Everything Search

What is Everything Search?

Everything is an incredibly fast file search engine for Windows that locates files and folders by name instantly. Developed by David Carpenter and voidtools, Everything builds an index of every file and folder on your NTFS drives and provides search results as you type, typically returning results in milliseconds regardless of how many files exist on your system. For anyone frustrated by Windows’ slow built-in search, Everything is a revelation that fundamentally changes how you interact with your file system.

What makes Everything remarkable is its combination of speed, simplicity, and minimal resource usage. The application indexes millions of files in seconds, uses only a few megabytes of RAM to store the index, and returns results faster than you can finish typing your query. Unlike Windows Search which indexes file contents and can consume significant resources, Everything focuses purely on file and folder names, achieving extraordinary performance by doing one thing exceptionally well.

Everything has become an essential utility for power users, developers, IT professionals, and anyone who works with large numbers of files. The application is completely free, contains no ads or bundled software, and is developed with genuine care for user experience. With features like regex support, advanced filtering, HTTP/FTP servers, and ETP synchronization, Everything scales from basic file finding to sophisticated file management workflows.

Key Features

• Instant Search: Results appear as you type, typically in under a second even across millions of files, making file location essentially instantaneous.
• Small Installation: Entire application is under 2 MB and uses minimal RAM, running efficiently on any Windows system without impacting performance.
• NTFS Indexing: Direct NTFS journal reading enables building a complete file index in seconds rather than the hours other search tools require.
• Real-Time Updates: Index updates automatically as files are added, renamed, or deleted, always reflecting the current state of your drives.
• Regex Support: Full regular expression support enables complex pattern matching for advanced users and specific search requirements.
• Filters and Macros: Pre-defined filters for common file types (documents, music, videos) and custom filter creation for frequent searches.
• Portable Version: Run from USB drive without installation, carrying your search capability to any Windows computer.
• HTTP/FTP Server: Built-in servers allow accessing search results remotely through web browser or FTP client.
• Command Line Interface: Full CLI support for scripting and integration with other tools and automation workflows.
• Bookmarks: Save complex searches and frequently accessed locations for instant access to common queries.

Recent Updates and Improvements

Everything continues active development with regular releases adding features and improving performance.

• Everything 1.5 Alpha: Major new version introducing full-text content search, thumbnail previews, and enhanced property searching capabilities.
• Improved Search Syntax: Enhanced Boolean operators, wildcards, and modifier support for more precise search expressions.
• Multi-File Rename: Built-in batch renaming with regex support and preview, eliminating need for separate renaming tools.
• Dark Mode Support: Native dark mode matching Windows theme preferences for comfortable viewing in any lighting.
• Enhanced Filters: New pre-defined filters and improved custom filter creation with more properties available.
• Folder Indexing Improvements: Better handling of folder-only searches and folder size calculations.
• Performance Optimizations: Continued improvements to indexing speed and memory efficiency across all operations.
• Localization Updates: Expanded language support with community-contributed translations for global accessibility.

System Requirements

Windows

• Operating System: Windows XP, Vista, 7, 8, 10, or 11 (32-bit or 64-bit)
• Processor: Any modern processor
• RAM: 64 MB minimum (index uses approximately 10-75 MB depending on file count)
• Storage: 3 MB for installation
• File System: NTFS required for real-time updates (FAT32 supported with periodic rescanning)
• Administrator rights: Required for NTFS journal reading (standard user mode available with limitations)

Index Requirements

• Approximately 75 bytes per file/folder in index
• 1 million files uses approximately 75 MB RAM
• Initial indexing: seconds to minutes depending on file count

How to Install Everything Search

Standard Installation

1. Download the installer from voidtools website
2. Run the installer (requires administrator rights for full functionality)
3. Accept default settings or customize installation options
4. Everything indexes all NTFS drives automatically
5. Start searching immediately from system tray icon

# Download via PowerShell
Invoke-WebRequest -Uri "https://www.voidtools.com/Everything-1.4.1.1024.x64-Setup.exe" -OutFile "EverythingSetup.exe"

# Silent installation
.\EverythingSetup.exe /S

# Using Chocolatey
choco install everything

# Using Windows Package Manager
winget install voidtools.Everything

Portable Installation

# Download portable version
1. Download Everything-x.x.x.xxx.x64.zip from voidtools.com
2. Extract to desired location (USB drive or local folder)
3. Run Everything.exe
4. Index builds automatically

# Run with specific database location
Everything.exe -db "D:\EverythingData"

# Run without admin rights (limited NTFS features)
Everything.exe -admin no

Service Mode Configuration

# Install as Windows service (admin required)
Everything.exe -install-service

# Service configuration
1. Open Everything Options
2. Navigate to General tab
3. Check "Everything Service"
4. Apply changes and restart

