Download Everything Free – Complete Installation and Usage Guide

What Is Everything?

Everything is a free file search utility for Windows, developed by David Carpenter and distributed by Void Tools. Unlike the default Windows Search which can take minutes to scan an entire hard drive, Everything indexes all file and folder names on NTFS volumes within seconds and returns search results instantly — typically within milliseconds.

With over 100 million downloads worldwide and an average rating of 4.9/5 stars across software platforms, Everything is widely regarded as the fastest file search tool available today. It is especially useful for system administrators, developers, SEO professionals, and anyone who regularly works with large numbers of files on their computer.

How it works: Everything leverages the USN Journal (Update Sequence Number Journal) of the NTFS file system to read file listings instead of scanning folders individually like Windows Search. This makes Everything hundreds of times faster than the default search tool.

History of Everything

Everything was first released in 2008 by David Carpenter — an Australian developer — with the goal of creating the fastest possible file search utility. Unlike typical open-source projects, Everything is developed and maintained by a single individual to this day.

Key development milestones:

• 2008: Everything 1.2 first released, creating a buzz in the IT community
• 2012: Everything 1.3 with support for size and date filtering
• 2016: Everything 1.4 with ribbon interface, Unicode support, regex search
• 2019: Everything 1.4.1 adds built-in FTP server and HTTP server
• 2022: Dark Mode support, advanced search with boolean operators
• 2024-2026: Optimized for Windows 11, improved NVMe performance, ARM64 support

Why Use Everything?

There are many reasons why Everything has become an indispensable tool on Windows computers. Here are the standout advantages:

Blazing Fast Search Speed

Everything is the fastest file search tool available for Windows. When you type a keyword, results appear instantly — even when searching through terabytes of data. While Windows Search takes 30 seconds to 2 minutes to find a file, Everything takes only 5-50 milliseconds.

Completely Free – No Ads

Everything is 100% free for both personal and commercial use. There is no paid "Pro" version, no ads, no watermark, and no feature limitations. It is genuinely freeware, not freemium. You can use Everything freely in enterprise environments without purchasing licenses.

Ultra-Lightweight

The Everything installer is only 1.4 MB — smaller than a JPEG photo. It uses only 10-30 MB of RAM when running in the background, with virtually no impact on system performance. Compared to other search tools, Everything is the optimal choice for low-spec computers. Use CPU-Z to check your PC specs before installation.

Instant Indexing

Everything uses a special mechanism to read the USN Journal of NTFS. The initial index is created within 1-3 seconds (depending on drive size), and thereafter updates automatically and instantly whenever files are created, modified, or deleted. No manual refresh or re-index needed.

Learn how to optimize your workflow with other useful tools in our guide Download Notepad++ Free — the professional code editor for developers.

Key Features of Everything

Everything is not just a simple file search tool. It offers many powerful features to help you manage files more efficiently:

Instant Search

This is the core and most impressive feature. As you type, results appear immediately from the first keystroke — no need to press Enter. Everything supports:

• File name search: Type part of a name, Everything finds all matching files
• Case-insensitive search: "Document" and "document" yield the same results
• Full path search: Search by entire folder path
• Hidden and system file search: Everything displays files Windows normally hides

Advanced Search Syntax

Everything supports powerful search operators without needing a separate dialog:

Example: *.jpg size:>5mb dm:thisyear path:D:\images — find JPG files larger than 5MB, modified this year, in D:\images.

Regex Search (Regular Expressions)

Everything fully supports Regular Expressions for advanced users. Enable via Search → Enable Regex or hotkey Ctrl+R.

Regex examples in Everything:

• ^project.*\.pdf$ — PDF files starting with "project"
• \d{4}-\d{2}-\d{2} — Files containing YYYY-MM-DD dates
• [A-Za-z]+_[0-9]+\.xlsx — Excel files with specific naming

This feature is particularly valuable for developers and system administrators who need to find files with complex patterns.

