So, how do you filter your search results and find music and other audio files only? This article covers everything you need to know!
We’ll show you how you can filter your results on File Explorer’s search bar. Lastly, we’ll show you how you can find some of the audio files that might be hidden somewhere on your device.
1. Search for Music Using the Windows Media Player
Are you looking for some songs on your PC but struggling to locate them? The Windows Media Player can help. This tool will help you filter your search results to find exactly what you’re looking for.
Let’s check out how you can easily search for music using the Windows Media Player:
Type Windows Media Player in the Start Menu search bar and select the Best match. Click the right-pointing arrow on the Library tab and then select Music. Next, click the right-pointing arrow on the Music tab and select any suitable option. For example, select Artist if you want to filter your results based on artists’ names.
These filters will make it easy for you to organize and find your files. Alternatively, you can use the Window Media Player’s search bar if you know the file name you’re looking for.
By default, the Windows Media Player will access the Music folder on your PC. If you want to change the folder path, select the appropriate option on the left part of the screen.
2. Use File Explorer’s Search Bar to Find Your Music and Audio Files
File Explorer’s search bar can also help you easily find your music and other audio files. Let’s check out how you can use this tool:
Press Win + E to open File Explorer. Click This PC on the left-hand side pane. Alternatively, open the folder containing your music or other audio files. Type kind:music in File Explorer’s search bar and press Enter. This should display all your audio files.
Searching for files on the entire drive (“This PC” option) using File Explorer might take a while, but you can try these other Windows search tools which might be faster. When the process is complete, scroll down and locate your audio file.
Now, do you want to search for a specific playlist? Here’s how File Explorer’s search bar can help:
Open File Explorer and navigate to any relevant folder as per the previous steps. Type kind:playlist in File Explorer’s search bar and press Enter.
3. Search for Music and Other Audio Files Using Specific Names
Sometimes, you might have different file types (pictures, audios, videos, and more) with the same name. So, this might make it hard for you to find your music and audio files.
Fortunately, File Explorer’s search bar can help you find the exact audio file you’re looking for! Here are some steps you need to follow:
Press Win + E to open File Explorer. Click This PC on the left-hand side pane. Type filename kind:music in File Explorer’s search bar. However, replace filename with the exact name of your file. For example, if you’re looking for an audio file named “Adele - Hello”, type Adele-Hello kind:music and press Enter.
4. Search for Music and Other Audio Files Using a Specific File Format
Do you want to find audio files of a specific format such as MP3 or M4A? File Explorer’s search bar can help with that too.
To get started, press Win + E to open File Explorer. Type ext:. fileformat in File Explorer’s search bar and replace fileformat with the audio file format you’re looking for. For example, if you’re looking for MP3 files, type ext:. MP3 and press Enter.
If you know the name and the file format of the audio file you’re looking for, then you can try the following method:
Open File Explorer as per the previous steps. Type filename ext:. fileformat and replace filename with the name of your file and fileformat with the correct file format. For example, if you’re searching for an MP3 file named Adele - Hello, your search query should be Adele-Hello ext:. MP3.
Are you wondering why it could be worth searching using the file name and format? This could be helpful if you have other audio files with the same name but different file formats. So, this will help you find only the specific file you’re looking for.
5. Search for Your Music and Other Audio Files Using Various Filters
If you’re still struggling to locate your audio files, then you can try using File Explorer’s other filters.
However, these options will only appear once you complete a search query. So, let’s start by making a random search on File Explorer’s search bar:
Press Win + E to open File Explorer. Type kind:music in File Explorer’s search bar and press Enter. This will display your audio file. Additionally, it’ll show the Search tab in the top-left corner, which we’ll use to find the other filters.
Here are some of the options you can use from the Search tab.
Current folder: This option allows you to search for audio files only in the current folder and not any other subfolders. All subfolders: Clicking this option allows you to search for all the audio files in the current folder and its subfolders. Size: This option helps you filter your audio results according to file size. You can pick a range from Empty (0 KB) to Gigantic (>4 GB). Search again in: It allows you to search for the same result again but in a different folder. Date modified: This option helps you search for an audio file that was saved or modified on a certain date. Recent searches: It allows you to display your previous search results or clear your search history.
So, by using any of these options, you can filter your search results and find only the files you’re looking for. You can also filter web search results to ensure your PC only delivers kid-friendly results.
6. Search for Hidden Audio Files
Any of the methods we’ve covered should help you find your music and audio files. But if that’s not the case, your audio files might be hidden.
So, let’s take a look at how you can find your hidden audio files on Windows:
Open File Explorer by clicking its taskbar icon or pressing Win + E. Click the View tab in the top-left corner. Check the Hidden items box to show all the hidden files and folders.
From there, search for your music and other audio files using any of the methods in this article.
Find Your Favorite Songs and Audio Files Without Hassle
Locating all the audio files on your Windows device can be pretty challenging. The worst part is that some of your files might even be saved in hidden folders.
Fortunately, you can apply any of the solutions in this article to easily find your audio files. And if you want to amplify your listening experience, there are some cool Windows sound apps you can check out.
