Windows Desktop Search – Help

This tip is useful if you are using any of the Microsoft Desktop Search Technologies including Windows Vista/Office 2007/Windows Desktop Search/MSN Toolbar Search. Many times you will find yourself scratching on how to do a power search that the UI doesn’t expose.

Recently I came across this help file on Advanced Query Syntax (ADS)) in Windows SDK (Unexpected place to find it). Check it out.

There are some jewels there like:

• size:>50<70 – Search for a file within this limit
• kind:im – Search only IM conversations
• kind:email – Search only email communications
• store:outlook – Limit search to Outlook Store alone

One tip which is not in the document:

• folderpath:Microsoft – Limit search to what is on “Microsoft” folder (Outlook folders)