Everything Desktop Search review
Everything is a long standing desktop search program for Microsoft Windows devices that is both powerful and very fast.
Our first review of Everything dates back to 2008, and the most recent one took a look at the first beta in 2013 that introduced 64-bit support in Everything.
Everything is a search program for Windows that uses fast indexing to display files and folders to the user. The initial indexing is very fast, and should complete in less than a minute if a lot of files are on the system. The author states that indexing of a fresh Windows 10 installation takes about 1 second to complete.
The name Everything comes from the program's display of data. Unlike Windows Search, which displays matching files and folders based on a user's input, Everything displays all files and folders initially, and filters them based on the user's input.
Everything Desktop Search
Everything 1.4 is the most recent major version of the search program. It was released back in November 2015, and introduced several new features to the application (and was updated several times subsequently). The developer released several updates to address issues for the most part in the program. The last update dates back to February 2019 at the time of writing.
The latest version of Everything is offered as a 32-bit and 64-bit portable version, and as a setup version. The program is compatible with all versions of Windows starting with Windows XP, and can run under user or administrative accounts. If run under a user account, Everything either needs to be run as administrator or as a service for NTFS indexing to work.
The software creates indexes of all fixed volumes automatically. You can add removable volumes to the indexing process under Options > Indexes > NTFS (or ReFS if that file system is used).
The core functionality of the search program has not changed. The start of Everything is very fast, and a list of all folders and files is displayed on start.
The table lists file and folder names, full path information, the last modification date, and for files the file size.
Filters are applied as soon as you start typing. This process is instant, and there is no lag on your system as Everything filters files and folders based on your input.
One of the greatest strengths of Everything, besides that it is blazing fast, is that it offers an impressive set of features and customization options. You can use content filters for instance, run pretty much any command or feature using the keyboard, and even run the program from the command line.
New features in Everything 1.4
Everything 1.4 was a major update of the search program. The new version introduced several important features to the application:
- ReFS file system support. Everything will index fixed ReFS volumes automatically. You can add removable ReFS volumes, or manage which get indexed in the options. (Tools > Options > ReFS)
- More indexing options. Everything indexes file size and modification date by default. The new version allows you to add folder sizes, file creation and access dates, and file attributes to the indexing. This requires more memory, but will provide you with the information instantly if done. (Tools > Options > Indexes)
- Fast Sorting. You can enable fast sorting for data sets so that Everything remembers these between searches. (Tools > Options > Indexes)
- Advanced Search allows you to build complex search queries. You may use it to find files using parameters such as file names, words or phrases in files, location, modification date or period, and size. (Search > Advanced Search).
- Multi-File Renaming. You can rename multiple files at once in Everything 1.4. Supports changing text in all filenames, changing extensions, finding and replacing text, or editing all filenames in one edit box. (to use, select multiple files and hit F2).
- Content Searching. You can use Everything to search in files. Please note that content is not indexed, and is very slow as a consequence. (use content:text, or ansicontent:text, utf8content:text, utf16content:text, or utf16becontent:text for content searches).
- Fast reindexing. Everything runs a reindex operation whenever a new volume is added or an existing one removed. Everything 1.3 ran the operation on all drives, even on drives that did not change at all. Everything 1.4 uses existing up to date indexes and skips drives that have not changed.
- Preview Pane. You can enable a preview pane in Everything 1.4 that displays image previews there if enabled. (View > Preview, or Alt-P)
- Thumbnails support. Images may be displayed as thumbnails in Everything when you enable the option. Useful in combination with the pic: filter. (View > Medium, Large, or Extra Large Thumbnails, or hold down Ctrl-key and use the mouse wheel to change the display type).
New Features in Everything 1.3
Everything 1.3 was the last major release prior to the release of Everything 1.4 that introduced important features and improvements to the search program.
- Everything Service. When installed, Everything may run as a standard user. It allows indexation of NTFS volumes and the monitoring of USN Journals. Only required if run under a standard user account.
- Recent Changes filters. You can use the rc: command to search for recent changes.
- rc:date
- rc:today
- rc:yesterday
- rc:last2hours
- rc:last10minutes
- Run History. Keeps track of how many times you open files or folders from within Everything. The highest run count file or folder is picked automatically when you hit enter from the search edit. Can be disabled under Tools > Options > History > Enable run history.
- Search History. Lists all previous searches made in Everything. The feature is disabled by default, and you can enable it under Tools > Options > History > Enable search history.
- Bookmarks enable you to save searches, filters, sort and index operations. Select Bookmarks > Add to bookmarks to add a new bookmark, and Bookmarks > Organize Bookmarks to manage them.
