10 Tricks To Use File Explorer In Windows 10

The latest operating system from Microsoft, Windows 10 simplifies many features and is optimized for use on touch devices, a clear indication of the direction taken by the Redmond giant.

If you have started using Windows 10 after using other previous versions of Windows for a long time (like Windows 7), you will discover several new additional features that have been introduced in Windows 10 alongside the usual tools found in Windows 7, Vista etc.

Knowing a few shortcuts and tricks for using these features will improve your Windows 10 experience.

In this lesson I’ll explain how to better use File Explorer , that is the interface for searching and organizing the content on disk.

File Explorer , which in previous operating systems was called Explorer , is a key element of Windows. Like several other elements of Windows, File Explorer in Windows 10 also shows several functional innovations, although the look and feel hasn’t changed much.

1. How to quickly access File Explorer

By pressing the Windows key + E you can quickly access the File Explorer window .

This shortcut is particularly useful and quick when you need to open a second File Explorer window , perhaps to transfer files from one folder to another. Press Windows + E twice and you will immediately open two windows.

2. Customize quick access to folders

When you open File Explorer you are in Quick Access . In this area you will find recently used files and most frequently used folders . Windows fills this list automatically.

However, you can modify this area to your liking .

Windows 10 finally offers the possibility to decide which folders to place at the top of the list , so that you can easily access them with a single click or transfer files from another folder.

To add a folder to the quick access list, just click with the right mouse button on the desired folder and select “Add to quick access”:

Alternatively, you can also click on the Add to Quick Access that you find in the menu Home of File Explorer and select folders to be added:

3. Change the default folder when opening File Explorer

When you open File Explorer in Windows 10 you are, by default, directed to the quick access list of your folders.

Users accustomed to previous versions of Windows may prefer to start with This Pc , which represents the old ” My Computer” view .

To do this:

  • open File Explorer
  • click on the Viewtab
  • click on the Optionsbutton
  • in the drop-down menu at the top (where you read “Open File Explorer for:”) select  This PC:

4. Extend the Send To menu list

As in previous versions of Windows, you can also select one or more objects (files or folders) in Windows 10 and send them to a folder on your computer or to other destinations.

When you right-click on a folder or file on your computer you will see a menu of various features, including “Send to “:

By selecting “Send to” you will see the following possible destinations appear where you can send the file or folder:

Also in this Windows 10 offers a novelty: you can in fact extend the list of possible destinations .

To do this, just press the Shift key on the keyboard before clicking with the right mouse button on the file or folder .

By doing so, the “Send to” menu will contain many more items, including all the folders in your user profile:

5. Customize the Send To menu

Another useful option introduced in Windows 10 File Explorer is customizing the “ Send To ” menu options . Basically, you can add the routes you want in the Send to list .

To do this, open the Run menu (by clicking Windows Key + R) and type the command s hell: sendto .

A specific folder opens (within your profile), where there are links used for the Send To menu.

At this point you can delete unwanted entries (for example Fax Recipient , if you do not use it) and add the links that are most convenient for you , both to folders and programs.

For example, you can create a shortcut to Photoshop and use it whenever you want to open a .jpeg file with this program rather than other programs to view images.

You can also drag and drop links to items you want to use into your Send To menu from other folders on your profile .

6. Customize the Quick Access Toolbar

The new File Explorer menu is very flexible and has a customizable section found in the top left corner of the screen, above the File tab :

In this section you can add the commands you use the most , which will always be easily accessible.

To add a single command , just right-click on that command in the command bar and select Add to Quick Access Command Bar .

One of the most interesting aspects of File Explorer is the ability to add even entire groups of commands to the toolbar .

Take for example the Layout commands group in the View tab : by right-clicking on the options (see image below) you can add the entire group to the Quick Access Toolbar.

7. Advanced File Search

Opening File Explorer , in the top right you will find a box with a magnifying glass.

Through that box you can search for any file in the current folder , the one selected in the address bar to the left of the search box.

If, for example, you want to search for a file on your hard drive C :, you will first need to go to C: and then launch the search, which will give you results in real time, as soon as you start typing something.

The search box also allows you to use Boolean operators and parameters of various kinds in textual form, but not by now in detail. In fact, even without knowing the operators and parameters available, in addition to the basic search function, File Explorer also offers new advanced search functions accessible in a simple way.

When you go to the search box , an additional tab appears at the top right, called Search.

Clicking on Tab will open the Search command bar with 3 categories of tools ( Path, Refine and Options ) with which to narrow and improve your search.

The most interesting category for advanced search is Refine , which allows you to filter in various ways to refine your search .

For example, you can search only Excel documents, or only documents you worked on in the current month, or documents larger than a certain size etc.

8. Save your searches

In the same menu, once a search has been made, it can be saved for future reuse .

Just click on “ Save search ” ( Options category in the Search tab ) and save it in the desired location (for example on the desktop).

Once we have saved your search, you can place it in the Start menu by simply clicking Right Click and selecting Pin to Start.

9. Use of filters to narrow your search

Filters can be useful for simplifying and narrowing the number of files in a search . Starting from the folder where we want to search, we select the view by Details.

Next to each label (Name, Date, Dimensions) there is a small arrow. By clicking on this, a contextual menu appears that allows us to select the desired range of values.

This option is very useful when, for example, we have to search through thousands of files and we are interested in searching within a precise range of dates.

10. Groups of files

Another trick for finding files is to group them by type .

In the View menu there is the Group by command , which allows you to group and count the files present within a given parameter (extension, type, date, etc.).

This feature makes it easier to view similar files in a folder or in search results, and it also shows you how many objects are present within a given group. You can also expand a group and view tree groups.

Conclusions

Now you know some of the main new features of File Explorer in Windows 10. In the next few lessons we will look at other ways to better use Windows 10.

 

by Abdullah Sam
I’m a teacher, researcher and writer. I write about study subjects to improve the learning of college and university students. I write top Quality study notes Mostly, Tech, Games, Education, And Solutions/Tips and Tricks. I am a person who helps students to acquire knowledge, competence or virtue.

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