Find Things Fast in Windows

In order to get to the right folder or file you are looking for fast, there are several things you can do!

Setup your jump lists in Windows 7

The first thing you can do with the documents that you access most often is to add them to your jump lists.  I do this by right clicking on a program (Excel for example), and selecting Pin to Taskbar.  Next step is to open the files you access the most.  If you have opened it recently, all you need to do is right click on the excel icon in the taskbar, find the recent document, and then click the push pin icon right next to that document.  That will pin the document right to the taskbar.  Next time you need the file, simply right click the right program in the task bar and your document will be right there waiting for you to click!

Add Folder Favorites

When you open up an explorer window, on the left side you will see several folder options.  If you have a folder that you regularly access you can add it to this list.  Browse to the folder on the right hand side (do not open the folder, just get to the spot where you can see the particular folder).  Click the folder on the right, and drag it to the Favorites Star on the left.  Now your folder should always show up there for fast access to what you need most.

Improve Windows Search

If you can’t quite remember where you put that folder, and Windows search seems to be taking forever to find it, you can improve your search results!  Click the start menu and type indexing options.  When this opens make sure that the area you are searching is included in the index.  Click Modify to add locations to index.  When Windows indexes a folder it makes searching for  files within that folder very speedy.

Now get that productivity moving, and find all of your files in the blink of an eye!

-Sarah Kimmel