Embedded Files
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Effective search practices are essential for effective management of your digital files in Google Drive. Between your My Drive and likely several Shared Drives, being able to locate what you need helps deter duplication and ease frustration.
Using Google Drive Search
Using Google Drive Search
In order to locate documents in your Google Drive, your search terms must be in the document text or title of the document. For example, if you search the term "project", it will return all documents you have access to with the word "project" in them.
‼Remember‼ Searching in Google Drive will only locate files you have access to in My Drive or Shared Drives. It is not the same as "googling" something on the open web in a browser.
This video (up to 1:37) demonstrates key search functions in Google Drive.
Refining Your Search
Refining Your Search
When you search in Google Drive, it searches all of your Drives, by default (your My Drive and your Shared Drives). Many of the search terms you may use could return too many documents to sort through.
Limiting by specific details like the who shared it with you, the dates it was created, or the document type can produce more relevant results. It is helpful to practice and integrate some of these tactics for limiting your search in Google Drive.
You can limit your searches two ways: by clicking the filter icon in the search bar and choosing your criteria (image right), or by adding one of the tags below before your search terms in the search bar.
Source: Advanced search in Google Drive
Quotes
Find documents that contain an exact word or phrase.
Example:
"Stormwater Management Program"
Minus Sign
Find documents that exclude a particular word. If you want to find documents including "traffic," but not "safety"...
Example:
traffic -safety
owner:
Find documents owned by a specific person.
Example:
owner:bob@utah.gov
creator:
Find documents in shared drives created by a specific person.
Example:
creator:jane@utah.gov
to:
Find documents you shared with a specific person or a group or documents shared with you.
Examples:
to:me
to:bob@utah.gov
to:jane@utah.gov
from:
Find documents shared by a specific person or find documents you shared.
Examples:
from:me
from:bob@utah.gov
sharedwith:
Find documents a specific account has access to. Includes files the account owns.
Examples:
sharedwith:me
sharedwith:bob@utah.gov
type:
Search by the type of document: folder, document, spreadsheet, presentation, PDF, image, video, drawing, form, site, script, table, or jam file.
Examples:
type:document
type:forms
type:spreadsheet
title:
Search for items by document title.
Example:
title:Conference 2018
followup:
Find files that have any action items or suggestion assigned to you.
Examples:
followup:any
followup:suggestions
followup:actionitems
is:trashed
Find items that are moved to trash.
‼Remember‼ Items in your trash are automatically deleted after 30 days.
is:starred
Find items that you starred.
before & after
Find items that were modified before or after a certain day. Format the date as YYYY-MM-DD.
Examples:
before:2016-05-02
after:2021-05-01
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