General Save Search Query in Windows 11


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This tutorial will show you how to save a search query in File Explorer in Windows 11.

You can save a search query as a Search Folder, a virtual folder displayed in File Explorer under the Searches folder. Opening a Search Folder runs the saved search and displays up-to-date results. The saved search file stores the query in a format Windows Search can act on, specifying what to search for, where to search, and how to present the results.

The saved search is generated from an XML file (*.search-ms) in the %userprofile%\Searches folder.

Reference:

You can Pin to Start, Pin to Quick access, or move the saved search to where you like to use it from.


Here's How:

1 Perform a search in the Search Box of File Explorer using the search criteria you want.

2 Right click on an empty area in the search results, and click/tap on Save search. (see screenshot below)

Save_search-1.png

3 Perform the following steps: (see screenshot below)

The search is saved to the Searches folder by default, but you can save the search anywhere you like.


  1. Type a name you want for the saved search.
  2. Change or add author(s) for the Authors details property if wanted.
  3. Add one or more tags for the Tags details property if wanted.
  4. Click/tap on Save.
Save_search-2.png

4 The search query will now be saved. (see screenshots below)

Save_search-3.png
Save_search-4.png



That's it,
Shawn Brink


 
Last edited:
@Brink

Nice Thank you
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 11
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Asus
    CPU
    i-7 10700k 3.8
    Motherboard
    PRIME Z-490 A
    Memory
    32gb DDR4 3200
    Graphics Card(s)
    RX 580
    Monitor(s) Displays
    1
    Screen Resolution
    2560x1440
    PSU
    750
    Keyboard
    Corsair K95 RGB PLATINUM XT Mechanical Gaming Keyboard
    Mouse
    G502 HERO
Another thing I didn't know!
Am I right in thinking that if the dispaly is shut down, after the set time, then the Search stops? If so, how can it be restarted at the same stage without having to start over?
 

My Computers

System One System Two

  • OS
    Win 11 Pro 64
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Acer Aspire TC-886
    CPU
    Intel
    Motherboard
    Acer for Intel
    Memory
    8 GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    Nvidea
    Sound Card
    Realtek
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Iiyama G-Master GB3466WQSU
    Screen Resolution
    3440 x 1440
    Hard Drives
    Samsung SDD 1TB
    PSU
    Inbuilt
    Case
    Tower
    Cooling
    Inbuilt
    Keyboard
    Logitech Wireless K520 connected via Mouse without borders to other desktops.
    Mouse
    Now using Re-Go Vertical Mouse, left handed. As remote alternative - Logitech Wireless M310 connected via Mouse without borders to other desktops.
    Internet Speed
    200 MB
    Browser
    Edge
    Antivirus
    Defender + Malwarebytes
    Other Info
    Backup external Seagate Plus 4 TB from AOMEI Backupper
  • Operating System
    Win 10 Pro 64 unsuitable for Win 11
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Lenovo H30-05
    Other Info
    Kept up to date as a Win 10 backup
    System three is another Acer from 2008 with HDD x 2 carrying Win 7 Pro upgraded from XP. Useful to have for some old programmes.
Another thing I didn't know!
Am I right in thinking that if the dispaly is shut down, after the set time, then the Search stops? If so, how can it be restarted at the same stage without having to start over?

Hello, :alien:

The current search shouldn't stop if it's only the display turning off. That would be no different than a screen saver.

If the search gets interrupted, then yeah you'll have to start over.
 

