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Windows Search Advanced Query Syntax

Jan. 20, 2009 Paul Thurrott | Paul Thurrott's Supersite for Windows

Microsoft can and should be credited with being the first of the mainstream OS makers to announce and then implement system-wide instant search functionality in its operating systems. And now, years later, Windows Vista/7, and 2008 users (and XP and 2003 users, via an add-on) know the wonders of what's now called Windows Search. It works, and it works great.

That said, Windows Search also supports some far more advanced usage. And that capability is outlined in this handy article on the Windows Web site:

Windows Search Advanced Query Syntax

Once you have Windows Search for Windows Vista or Windows XP, you might be wondering how you can be even more efficient when it comes to finding files and e-mail on your PC. Advanced Query Syntax (AQS) can help you do just that. Using AQS, you can quickly define and narrow your searches for even more targeted results.

You can narrow your searches using a variety of keywords, or search parameters, which can restrict your query to specific locations, specific file types or properties within those types, or specific "file kinds." File kinds are displayed at the top of the Windows Search Explorer.

The example tables below give you an overview of syntax that can be used with Windows Search 4.0, Windows Vista, or Windows Desktop Search 3.01 for Windows XP, including the properties that can be added to your search terms to narrow and refine your results.

Excellent resource. Thanks to Demetrius M. for the tip.