Built-in FTP Server

Everything can act as a lightweight FTP server, allowing remote file access. Go to Tools → Options → FTP to configure. Useful for retrieving files from your home computer while at the office, without installing separate FTP server software.

Built-in HTTP Server

Like FTP, Everything also includes a built-in HTTP server allowing you to search and download files through a web browser from any device on your LAN. Enable at Tools → Options → HTTP. The web interface is simple but fully functional.

Command Line Search (ES)

Everything includes es.exe (Everything Search CLI) for searching files from cmd, PowerShell, or scripts. Essential for automation:

es.exe "*.log"
es.exe -sort-size -desc "*.bak"
es.exe -count "*.jpg"

Integrate es.exe into PowerShell scripts or automation tools to streamline your workflow. See Download GS Auto Clicker Free for more automation ideas.

Content Search

Beyond file name search, Everything also supports file content search. Enable at Tools → Options → Content. Everything uses Windows Search Protocol or IFilter to read file contents from PDF, DOCX, XLSX, TXT and many other formats.

Example: content:"contract" ext:pdf — find PDF files containing the word "contract". Once found, open and view the PDF instantly with Foxit PDF Reader — a fast, lightweight, free PDF reader and editor.

Bookmarks and Search History

Everything lets you save frequently used searches as Bookmarks:

1. Run a search
2. Press Ctrl+D to save as bookmark
3. Name it and choose a color

Next time, just click the bookmark to run the same query instantly. This is especially useful for SEO professionals and web administrators who regularly check log or backup files. Learn more about effective content strategy in our Overall SEO Guide.

Everything vs Other File Search Tools

To give you a comprehensive comparison, here is a detailed breakdown of Everything against its main competitors:

Bottom line: If you need a free, fastest, lightest file search tool, Everything is the undisputed choice. It outperforms Windows Search in every aspect and remains completely free compared to Listary or UltraSearch.

Everything is also an invaluable tool for SEO professionals and web administrators who need to quickly locate log files, backups, configuration files, or project documents. Explore more useful tools in our Free Software Downloads category.

How to Download and Install Everything

Step 1: Visit the Void Tools Website

Go to the official Everything download page at: https://www.voidtools.com/downloads/

Always download software from the official source to ensure a safe, malware-free installer.

Step 2: Choose the Right Version

Everything offers several versions for different needs:

• Everything 1.4.1 (64-bit): Recommended for most modern Windows computers
• Everything 1.4.1 (32-bit): For older machines or 32-bit Windows
• Everything 1.4.1 (ARM64): For Surface Pro X, ARM-based devices
• Portable (64-bit): Run directly from USB, no installation required
• Portable (32-bit): Portable version for 32-bit systems
• ES (Command Line Only): es.exe command-line tool, only 36KB

Note: The portable version runs directly from USB — ideal for IT technicians who carry their toolkit when servicing computers.

Step 3: Install Everything on Windows

After downloading Everything-1.4.1.1026.x64-Setup.exe, follow these steps:

1. Double-click the installer
2. Click Next to continue
3. Accept the license agreement (I Agree)
4. Choose the installation folder (default: C:\Program Files\Everything)
5. Select installation options:
   • Install Everything Service: Run as a Windows service (recommended)
   • Run Everything at Windows startup: Auto-start with Windows
   • Add Everything to Windows Search: Integrate into Windows Search
   • Add shortcuts to desktop and start menu: Create shortcuts
6. Click Install
7. Wait for installation to complete (usually under 5 seconds)
8. Click Finish

After installation, Everything will automatically start indexing. You will see the Everything icon in the system tray — typically a magnifying glass icon.

