How to Create a Search Shortcut in Windows 10


Windows 10 offers you many ways to search for files. One way is in File Explorer.

This tutorial will show you how to create or download a Search shortcut that opens directly to the File Explorer search box in Windows 10.

This Search shortcut will search your index locations by default.



Contents




EXAMPLE: Search in File Explorer
How to Create Search Shortcut in Windows 10-search_in_file_explorer.jpg






OPTION ONE

To Download a Search Shortcut


1 Click/tap on the Download button below to download the .zip file below.

Search_shortcut.zip

Download

2 Save the .zip file to your desktop.

3 Unblock the .zip file..

4 Open the .zip file, and extract (drag and drop) the shortcut to your desktop.

5 If you like, you can Pin to Taskbar, Pin to Start, add to All apps, add to Quick Launch, assign a keyboard shortcut to, or move this shortcut to where you like for easy use.

6 When finished, you can delete the downloaded .zip file if you like.






OPTION TWO

To Manually Create a Search Shortcut


1 Right click or press and hold on an empty area on your desktop, and click/tap on New and Shortcut.

2 Copy and paste the location below into the location area, and click/tap on Next. (see screenshot below)

%windir%\explorer.exe search-ms:

How to Create Search Shortcut in Windows 10-search_shortcut-1.jpg

3 Type Search for the name, and click/tap on the Finish button. (see screenshot below)

You could name this shortcut anything you would like though.

How to Create Search Shortcut in Windows 10-search_shortcut-2.jpg

4 Right click or press and hold on the new Search shortcut, and click/tap on Properties.

5 Click/tap on the Shortcut tab, then click/tap on the Change Icon button. (see screenshot below)

How to Create Search Shortcut in Windows 10-search_shortcut-3.jpg

6 In the line under "Look for icons in this file", copy and paste the location below, and press Enter. (see screenshot below)

%windir%\System32\imageres.dll

How to Create Search Shortcut in Windows 10-search_shortcut-4.jpg

7 Select the icon highlighted in blue above, and click/tap on OK. (see screenshot above)

You could use any icon that you would like instead though.


8 Click/tap on OK. (see screenshot below)

How to Create Search Shortcut in Windows 10-search_shortcut-5.jpg

9 If you like, you can Pin to Taskbar, Pin to Start, add to All apps, add to Quick Launch, assign a keyboard shortcut to, or move this shortcut to where you like for easy use.


That's it,
Shawn


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