Tips & Tricks

Find Lost Files

So, you've misplaced a file. It's easier to find than you think.

Click the Start button and select “Find” or “Search.” A screen will open up that allows you to search for files.

To do a search, just type the name of the missing file in the "Named" box. If you're using XP, you'll need to click the "All files & folders item" and type in what you're looking for into the "All or part of a file name" box.

If you're not sure what the name of the file is, you can use wildcards. For example, say you're looking for a text file, but you aren't 100% sure of the file name. Type *.txt in the "Named" or "All or part of a file name" box. The * is a wildcard, meaning that as long as a file has an extension of .txt, it will be displayed.

Sample shot (XP screen shown)


Don't worry. You don't have to know the file extension if you already know the name of the misplaced file. If you know the name of the file, just type it in the box and it will attempt locate it. In fact, even if you only have a partial file name, that will work.

Once the file is located, just double-click it to open it up.

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