Discuss this Article 33

lotsamystuff
on Jan 20, 2009
"Microsoft can and should be credited with being the first of the mainstream OS makers to announce and then implement system-wide instant search functionality in its operating systems." Not so fast there, bucko. According to Microsoft, the first version of Windows Desktop Search was released on 6/20/2005: http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc754750.aspx Apple's system-wide desktop search feature ("Spotlight") was introduced in version 10.4 on April 29, 2005: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spotlight_(software) Microsoft may have "announced" first, but Apple implemented first. So as usual you're about half right.
Ocean
on Jan 20, 2009
>>Microsoft can and should be credited with being the first of the mainstream OS makers << Paul is a troll. :) Who are the mainstream OS makers? Like the term "next-generation video game systems", or "hd videogame systems", its used to EXCLUDE.... ...not include. So who is Paul trying to exclude here? (Extra credit: why no more Wii talk from Paul? You can be sure that when demand falls he'll have four posts in a row about it.)
whiplash55
on Jan 20, 2009
great link, Paul . Microsoft search in Vista is superior to spotlight's from my experience. Technically Paul's is correct Microsoft announced it first an then implemented it. XP had system wide search before Tiger, it just wasn't very good. But Apple deserves credit for getting it in Tiger and shipping it even if they copied the idea, end users benefited from it.
mikegalos@msn.com
on Jan 20, 2009
As I recall, Microsoft announced first, demonstrated much earlier, went pubic first (with a beta) but Apple shipped a retail version about 6 weeks before Microsoft took the beta tag off. By that you could give Apple credit for shipping first but if you consider that the only criterion then a lot of Google's products and almost all FOSS software don't exist since they never seem to make it out of public beta. I'm fine either way, just adding details.
Mum
on Jan 20, 2009
Get that, macheads! Microsoft announced it in the beginning of April, so Apple copied it and released it by the end of April! Copycats! Xerox! Pthui! Besides, Steve Jobs LIED again! He said he'd be ok, and now suddenly his illness is "more complicated than previously thought"! Now where have I heard that before? Oh yeah: MobileMe and pretty much every product and service they've ever announced! What a CLASSIC case of Jobs promising and then underdelivering!
lotsamystuff
on Jan 20, 2009
"I'm fine either way, just adding details." In that case, "mikegalos", you might want to point out that BeOS had it before either of them, but Paul excludes them because they're not "mainstream. In fact, Dominic Giampaolo, who wrote the file system for BeOS, worked on the initial version of Spotlight. http://www.nobius.org/~dbg/ It's not as if Microsoft announced it and Apple (in an OMIGOD moment) scrambled to beat them. Apple's initial effort was way beyond Microsoft's, regardless. But I'll give Paul credit for creating a very narrow definition via which Microsoft can squeeze through as an innovator.
Mum
on Jan 20, 2009
"But I'll give Paul credit for creating a very narrow definition via which Microsoft can squeeze through as an innovator." Out of the two, Paul is the innovator.
robertsjoe
on Jan 20, 2009
"Microsoft can and should be credited with being the first of the mainstream OS makers to announce and then implement system-wide instant search functionality in its operating systems." Microsoft should not be credited with both these things. OS X released system wide search in to a mainstream OS first. Announcing it first means nothing. Second, it wasn't Microsoft or even Apple to implement system wide search. Other companies were doing it and doing it well way before MSFT did it. Searching Office docs, emails, PDFs and everything else. Years before. Get a grip and learn some history about this.
mikefarinha3
on Jan 20, 2009
I dunno. I'm a big Windows supporter but back when I was learning about UNIX systems there was a little know utility called grep...
tayme
on Jan 20, 2009
@mikefarinha3 - I always liked the grep command. Very powerful. Together with awk, you can find just about anything that you are looking for. You gotta love the names of some of the old Unix commands, though. --tayme
Ocean
on Jan 20, 2009
>>"But I'll give Paul credit for creating a very narrow definition via which Microsoft can squeeze through as an innovator." Out of the two, Paul is the innovator. << Epic post, right here.
Ocean
on Jan 20, 2009
>>you might want to point out that BeOS had it before either of them, but Paul excludes them because they're not "mainstream. << Bingo.
mikegalos@msn.com
on Jan 20, 2009
Yeah. BeOS had some real innovations (I still have my t-shirt and licensed disk). Shame Apple bought NeXT instead and left Be to die.
mikegalos@msn.com
on Jan 20, 2009
Guaranteed to be Off Topic Just a quick note that effective tomorrow I'll be cutting way down on posting here - probably to the point of leaving altogether. I'll be starting a new gig consulting to Microsoft's Speech Technologies team and since it is possible that after that point somebody here could interpret my statements as something more official than just my personal views I'm going to hold off on posting to avoid anyone having any way to claim that I'm speaking officially. The team I'll be working with is responsible for the voice components that are used in Microsoft's Server, Desktop and Mobile platforms. For more information on some of the products I'll be working on, go to http://www.microsoft.com/speech I've done some posts here with the help of Windows Speech Recognition. The system, which is built into Windows Vista and Windows 7, is absolutely a hidden gem and if you haven't worked with it yet, I'd really recommend giving it a try. And, of course, the voice enabled Live Search Mobile is a killer app on Windows Mobile that addicts pretty much everybody who tries it. (I'll skip discussing the more server-based non-consumer stuff since this isn't exactly a server heavy community) So, enjoy the ongoing debates. It's been a lot of fun. For those who want to keep up an unofficial conversation my email address should be fairly obvious as should be my blog on Spaces. I now return you to the ongoing community debate. Mike