Step 4: Configuration (Optional)

Open Everything, go to Tools → Options to customize:

• General: Language (Everything supports many languages), global hotkey
• Indexes: Select which drives to index (default: all NTFS drives)
• Search: Configure default search behavior (match case, match path, regex...)
• UI: Interface, font, colors (Dark Mode supported)
• Keyboard: Hotkeys — Ctrl+K is the default hotkey to open Everything from anywhere
• HTTP: Configure HTTP server for remote access
• FTP: Configure FTP server

How to Use Everything in Detail

Basic File Search

1. Press the hotkey Ctrl+K (or click the system tray icon)
2. Type the file or folder name you are looking for
3. Results appear instantly
4. Double-click a result to open the file or folder

Tip: You can change the global hotkey in Tools → Options → Keyboard. Many users prefer Ctrl+Space for easier access.

Quick File Operations

Everything not only finds files but also lets you open them quickly:

• Enter: Open file/folder
• Ctrl+Enter: Open containing folder in Explorer
• Shift+Enter: Open file as Administrator
• Alt+Enter: View file properties
• Ctrl+C: Copy file path to clipboard

Using Filters

Everything includes built-in smart filters, accessible via Search → Filters:

• Everything: All files and folders (default)
• Audio: Music files (mp3, wav, flac, aac...)
• Compressed: Archive files (zip, rar, 7z, tar...)
• Document: Documents (pdf, docx, xlsx, txt...)
• Executable: Program files (exe, dll, msi, bat...)
• Folder: Folders only
• Picture: Images (jpg, png, gif, bmp, psd...)
• Video: Video files (mp4, avi, mkv, mov...)

You can also create custom filters by going to Search → Add to Filters... and defining your own conditions.

Searching by File Size

Use the size: syntax to filter by file size:

• size:>1gb — Files larger than 1GB
• size:<100kb — Files smaller than 100KB
• size:500mb-2gb — Files between 500MB and 2GB
• size:empty — Empty files (0 bytes)
• size:>1gb !*.iso — Files >1GB excluding ISO files

This feature is especially useful when cleaning up disk space. Use TreeSize Free to visually analyze which folders consume the most space, then combine with CCleaner for comprehensive system cleanup.

Searching by Date

Everything supports three date attributes:

Supported time values: today, yesterday, last7days, lastmonth, thisyear, lastyear, or specific dates like 2026-01-15.

Example: *.log dm:today — find log files modified today.

Searching by Path

Limit search scope with the path: syntax:

• path:D:\projects — Files in the projects folder
• path:D:\ — Files on D drive
• path:C:\Windows\system32 — Files in system32
• !path:C:\Windows — Exclude Windows folder

Example: *.xml path:D:\backup dm:thisyear — find XML files in the backup folder on D drive, modified this year.

Exporting Results

Everything allows exporting search results in multiple formats:

1. Select results (Ctrl+A to select all)
2. Ctrl+C to copy the list
3. Paste into Excel, Notepad, or any editor
4. Or go to File → Export to export as CSV, TXT, HTML, EFU

This is very useful for system administrators needing to audit files on a computer.

Command Line Usage (ES.exe)

The es.exe (Everything Search CLI) tool lets you integrate Everything into scripts:

Basic commands:

es.exe "*.log"
es.exe -sort-size -desc "*.bak" "*.tmp"
es.exe -count "*.jpg"
es.exe -path "C:\Windows" "*.dll"

PowerShell integration:

# Find and delete .tmp files older than 7 days
es.exe "*.tmp" -date-modified | Where-Object { $_ -match "\d{4}-\d{2}-\d{2}" } | ForEach-Object {
    Remove-Item -Path $_ -Force
}

Batch script integration:

@echo off
es.exe "report*.xlsx" > report-list.txt
echo Exported %errorlevel% report files.

Learn more about workflow automation with GS Auto Clicker to combine Everything with your automated processes.