My Computers

System One System Two

  • OS
    Windows 11 Pro for Workstations
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Custom self build
    CPU
    Intel i7-8700K 5 GHz
    Motherboard
    ASUS ROG Maximus XI Formula Z390
    Memory
    64 GB (4x16GB) G.SKILL TridentZ RGB DDR4 3600 MHz (F4-3600C18D-32GTZR)
    Graphics Card(s)
    ASUS ROG-STRIX-GTX1080TI-O11G-GAMING (11GB GDDR5X)
    Sound Card
    Integrated Digital Audio (S/PDIF)
    Monitor(s) Displays
    2 x Samsung Odyssey G75 27"
    Screen Resolution
    2560x1440
    Hard Drives
    1TB Samsung 990 PRO M.2,
    4TB Samsung 990 PRO M.2,
    8TB WD MyCloudEX2Ultra NAS
    PSU
    Seasonic Prime Titanium 850W
    Case
    Thermaltake Core P3 wall mounted
    Cooling
    Corsair Hydro H115i
    Keyboard
    Logitech wireless K800
    Mouse
    Logitech MX Master 3
    Internet Speed
    1 Gbps Download and 35 Mbps Upload
    Browser
    Google Chrome
    Antivirus
    Microsoft Defender and Malwarebytes Premium
    Other Info
    Logitech Z625 speaker system,
    Logitech BRIO 4K Pro webcam,
    HP Color LaserJet Pro MFP M477fdn,
    CyberPower CP1500PFCLCD
    Galaxy S23 Plus phone
  • Operating System
    Windows 11 Pro
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Surface Laptop 7 Copilot+ PC
    CPU
    Snapdragon X Elite (12 core) 3.42 GHz
    Memory
    16 GB LPDDR5x-7467 MHz
    Monitor(s) Displays
    15" HDR
    Screen Resolution
    2496 x 1664
    Hard Drives
    1 TB SSD
    Internet Speed
    Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 5.4
    Browser
    Chrome and Edge
    Antivirus
    Windows Defender
I have saved a query as in your screenshots but i seems as if the query is saved but NOT the results. So opening the saved search file simply causes the search to be repeated. Is that right?
(As I am searching the whole of a 4TB drive, doing it again rather misses the point I would have thought.)
 

My Computers

System One System Two

  • OS
    Win 11 Pro 64
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Acer Aspire TC-886
    CPU
    Intel
    Motherboard
    Acer for Intel
    Memory
    8 GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    Nvidea
    Sound Card
    Realtek
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Iiyama G-Master GB3466WQSU
    Screen Resolution
    3440 x 1440
    Hard Drives
    Samsung SDD 1TB
    PSU
    Inbuilt
    Case
    Tower
    Cooling
    Inbuilt
    Keyboard
    Logitech Wireless K520 connected via Mouse without borders to other desktops.
    Mouse
    Now using Re-Go Vertical Mouse, left handed. As remote alternative - Logitech Wireless M310 connected via Mouse without borders to other desktops.
    Internet Speed
    200 MB
    Browser
    Edge
    Antivirus
    Defender + Malwarebytes
    Other Info
    Backup external Seagate Plus 4 TB from AOMEI Backupper
  • Operating System
    Win 10 Pro 64 unsuitable for Win 11
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Lenovo H30-05
    Other Info
    Kept up to date as a Win 10 backup
    System three is another Acer from 2008 with HDD x 2 carrying Win 7 Pro upgraded from XP. Useful to have for some old programmes.
I have saved a query as in your screenshots but i seems as if the query is saved but NOT the results. So opening the saved search file simply causes the search to be repeated. Is that right?
(As I am searching the whole of a 4TB drive, doing it again rather misses the point I would have thought.)

Correct. It will still perform a search. Only what and how to query by Search is what's saved.
 

My Computers

System One System Two

  • OS
    Windows 11 Pro for Workstations
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Custom self build
    CPU
    Intel i7-8700K 5 GHz
    Motherboard
    ASUS ROG Maximus XI Formula Z390
    Memory
    64 GB (4x16GB) G.SKILL TridentZ RGB DDR4 3600 MHz (F4-3600C18D-32GTZR)
    Graphics Card(s)
    ASUS ROG-STRIX-GTX1080TI-O11G-GAMING (11GB GDDR5X)
    Sound Card
    Integrated Digital Audio (S/PDIF)
    Monitor(s) Displays
    2 x Samsung Odyssey G75 27"
    Screen Resolution
    2560x1440
    Hard Drives
    1TB Samsung 990 PRO M.2,
    4TB Samsung 990 PRO M.2,
    8TB WD MyCloudEX2Ultra NAS
    PSU
    Seasonic Prime Titanium 850W
    Case
    Thermaltake Core P3 wall mounted
    Cooling
    Corsair Hydro H115i
    Keyboard
    Logitech wireless K800
    Mouse
    Logitech MX Master 3
    Internet Speed
    1 Gbps Download and 35 Mbps Upload
    Browser
    Google Chrome
    Antivirus
    Microsoft Defender and Malwarebytes Premium
    Other Info
    Logitech Z625 speaker system,
    Logitech BRIO 4K Pro webcam,
    HP Color LaserJet Pro MFP M477fdn,
    CyberPower CP1500PFCLCD
    Galaxy S23 Plus phone
  • Operating System
    Windows 11 Pro
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Surface Laptop 7 Copilot+ PC
    CPU
    Snapdragon X Elite (12 core) 3.42 GHz
    Memory
    16 GB LPDDR5x-7467 MHz
    Monitor(s) Displays
    15" HDR
    Screen Resolution
    2496 x 1664
    Hard Drives
    1 TB SSD
    Internet Speed
    Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 5.4
    Browser
    Chrome and Edge
    Antivirus
    Windows Defender
Correct. It will still perform a search. Only what and how to query by Search is what's saved.
It appears to be a bit faster, but not by much! Pity but thanks
 

