Everything
Everything is a free file search tool for Windows that indexes file and folder names and returns matches instantly as you type.
Version: 1.4.1.1032| Developer | voidtools |
|---|---|
| Version | 1.4.1.1032 |
| License | Freeware |
| Operating system | Windows |
| Interface languages | English, Korean, Japanese, German, French |
| File size | 1.9 MB |
| Ads / bundled offers | None |
| Last updated | 2026-11-05 |
Everything is a free file search tool for Windows from voidtools. Instead of crawling the disk on every query, it reads the file list of NTFS drives and builds an index of file and folder names only, so results narrow with each keystroke. According to the official FAQ, indexing about 250,000 files on a fresh Windows 11 installation takes around five seconds, and one million files takes about a minute.
It is a good fit for anyone who regularly loses track of where a file was saved, or who finds the built-in Windows search too slow. Developers and office workers who juggle thousands of files can go further with its search syntax. If the main goal is finding documents by the words inside them rather than by name, however, a desktop search tool that indexes file contents is a better match.
Matching files and folders appear in the list as soon as you start typing. Because searches run against the name index, the disk is not rescanned, and memory use is roughly 100 MB for one million files.
On NTFS drives the index follows the USN change journal, so new, renamed and deleted files show up in results immediately. There is no need to rebuild the index manually.
Spaces act as AND, | means OR and ! excludes a term. The * and ? wildcards are supported, and adding a path such as downloads\ .mp3 limits results to a folder. Regular expressions can be enabled from the Search menu.
The content: function searches text inside files. Since file contents are not indexed, this is much slower than a name search, so it works best combined with a folder or extension filter.
FAT32 and exFAT drives, mapped network drives and NAS shares can be added as folder indexes under Tools > Options > Folders. Folder indexes cannot use the NTFS change journal, so depending on the setup they rely on periodic rescans.
The built-in HTTP server lets a web browser on another PC or phone search this computer's files, and the ETP server lets another copy of Everything query the index remotely. A Lite edition without the servers is also available.
Its core—instant name search with real-time updates—is excellent, and search syntax, content search and remote servers extend it well beyond the basics. The lack of a content index is the one clear limit on what it can do.
After installation you simply type in the search box, so getting started is effortless. The multilingual build offers many interface languages, and the advanced syntax and extensive options can be learned gradually.
There are no ads or bundled offers, and voidtools states that Everything runs entirely offline with no telemetry or user data collection. NTFS indexing requires administrator rights or the Everything service, and the next major version, 1.5, is still in beta as of November 2026.
| Operating system | Windows |
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| Requirements | Windows XP / Vista / 7 / 8 / 10 / 11 |
Yes. Everything is freeware under a permissive MIT-style license that allows use, copying and distribution, so it can be used at work; donations are optional.
Yes, but slowly. The content: function searches file contents, which are not indexed, so it is best to narrow the search by folder or extension.
Very little. The official FAQ puts it at about 35 MB of RAM for 250,000 files and about 100 MB for one million files.
Yes. voidtools offers portable ZIP downloads alongside the regular installers, in both 32-bit and 64-bit builds.
Not yet. As of November 2026, version 1.5 is distributed as a beta, and the latest stable release is 1.4.1.1032.
Everything is an easy recommendation for any Windows user who finds files by name. Instant results, real-time indexing, a tiny footprint and a license that permits business use earn it our editor rating of 4 out of 5; it stops short of full marks because it cannot index file contents and its next version is still in beta.
Editor rating 4/5