- File Lists may be created from within Everything, and loaded into the program at any time. To create a new list, select Tools > File List Editor, and use drag and drop to add files and folders to it. The lists are saved as CSV files, and may be loaded using Tools > Options > File Lists. Useful to keep a record of removable volumes or optical discs among other things. May also be run from the command line using everything.exe -create-filelist <output-filename> <path-to-scan>.
- Folder indexing. Everything indexes volumes by default only. You can add folders that you want indexed as well. Allows you to index Fat32 and other volumes that Everything does not index directly, network shares, or mapped network drives. You may add folders under Tools > Options > Indexes > Folders.
- Match diacritics may be used to match or ignore accent marks. Toggle under Search > Match Diacritics, or by using Ctrl-M.
- Filters allow you to run custom searches by selecting them. Everything ships with filters for finding specific types of files such as compressed, audio or document files. Use and edit from the Search menu.
Verdict
Windows is home to plenty of search programs. You can check out our guide on the best search programs for a list of them if you are interested.
Everything is a great program, and there is little that one can criticize as it is well designed, feature rich, but still puts users in control in regards to its feature set.
Everything references
- Everything functions. The listing on the project website lists all functions that you may use when you enter your search terms. Functions like content:text, daterun:, empty:, type:, or height: provide you with options to run more complex searches. You may combine functions, and use constants as well.
- List of supported keyboard shortcuts.
- List of command line options.
@Martin Brinkmann: with all due respect, this is now such a basic function, esp. for people reading your articles, that this article is like explaining to the readers how to calculate 1+1.
Yes, I have to agree with this. I can’t imagine that there are many spreadsheet users who are computer literate enough to even casually read ghacks, but don’t know how to use a SUM function.
@Klass Vaak & Herman Cost
Ever thought that people might google it so this artice might show up in the search results. So..no it’s not useless. I think it’s a good strategy explaining stuff even if it’s just basic things. Every day there is a new user on the internet searching for this kind of tutorial.
@Malte: you make a good point, in principle. Nevertheless, nowadays telling people how to do a sum calculation, the simplest of the simple, in a spreadsheet is like teaching grandma to suck eggs.
If say an elderly person would be sitting in front of a spreadsheet wondering how to sum a number of cells, that person is unlikely to look it up on internet, but would ask one of her/his children.
And in any case, Ghacks is not a spreadsheet tricks and tips site, so it would not show up high in the ranking in a Google search.
I`m an elderly person. 71.
My experience in computers spans 50 years, focused on Unix internals, advanced degrees.
I look to the internet for answers, since my children hate me and wouldnt tell me “jack”, even if they knew the answer.
I dont know how to “suck eggs in principle”, or anything else for that matter. I’m retired and not interested in learning. Some other guy learned “the theory of sucking things.”
Never needed spreadsheets, always too darn busy. Thanks for this info. Now I know how to sum two cells.
Everyone starts somewhere.
I am an elderly person and I can use sum, sumif, sumifs and so on. My kids come to me for knowledge on how to use excel and other programs ;)
But then, I was in IT my entire career before I retired :)
There are basic sites, and there are advanced sites. GHacks used to be more for people with technical knowledge. You can’t be everything to everyone though that seems to be the trend these days. Since it’s all about clicks and click bait the wider the topics the more you can remain “relevant”…
However, that mentality tends to alienate the more technical people. I find myself spending less time here every month. It won’t be long before I stop coming here altogether.
I have no mobile or wireless technology.
Anything google or apple is insidious to me. And that accounts now for most of the content here.
As to this article. Avast, and all of their products are untrustworthy. There has been much controversy and negativity regarding their products. I would think a reputable site would be more careful in what they publish… err, sorry, advertise.
@Klaas Vaak: In Martin’s defense, it’s the day after Christmas, and some eggnog recipes pack a *real wallop*. Maybe we’re lucky he could type at all. ;-) More seriously, I don’t use Calc super-often, I typically type in the =SUM() function manually, and I’d actually *forgotten* where the Σ button is located in Calc. (The last time I was a heavy spreadsheet user, it was in an older version of Excel and I’m pretty sure the Σ button was somewhere on one of the “regular” toolbars.) So, the article actually did have a small payoff for me. Plus, there might be other intermediate or advanced users of other types of programs (graphics, audio, video, word-processing) who have never used a spreadsheet in their lives. It’s kind of hard to imagine, I know, but it’s possible.
You were not born with the knowledge you have now. You once had to learn too.
So get down off your high horse, grow up and show a little respect for others who need details.
Overall LO has become a good SW, what prevents me to use it is:
https://wiki.documentfoundation.org/Development/Calc/XMLSource
“it will not store the information about the data source once the data is imported”
Until that functionality is implemented I’m forced to use M$ Office (2003).
