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How do I filter file size in File Explorer?

Published in File Management 3 mins read

You can filter file size in File Explorer using the size filter in the search bar or by using advanced search operators. Here's how:

Method 1: Using the Size Drop-Down Menu

  1. Open File Explorer: Click the folder icon on your taskbar or press Windows key + E.
  2. Navigate to the desired folder: Go to the location where you want to filter files by size.
  3. Access the Search Bar: Look for the search bar in the upper right corner of the File Explorer window.
  4. Click the "Size" Drop-down: Click inside the search bar to activate it. A "Size" drop-down menu will appear below the search bar. In some versions of Windows, this might appear as a filter option directly when you click in the search bar.
  5. Choose a File Size Range: Select a predefined file size range from the drop-down menu (e.g., Empty, Tiny, Small, Medium, Large, Huge, Gigantic).

Method 2: Using Size Operators in the Search Bar

You can also use search operators directly in the search bar for more specific size filtering:

  1. Open File Explorer (as described above).

  2. Navigate to the desired folder.

  3. Type your search query: In the search bar, type size: followed by a size range or specific size using these options:

    • Empty: size:empty (Files that are 0 KB)
    • Tiny: size:tiny (0 – 10 KB)
    • Small: size:small (10 – 100 KB)
    • Medium: size:medium (100 KB – 1 MB)
    • Large: size:large (1 MB – 16 MB)
    • Huge: size:huge (16 MB – 128 MB)
    • Gigantic: size:gigantic (> 128 MB)
    • Specific size (in bytes): size:1048576 (This example searches for files that are exactly 1MB - 1024 * 1024 bytes)
    • Size greater than: size:>1048576 (Files larger than 1MB)
    • Size less than: size:<1048576 (Files smaller than 1MB)
    • Size range: size:1MB..10MB (Files between 1MB and 10MB)

Example: To find all files larger than 50MB in the current folder, you would type size:>52428800 into the search bar and press Enter. (50MB = 50 1024 1024 bytes = 52428800 bytes).

Important Considerations:

  • Hidden Files: Make sure you've configured File Explorer to show hidden files and folders if you suspect the files you're looking for are hidden. Go to the "View" tab in File Explorer and check the "Hidden items" box.
  • Indexing: For faster search results, ensure that the folder you are searching in is indexed by Windows Search.

By using either the size drop-down menu or search operators, you can efficiently filter files by size in File Explorer to locate the files you need.

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