Ocean
on Jan 20, 2009
>>I'll be starting a new gig consulting to Microsoft's Speech Technologies team << Congrats. Have a blast, and leak plenty of info to Mary Jo and Ed Bott.
mikegalos@msn.com
on Jan 20, 2009
"Have a blast, and leak plenty of info to Mary Jo and Ed Bott" What? You don't want me to leak info to Paul? (Actually, I've got a pretty good record of keeping Microsoft secrets and plan on keeping it that way)
tayme
on Jan 20, 2009
Good luck, mikegalos. I agree that the voice enabled Live Search Mobile is totally addicting. You should have no problem with anything that involves talking, if your posts here are any indication of your talkative nature. ;-) --tayme
mikegalos@msn.com
on Jan 20, 2009
tayme The trick is getting computers to understand what I'm saying more than some people here. ;-) back
shark47
on Jan 20, 2009
Good luck, mikegalos. Have fun at Microsoft!
robertsjoe
on Jan 20, 2009
@mikegalos: "I'll be starting a new gig consulting to Microsoft's Speech Technologies team" They need someone to speak complete rubbish, vitriol and garbage to help improve speech technologies? :)
mikegalos@msn.com
on Jan 20, 2009
robertsjoe "They need someone to speak complete rubbish, vitriol and garbage to help improve speech technologies? " If they do, I'll put in a good word for you since you're proven to be qualified.
robertsjoe
on Jan 20, 2009
@mikegalos: I guess now we know why you are such a Microsoft fanboy. Like with Paul, they also butter your bread.
Yawn!
on Jan 20, 2009
@Mike, I am pretty sure thats robertsjoe of way of saying congrats and good luck. Anyhow, Good luck and congrats. Yawn!
mikegalos@msn.com
on Jan 20, 2009
robertsjoe "Like with Paul, they also butter your bread." They really don't for Paul (but his expertise in Microsoft products does, as it does for millions). But, effective tomorrow, they will, once again, butter mine.
mikegalos@msn.com
on Jan 20, 2009
Yawn! Yeah. I figured that. My reply was my way of specifically thanking him for the congratulations. :-)
Waethorn
on Jan 21, 2009
"OS X released system wide search in to a mainstream OS first." 3% worldwide market share is anything BUT "mainstream", sorry to say.
chuckb84
on Jan 21, 2009
On the subject of fast system-wide search, look at this: http://ironicsoftware.com/leap/index.html It's essentially a re-implementation of the Mac FInder organized entirely around the idea of searching for files rather than "filing" information. This sounds stupid until you see it work. If you have a Mac, you MUST try this. You won't realize how fast and useful it is until you try it. I've no idea if there is something similar for Windows, but Leap is a great example of the utility that you get when you shift from a static filing system to a fast dynamic method. Kudos to Apple for not just creating Spotlight, but putting the hooks in the OS for developers to build apps like Leap. I would genuinely be interested to know what is available on Windows at the OS level compared to Spotlight and about programs like Leap on Windows.
mikegalos@msn.com
on Jan 21, 2009
"I've no idea if there is something similar for Windows, " You mean besides Windows Vista or Windows 7 themselves?
mikegalos@msn.com
on Jan 21, 2009
(Hey, it isn't 9AM PST yet so I haven't turned into a pumpkin yet)
lotsamystuff
on Jan 21, 2009
"Just a quick note that effective tomorrow I'll be cutting way down on posting here - probably to the point of leaving altogether." That's really too bad, "mikegalos". We'll miss you, I'm sure. You're my favorite WinJihadist, because even though you're a blind partisan largely immune to reason, you at least have the guts to admit it and the ability to back up your opinions with intelligence and logic. Unlike others such as "waethorn", you usually try to be civil before descending into condescension and mockery. "I'll be starting a new gig consulting to Microsoft's Speech Technologies team" They're lucky to have someone with your skill set and wide-ranging knowledge working with them. I hope that, as a consultant, you squeeze every dime possible out of them. You deserve it, my nettlesome friend.
mikegalos@msn.com
on Jan 21, 2009
" I hope that, as a consultant, you squeeze every dime possible out of them." Not every dime, but a fair amount of them.
panache1023
on Jan 21, 2009
Even if MS did announce first, do you really think that Apple saw it, and then rushed to get it into Mac OS X before MS could ship? I doubt it. It seems like a search utility that is built in at the file system level would be something that had a lot of time, thought, and development put into it. I can't speak for Vista as I've never really used it, but I've heard all about the "indexing" that goes on. I'm fine with that, as I use Yahoo Desktop search and it also has to index...but on my Mac, I change a file name, and it is *IMMEDIATELY* updated in spotlight, because it's built in at the file system level. Does Vista work the same way? MikeGalos, you're leaving? It's too bad.....when you're right, you post some quality stuff, usually back by reason and facts. When you're wrong, which happens way more than you admit, you are quite a funny guy. When you come back, please change that picture ;)
DRWAM
on Jan 21, 2009
Back in the 90's, I was playing with Mac's speech recognition with either 8, 8.5 or 9 OS. I had a cheap microphone and it worked pretty well. I mention this because I blew a loud fart and it closed my browser! I don't think that the fart sounded at all like "close Netscape", but I could be wrong. Mike, please get it going for the iPhone. C'mon, we got Active Sync, so how about more, including Live stuff, please. Google sux! Go Steelers!

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