Important Notes When Using Everything

Security & Safety

Everything is a reputable freeware tool verified by tens of millions of users worldwide. Keep these points in mind:

• Download only from the official site: voidtools.com — avoid unofficial mirrors
• Everything Service: When installed as a service, Everything runs with SYSTEM privileges — this allows it to search all files including system files and other users' files
• FTP/HTTP Server: If enabled, set a password in configuration to prevent unauthorized access
• Update regularly: Void Tools frequently releases updates that patch security issues and improve performance

Performance Tuning

• Indexes: Only select drives you actually need to search. If you have network drives, consider disabling indexing for them if not frequently used
• Content Search: File content searching consumes more resources. Only enable when necessary
• RAM: On low-RAM machines (under 4GB), set Everything priority to "Low" in Options
• Exclude files: In Options → Indexes → Exclude, you can exclude unnecessary file types (like .tmp, old .log) to reduce database size

File System Compatibility

Everything works best on NTFS as it leverages the USN Journal. Other file systems:

• NTFS: Full support, instant indexing
• FAT32/exFAT: Basic search only, no instant indexing
• ReFS: Limited support
• Network drives: Requires additional configuration in Options

Discover other essential system utilities like Download PuTTY Free (SSH client) and Download FileZilla Free (FTP client) to complete your IT toolkit.

Frequently Asked Questions About Everything

Is Everything really free?

Yes. Everything is completely free for all purposes, including commercial use. There is no "Pro" or "Premium" version. Everything is genuine freeware, supported by Void Tools through voluntary donations.

Is Everything safe?

Yes. Everything has been a trusted tool for over 15 years with tens of millions of users. However, only download from voidtools.com to avoid fake or malicious installers.

Does Everything support non-English languages?

Yes. Everything supports many languages including Vietnamese, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, French, German, Spanish, and more. Go to Tools → Options → General → Language to select your language. Everything also fully supports Unicode characters for searching files in any language.

How do I make Everything always run in the background with a hotkey?

1. Open Everything, go to Tools → Options → General
2. Check Run Everything at Windows startup
3. Go to Keyboard tab, set a global hotkey (default Ctrl+K)
4. Click OK — Everything will auto-start with Windows

When you need to find a file, press Ctrl+K from anywhere to bring up Everything.

Can Everything search network drives?

Yes. Go to Tools → Options → Indexes → Folders and add the network drive path. Note that Everything cannot use USN Journal for network drives, so indexing will be slower than for local drives.

Why can't Everything find my files?

Common causes:

• Drive not selected in Indexes (check Options)
• File is on a non-NTFS file system (Everything is slower on FAT32/exFAT)
• File is being excluded (check Exclude in Options)
• Run Everything as Administrator to search system files

How do I update Everything?

Everything has an automatic update checking feature. Go to Help → Check for Updates... or download the latest version from voidtools.com and install over the existing version.

Is there a portable version of Everything?

Yes. Void Tools offers Everything Portable on the downloads page. You can run it directly from USB without installation — very convenient for IT technicians.

Does Everything work on Linux?

Everything is designed for Windows, leveraging NTFS APIs. However, you can use the Everything HTTP server and access it from a browser on Linux. Alternatively, tools like DocFetcher or Recoll offer similar functionality on Linux.

Can Everything replace Windows Search?

Absolutely. Many users disable Windows Search entirely and rely solely on Everything. It is faster, more accurate, and much lighter. You can integrate Everything into Windows Search via Options to fully replace it.

Conclusion

Everything is one of the best free file search tools for Windows, delivering speeds hundreds of times faster than the default Windows Search. At just 1.4 MB, with instant indexing, advanced Regex search, built-in FTP/HTTP servers, and the powerful es.exe command-line tool, Everything is an indispensable utility for anyone working with a Windows computer.

Whether you are a system administrator needing to locate log files quickly, a developer searching through source code, an SEO professional managing thousands of documents, or a regular user who simply wants to find files faster, Everything delivers exceptional results. Download Everything free using the Download button at the top of this article.

Explore other useful free tools: CPU-Z (hardware information), ShareX (screen capture and video recording), 7-Zip (file compression), Notepad++ (code editor), PuTTY (SSH client), FileZilla (FTP client), HTTrack (website copier), and browse more in the Free Software Downloads category.

Official download link: Download Everything Now