My Computers

System One System Two

  • OS
    Win 11 Pro 64
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Acer Aspire TC-886
    CPU
    Intel
    Motherboard
    Acer for Intel
    Memory
    8 GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    Nvidea
    Sound Card
    Realtek
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Iiyama G-Master GB3466WQSU
    Screen Resolution
    3440 x 1440
    Hard Drives
    Samsung SDD 1TB
    PSU
    Inbuilt
    Case
    Tower
    Cooling
    Inbuilt
    Keyboard
    Logitech Wireless K520 connected via Mouse without borders to other desktops.
    Mouse
    Now using Re-Go Vertical Mouse, left handed. As remote alternative - Logitech Wireless M310 connected via Mouse without borders to other desktops.
    Internet Speed
    200 MB
    Browser
    Edge
    Antivirus
    Defender + Malwarebytes
    Other Info
    Backup external Seagate Plus 4 TB from AOMEI Backupper
  • Operating System
    Win 10 Pro 64 unsuitable for Win 11
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Lenovo H30-05
    Other Info
    Kept up to date as a Win 10 backup
    System three is another Acer from 2008 with HDD x 2 carrying Win 7 Pro upgraded from XP. Useful to have for some old programmes.
As I needed a list that I could refer to on other days, the saved search, of only the search method, meant that the next time I could use it, but had to wait almost as long for it to do it again - no help at all I am afraid. I am using a key file that I include in new folders since 2007 to make it easy for me to search for additional folders that I have made on the fly. The folders hold all types of files that I have found online that will be of later use. As I need something more useful; I have "invented" a method that works as follows: See screenshot and file attached. By the way, I have those research folders going back many years stored on six different drives.

§ In preparation I created an empty *.txt page on Notepad named Example.txt.

§ First - as stated, all the folders will have a copy of a unique file named IMG_0942.JPG. But for my first trial of the method I used an odd file called Saturday 23rd april *.jpg". I know there are several on a drive so used the asterisk for the search to find more than one result.
When the search was finished I had to be very careful NOT to use Save Search as that command results in the results disappearing as soon as the save file is created!

§ Tnen I highlighted one result and used Xtrl+A to select all the files listed on the results page.

§ I then Iused left click (I use a left hand mouse) to open context menu and selected Copy as Path

§ Then in the new Example.txt file I used Ctrl+V to copy all the file paths found and saved it. It's now possible to use Save Search as a backup if ever I need to do it again.

Now I can use that file of addresses any time I need without having to re-search every time I do some more work on my project. Another benefit, I can compare many searches at once at the clisk of a mouse.
 

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My Computers

System One System Two

  • OS
    Win 11 Pro 64
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Acer Aspire TC-886
    CPU
    Intel
    Motherboard
    Acer for Intel
    Memory
    8 GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    Nvidea
    Sound Card
    Realtek
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Iiyama G-Master GB3466WQSU
    Screen Resolution
    3440 x 1440
    Hard Drives
    Samsung SDD 1TB
    PSU
    Inbuilt
    Case
    Tower
    Cooling
    Inbuilt
    Keyboard
    Logitech Wireless K520 connected via Mouse without borders to other desktops.
    Mouse
    Now using Re-Go Vertical Mouse, left handed. As remote alternative - Logitech Wireless M310 connected via Mouse without borders to other desktops.
    Internet Speed
    200 MB
    Browser
    Edge
    Antivirus
    Defender + Malwarebytes
    Other Info
    Backup external Seagate Plus 4 TB from AOMEI Backupper
  • Operating System
    Win 10 Pro 64 unsuitable for Win 11
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Lenovo H30-05
    Other Info
    Kept up to date as a Win 10 backup
    System three is another Acer from 2008 with HDD x 2 carrying Win 7 Pro upgraded from XP. Useful to have for some old programmes.

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