4 Ways to Search for All Your Video Files on Windows

If you’re like most Windows users, you’ve got video files scattered all over your hard drive—old downloads, phone backups, saved projects, clips from social media, and who knows what else. Whether you’re trying to clean up your storage or just want to find that one clip from last summer, Windows gives you a few solid ways to locate every video file on your system.

Here are four fast and effective methods:

1. Use File Explorer Search with Wildcards

File Explorer is your first stop. Open any folder (like “This PC”) and use the search bar in the top right. Type in:

*.mp4 OR *.mov OR *.avi OR *.mkv

You can add more formats if needed (e.g., *.wmv, *.flv). This search will crawl through all subfolders and list any files that match.

To cover your entire computer, start the search in “This PC” or a specific drive (like C:).

2. Use the Built-in “Kind:” Filter

In File Explorer’s search bar, you can also use the built-in kind filter:

kind:=video

This command tells Windows to look for any file it recognizes as a video, regardless of file extension. It’s fast, simple, and works surprisingly well for most cases.

Pro tip: Combine it with other filters like date: or size: to narrow things down.

3. Search with Windows PowerShell

If you want more control, PowerShell is your friend. Open PowerShell and run:

Get-ChildItem -Path C:\ -Include *.mp4, *.avi, *.mov, *.mkv -Recurse -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue

This will search through the entire C drive for all the specified video formats. You can replace C:\ with another path to narrow the search.

PowerShell searches can take a while, but they’re thorough—and you can export the results to a text file if needed.

4. Use a Third-Party Search Tool

If Windows Search isn’t cutting it, try a third-party tool like:

• Everything by Voidtools – lightning fast and lightweight.
• Agent Ransack – powerful with advanced filters.
• UltraSearch – good UI and real-time results.

These tools index your drive and make searching almost instant. Most of them are free and easy to use.

Final Tip: Organize What You Find

Once you’ve rounded up your video files, don’t just leave them scattered. Create a central folder structure like:

Videos
├── Family
├── Projects
├── Downloads
├── Backup

Move or copy files into these folders. You’ll save time and frustration in the future.

Conclusion

Finding all your video files on Windows doesn’t have to be a digital scavenger hunt. Whether you prefer built-in tools or external apps, you’ve got options. Use the method that works best for you, and take a few minutes to get your files in order while you’re at it.

Have your own go-to method or a question? Drop it in the comments below.