Anybody that has used Windows knows how difficult it can be to find certain files. I've had an HP laptop for about seven years now. I don't use it for everything, but I do take it with me to do work when I'm traveling. There are seven years of files on this, which include files for stories, resumes, cover letters, plenty of photos, and spreadsheets for various reasons. After a while, it can be hard to remember where everything is.
So, whenever I need an older file, it can be a struggle to find it. Windows Search does not always recognize what file I'm searching for and it also takes forever. The little blue circle just spins half the time. Luckily, I discovered a great new app that solves everything wrong with Windows search.
Windows Search has a lot of issues
It has never been good
Windows Search has never been particularly good at what it does. Whether it was Windows 10 or Windows 11 (the two Windows OS I've used most), it has always been slow. Not only does it take a long time, it drains your battery. That's because it sucks up the use of tons of system resources to search through all of your files. You also have to specify where you want it to search to have it produce better results.
Fluent Search helps me outthink my sloppy organization of files and adds as a second brain for me.
Windows has also added sponsored apps or specific apps that it wants you to look for when you open up Windows Search now. If I'm searching for a file, half the time it gives me a browser search result rather than the file. I don't need random web searches when I'm looking for a photo or document. The indexing runs in the background of your computer, causing it to slow down even when you aren't searching for a file. When you do, it works in overdrive to try and find it, making the computer go even slower. Luckily, Fluent Search solves so many of these problems.
Fluent Search is made to be fast and keep your computer running
The app is overqualified and it's great
Fluent Search is free to download in the Windows Store.
So, with Windows Search being so bad, Fluent Search doesn't have to do that much to be better. Yet, it does work incredibly well. It is created to be speedy and efficient, despite it being 80MB in size. While that might cause your computer to slow down if you don't have a ton of memory, it actually works more efficiently than Windows Search, so it will run quicker and use up less resources than Windows Search.
I disabled Windows Search when I downloaded Fluent Search and I couldn't be happier. Not only because it's faster, but also because it doesn't cause as much of a drain on my battery life. I have noticed a difference in how much longer my computer lasts. It is an older laptop, so the battery life isn't stellar any more, but it definitely lasts a bit longer than it used to.
What Fluent Search does well
It can find things I didn't know were there
The search bar pops up when the app is opened. From there, you can type in anything and Fluent Search will immediately populate any files on your computer that has those letters or numbers. If you choose the icons button in the Fluent Search menu, it will populate the files with what program all the files are from. This means that if it's a Word document, it will populate with the Word doc icon.
Just bringing up the search icon, you can search all areas of your Windows PC. I rarely know what folders are in what areas. But I know they are in different corners of my computer. If there's a file with my mom's recipe for pizza on it, I can just type in "pizza" and know it will find it. Fluent Search helps me outthink my sloppy organization of files and adds as a second brain for me.
Hot Keys can make you move around your computer more easily
I rarely have to use my mouse
You can set up different hot keys to look for different files in different places. If you just want a general search, bringing up the search bar works perfectly well. But if you want to do Screen Search, you can type in the default CTRL + M to bring up different options. From there, there are little icons that pop up all over the screen. They become clickable areas of the screen, letting you either click those ares or type in the letter combinations that populate. For example, if you bring up Screen Search, the browser search bar you have open may populate with an AB. If you type in AB, it will bring you to that. This helps you eliminate using your mouse.
I can just type on the keyboard and navigate my way around my computer screen with ease. It even helps me go into certain sections of the computer without having to use the touchpad. It lets you look through system settings, web searches, and more without the need for your mouse. For advanced users, Fluent Search also lets you create triggers that you can coordinate with hot keys. Combinations to open up different programs, populate a new web browser, and more can be done with this program. It not only help you find things in your computer, but it also help you run your PC more efficiently. I can't believe it's a free app.