# Verify service status
sc query "Everything"

Pros and Cons

Pros

• Unmatched Speed: Search results appear literally as you type, making file location instant regardless of how many files exist on your system.
• Minimal Resources: Tiny installation footprint and low memory usage mean no impact on system performance, running quietly in background.
• Completely Free: No cost, no ads, no bundled software, no subscriptions—just a well-crafted tool from a developer who cares.
• Real-Time Updates: Index stays current automatically without scheduled scans, always reflecting the actual file system state.
• Portable Option: Run from USB drive on any Windows computer without installation for consistent experience anywhere.
• Power Features: Regex, filters, bookmarks, command line, and servers provide depth for advanced users without complicating basic use.
• Reliable Development: Long track record of stable releases and responsive developer engagement with user community.

Cons

• Windows Only: No macOS or Linux versions available, limiting cross-platform users to platform-specific alternatives.
• Name Search Only: Default version searches file names only, not file contents (content search available in alpha version).
• NTFS Dependency: Full functionality requires NTFS file system; FAT32 and other file systems work but without real-time updates.
• Admin Rights Preferred: Best performance requires administrator privileges for NTFS journal access, limiting use in restricted environments.
• No Cloud Integration: Searches only local and network drives, doesn’t integrate with cloud storage providers directly.

Everything Search vs Alternatives

Who Should Use Everything Search?

Everything is ideal for:

• Power Users: Anyone who frequently searches for files and is frustrated by Windows Search’s slow performance and unreliable results.
• Developers: Those navigating large codebases, searching for files across multiple projects, or needing regex-based file searches.
• IT Professionals: System administrators managing many files who need instant file location across servers and workstations.
• Data Hoarders: Users with massive file collections who need to find specific files quickly without waiting for slow searches.
• Digital Asset Managers: Photographers, designers, and content creators who need to locate specific files among large media libraries.
• Anyone on Windows: Honestly, virtually every Windows user would benefit from Everything’s instant file search capability.

Everything may not be ideal for:

• Mac or Linux Users: Everything is Windows-only; these users need platform-specific alternatives like Alfred (Mac) or FSearch (Linux).
• Content Searchers: Those primarily searching for text within documents should use Windows Search or dedicated tools like DocFetcher.
• Application Launchers: Those wanting application launching, web search, and calculator features should consider Wox or Listary.
• Restricted Environments: Corporate environments blocking admin rights may limit Everything’s effectiveness.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is Everything so much faster than Windows Search?

Everything reads the NTFS Master File Table (MFT) directly, which is the file system’s own index of all files. This allows indexing millions of files in seconds. Windows Search, by contrast, opens and reads files to index their contents, which takes far longer and uses more resources. Everything trades content search for speed, making it ideal for users who search by file name, which is the most common use case.

Does Everything index file contents?

The stable version (1.4.x) indexes file names only, not contents. However, Everything 1.5 (currently in alpha) adds full-text content search capabilities. For content searching with the stable version, you can use Everything to quickly locate files, then use grep or other content search tools on the results. Many users combine Everything with other tools for comprehensive search.

Is Everything safe to use?

Everything is completely safe. It’s been downloaded millions of times, is open source (source code available for review), contains no malware or bundleware, and is recommended by many technology publications. The developer has a long track record of trustworthy software development. Everything only reads file system metadata and doesn’t modify, upload, or share any data.

Can Everything search network drives?

Yes, Everything can search network drives and folder indexes. For network locations, you need to add them as folder indexes since NTFS journal monitoring isn’t available over the network. The search remains fast but index updates require periodic rescans rather than real-time monitoring. ETP servers can also share Everything indexes for faster network searching.

How do I search for files with specific extensions?

Use the search syntax “*.extension” to find files with specific extensions. For example, “*.pdf” finds all PDFs, “*.mp3” finds all MP3 files. You can combine with other terms like “report *.xlsx” to find Excel files containing “report” in the name. Everything also provides pre-defined filters like “Audio:” or “Documents:” for common file type categories.

Final Verdict

Everything Search represents the ideal of what software should be: it does one thing, does it exceptionally well, and asks nothing in return. In a world of bloated applications and subscription services, Everything is a refreshingly pure tool that solves a real problem with elegant efficiency. The fact that it’s completely free, with no ads or catches, makes it even more remarkable.

For Windows users, Everything is as close to an essential utility as exists. The frustration of waiting for Windows Search to find files—or worse, failing to find files you know exist—disappears entirely with Everything. Search becomes instantaneous and reliable, fundamentally changing how you interact with your file system. Once you’ve experienced finding files in milliseconds, going back to slower search tools feels painful.

The only question is why you haven’t installed it yet. Whether you have thousands of files or millions, whether you’re a casual user or power user, Everything improves your Windows experience. Download it, install it, and experience what file search should always have been. Your only regret will be not discovering it sooner.