@SpywareFan: an interesting alternative for M$ Office is Softmaker’s FreeOffice.
@Klaas Vaak
I have the Softmaker’s Free Office Suite in my computer – – and I LOVE IT!
intelligencia
In the FreeOffice manuals there is no reference to XML data mapping functions.
Another vote for Softmaker’s Free Office, a very nice alternative to MS Office.
Yes, I use functions in Calc: Average, Min and Max. I use the mouse to select the cells.
I don’t usually have to use Sum.
Thanks for the info, and could we have more tips for LibreOffice?
I find that the documentation does not keep up with the changes in LibreOffice.
Also, it is hard to find info in the help documentation.
Thanks Martin for all your great work you put in to make our live easier. Have a nice and healthy 2021.
To all those complaining about this being a simple ‘101’ function: it’s Martin’s blog, he can write a deep-dive review of Windows Calculator if he so wishes. Do you pay his salary or something?
@ShintoPlasm: yes, it is Martin’s blog, but it is a public blog with a comments section, which means he invites people to comment. And having been an avid reader for several years now, I am pretty sure Martin does not expect commenters to agree with him all the time.
You do not help him with agreeing with everything willy-nilly and “honouring” him with praise. Martin, like everyone else in the world, is not perfect, therefore he can only learn from constructive criticism.
Unfortunately you look at constructive criticism as a complaint. I do not agree with you on that and will keep making constructive criticism because I believe in keeping this website one of the best ones – refraining from constructive criticism won’t do that.
Absolutely. People could rather than leaving constructive criticism just stop visiting the site. How is that in the best interest of the site’s authors?
A new way to sum with the latest version is to place the cursor under the numbers to be summed, then press Alt-=, then ENTER.
The SUM function doesn’t work. It just keeps putting the same total no matter what figures I enter.
I would like to know how to make the sum function work. I know how it should work and it works in excel. But when I put the sum function in, it will not make changes when I edit and change the data, the total remains the same
Ditto, Marty. Everyone starts somewhere. Thanks.
Instead of being snarky, maybe you could be helpful. I’d like to add two numbers in a cell;
In Excel, it would be
=5+6
I try that in this piece of crap software, and get a message “Invalid value.”
I used Excel a lot when I was working. Retired now seven years. Excel was great, especially for macros. I now use LibreOffice, which works similarly but the macros are difficult in comparrison to Excel. I couldn’t find anything on macros for Free Office, which was disappointing, so I uninstalled it. I find Zoho to be the most similar to Excel but there you’re stuck with your spreadsheets in the cloud which I didn’t like.
Um… When was this article posted? The date says today (August 23, 2023), but I’m seeing comments from 3 years ago.
I was going to amuse myself and check out the comments for this Avast AV sponsored post since there were so many comments. I thought it funny since they have an article bashing the product in 2019.
What do I see when I go to the comments? Ghacks pulled an “Amazon” and replaced an article on Excel SUM functions with a sponsored post to make it look like a good article.
Anyone and everyone who even has a clue about tech knows that Avast is utter garbage and focuses on spying on you and spamming you with ads these days. Just check out the bad article from 2019 on this very site! If you run Windows 10/11, you already have better antivirus than Avast built-in to Windows.
@graham
surely more importantly is why an ad for dodgy anti-virus has the whole thread on office suites instead.. something in the db is messed up.
On a slight tangent, does foobar2000 have a built in lyrics plug in? I mostly used Linux and Deadbeef, the closest alternative to Foobar there has a very old(and kinda broke) plug in.
If you want news then add this line in uBlock Origin:
ghacks.net##.hentry,.home-posts,.home-category-post:not(:has-text(/Martin Brinkmann|Mike Turcotte|Ashwin/))
@News filter,
> ghacks.net##.hentry,.home-posts,.home-category-post:not(:has-text(/Martin Brinkmann|Mike Turcotte|Ashwin/))
Thanks for the useful information.
Added line to My filters in uBlock Origin.
Magnificently,
I was able to clean up “all articles” by other authors on the Ghacks site.
It’s refreshing to be able to see only useful articles (instead of being buried among inferior articles) by clearing out the obtrusive articles.
Important note: changing policies through the program doesn’t save them automatically. You need to hit Ctrl+S (or go to File > Sve Policies)
What silly click bait article. Even the actual article is ridiculous.
“The launch of HarmonyOS for PC could pose a serious threat to Windows.”
Who cares what people in China use.
Don’t do drugs before working maybe.
What’s next? Look up the biggest Android fork in China and write pointless long article about it how it’ll take over Google’s Android.
HarmonyOS and Excel comments are mixed up.
