windows 10 and Cortana Search | |
| Windows | Open Start menu search bar |
| Windows + S OR Windows + Q | Open Cortana search bar in text mode |
| Down Arrow | Select result below |
| Up Arrow | Select result above |
| Right Arrow | Select option to the right |
| Left Arrow | Select option to the left |
| Enter | Open selected item |
| Esc | Close search menu |
Narrow Down Local Cortana Search | |
| Apps: | Search within Apps |
| Documents: | Search within Documents |
| Videos: | Search within Videos |
| Folders: | Search within Folders |
| Music: | Search within Music |
| Settings: | Search within Settings |
| Photos: | Search within Photos |
| Mail: | Search within your Outlook email inbox |
| People: | Search within People |
Cortana Web Search Tools | |
| Web: | Search the internet |
| Paris weather | Get weather information |
| Sydney time | Get time zone information |
| Define: “technology” | Find word definitions |
| Facebook stock | Get stock market information |
| Donald Trump age | Find facts about public figures |
| 50usd to eur | Convert currencies |
| 5in to mm | Convert measuring units |
| 74f to c | Convert temperatures |
| 86/2*10 | Perform math calculations |
| DAL1439 | Track flight status |
| red sox score | Find current sports scores |
| food near me | Find local restaurants |
Cortana Voice Command Search | |
| Windows + C | Open Cortana in voice command mode |
| Say “Hey Cortana” | Open Cortana in voice command mode |
| Find document (file name) | Find a specific file |
| Find photos from January 2018 | Find photos from a specific time |
| Open (app name) | Open a specific app |
| Search the web for Lenovo laptops | Search the internet for a specific term |
| What’s the tallest mountain in the world? | Find facts on the internet |
| Find restaurants near me | Search the internet for local restaurants |
| What’s the time in Paris? | Find time zone information |
| Show me the latest news | Display the latest news headlines |
| What’s the weather? | Find local weather information |
| Find showtimes near me | Find local movie showtimes |
| What’s 2+2? | Perform math calculations |
| What’s 13 pounds in ounces? | Perform measurement conversions |
Basic File Explorer Search | |
| Windows + E | Open File Explorer |
| Ctrl + F OR Ctrl+E OR F3 | Place cursor in the search bar |
| Ctrl + L OR Alt + D | Place cursor in the address bar |
| Up Arrow | Select result above |
| Down Arrow | Select result below |
| Right Arrow | Select result to the right |
| Left Arrow | Select result to the left |
| Enter | Open selected file |
| Backspace OR Alt+ Left Arrow | Return to previous page |
| Alt + Right Arrow | Go to next page |
| Alt + Up Arrow | Return to the folder that the current file or folder is in |
| Esc | Clear search or address bar |
File Explorer Advanced Query Syntax Search | |
| store:desktop | Limit your search to the desktop |
| store:files | Limit your search to Files |
| store:outlook | Limit your search to Outlook |
| store:oe | Limit your search to Outlook Express |
| *.file_extension | Search for a files with a specific extension |
| kind:everything | Search all file types |
| kind:communications | Search communication files |
| kind:contacts | Search contacts |
| kind:email | Search emails |
| kind:im | Search instant messaging conversations |
| kind:meetings | Search meetings |
| kind:tasks | Search tasks |
| kind:notes | Search notes |
| kind:documents | Search documents |
| kind:text | Search text documents |
| kind:spreadsheets | Search spreadsheet files |
| kind:presentations | Search presentation files |
| kind:music | Search music files |
| kind:pics | Search picture files |
| kind:videos | Search video files |
| kind:folders | Search folders |
| kind:favorites | Search favorites |
| kind:programs | Search program files |
| date:today, date:tomorrow, date:yesterday | Search for items with a specific date |
| modified:last week | Search for items by modification date |
| size:>40, size:<40 | Search for items by size |
File Explorer Search Using Boolean Operators | |
| Keyword 1 NOT keyword 2 | Results with keyword 1 but not keyword 2 |
| Keyword 1 OR keyword 2 | Results with keyword 1 or keyword 2 |
| Keyword 1 | Results with the exact phrase “keyword 1” |
| (Keyword 1 keyword 2) | Results with keyword 1 and keyword 2 in any order |