HarmonyOS is not an open-source OS, only partially components.
P.S.
What is happening with these comments from other articles?
this is funny. it looks like the same base article, comments and all has been repurposed and edited or something for 3 (or more) different articles.
started off as something for some office suite… and then it was some antivirus thing.. and now it’s some iffy os.
wtf is that writer doing? no one reads or comments on the ad articles and he has to reuse old ones to make it look like it’s getting traction? (though it shows up as 0 comments on the homepage, so that can’t be it?)
“HarmonyOS does not have Google. Huawei’s HarmonyOS is a proprietary operating system..”
vs
“HarmonyOS is open-source, which means that it can be customized by developers and manufacturers.”
Both are quotes from the article. So which one is it, open source or proprietary?
Without windows-based videogames able to run, it’ll stay niche.
Huawei better put serious money into a harmonyOS port of Wine, DXVK or Proton if it wants its machine being more than web browsing thin clients.
I won’t trust a foreign OS.
Deeply foreign, I meant. In so many ways.
“I won’t trust a foreign OS.”
You trust Microsoft Windows, Google Android and Apple operating systems just because they are from businesses in your country ? Talk about blind nationalism.
Do not forget also that there is a world outside of USA and that for most of human beings, your favorite operating systems are also of a foreign origin, and as hostile towards them as they are towards yourself.
HAHAHAHA – did you really say “it could pose a serious threat to Microsoft’s Windows operating system”?
It won’t run programs or real games, so it will be useless.
I mean, there are some people who apparently love using tablets and phones for everything, but mostly are people who will barely do anything with their brain in life.
I mean, even if Photoshop, and others are available for iPad, do people think iPad is a threat for windows? not really, maybe for useless consumers who will just, like with a phone, be happy and move on, but not for professional industries which are the ones who matter the most, because are the ones who generate more revenue, since they buy the most expensive hardware and software.
Nothing consumer computing related really makes much money, unless it is data from users that get sold for AI or Ads.
Who knows where this comment is going to wind up. It’s in response to the article about Huawei’s HarmonyOS (HOS) operating system.
Two places in the article it says HOS is open-source. One place the article says HOS is proprietary. Uh, I’m pretty sure it can’t be both. Which is it? If there’s some fine distinction, somebody needs to explain it.
After all of these issues with Ghacks articles and misplaced postings, I’m reminded of this
https://www.ghacks.net/2019/10/07/ghacks-has-a-new-owner-and-that-is-a-good-for-everyone/
@vanp,
Note: I replied to you on September 6, 2023 at Around 2:20 pm, but it was still remain blocked after more than half a day, so I replaced the quoted URI scheme: https:// with “>>” and reposted.
The current ghacks.net is owned by “Softonic International S.A.” (sold by Martin in October 2019), and due to the fate of M&A, ghacks.net has changed in quality.
>> ghacks.net/2023/09/02/microsoft-is-removing-wordpad-from-windows/#comment-4573130
Many Authors of bloggers and advertisers certified by Softonic have joined the site, and the site is full of articles aimed at advertising and clickbait.
>> ghacks.net/2023/08/31/in-windows-11-the-line-between-legitimate-and-adware-becomes-increasingly-blurred/#comment-4573117
As it stands, except for articles by Martin Brinkmann and Ashwin, they are low quality, unhelpful, and even vicious. It is better not to read those articles.
>> ghacks.net/2023/09/01/windows-11-development-overview-of-the-august-2023-changes/#comment-4573033
By the way, if you use an RSS reader, you can track exactly where your comments are (I’m an iPad user, so I use “Feedly Classic”, but for Windows I prefer the desktop app “RSS Guard”).
RSS Guard: Feed reader which supports RSS/ATOM/JSON and many web-based feed services.
>> github.com/martinrotter/rssguard#readme
Regarding “Huawei’s HarmonyOS” you asked about, the developer has stated that it is planning to open source, however the actual situation has been shelved (no such movement).
HarmonyOS – Wikipedia
>> en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HarmonyOS
Therefore, it is “proprietary software”.
Moreover, both the company and its production base are in China. China, Russia, Israel, etc. are “Authoritarian state” and products and companies based in those countries are under state control, and privacy policies can become “famous and innocent.” Those products should be avoided.
Correction of sentence
Before correction: “famous and innocent.”
After correction: “nominal name only titular.”
owl, thanks again for the great info.
HarmonyOS doesn’t run Windows apps. It is no threat to Windows.
I agree.. i bet it cant even run wallpaper engine, it probably has the worst compatibility with software.
iam vary satisfied this work
http://crackscoop.com
ah, wonderful, this message/article cross-posting hasn’t been fixed.
Ignore my comments.