free tool — no install, no upload, no account

File Finder: search any folder, right in your browser

Q: Are my files uploaded to a server?

No. The tool runs entirely in your browser using the File System Access API. Your files are read locally on your device, nothing is transmitted anywhere, and closing the tab discards everything. You can verify this in your browser's network inspector — no requests are made during scanning or searching.

Q: How does the duplicate finder work?

Files are first grouped by exact size, then each candidate's first 256 KB is hashed with SHA-256 locally in your browser. Files sharing both size and content hash are reported as duplicates, sorted by how much space you could reclaim.

Q: Can it search inside file contents?

Yes, for plain-text formats: txt, md, csv, log, json, code files and more, up to 10 MB each. For Word documents, PDFs and emails you'll get better results from a desktop tool like Agent Ransack or DocFetcher — see our content search guide.

Q: How many files can it handle?

The index lives in your browser's memory, so it comfortably handles tens of thousands of files — typically a Documents, Downloads or project folder. For whole-drive search across millions of files, use a desktop tool like Everything, which reads the NTFS file table directly.

Q: Which browsers are supported?

Chrome, Edge and Opera support the full experience including drag-and-drop folders. Firefox and Safari work via the classic folder picker. All features run locally in every supported browser.

Last updated: June 12, 2026 · built and maintained by the FileLocator team

Pick a folder and get instant search with filters, a duplicate finder, a largest-files view and text-inside-files search. Everything runs locally on your device — your files never leave your computer.

Drop a folder here

or pick one with the button below. The browser will ask for read permission to that folder only.

Browser doesn't show a picker? Use the classic folder selector.

Working…

Waiting for a folder…

how it works

Three steps, zero setup

1 · Pick a folder

Your browser asks permission to read that folder — and only that folder. Grant it, and the tool builds a local index of names, sizes and dates.

2 · Search instantly

Results appear as you type, with matches highlighted. Stack filters like ext:pdf, >10mb or after:2025-01-01 to narrow thousands of files to one.

3 · Clean up

Switch tabs to spot duplicates, the files hogging your disk, or what changed recently — then export any view to CSV.

query syntax

Filters you can type

Combine any of these in one query. Plain words match names and paths; * and ? wildcards work too.

File Finder query syntax reference
Filter	Example	Finds
Plain terms	`tax invoice`	Files whose name or path contains both words
Wildcards	`IMG_20??.jpg` · `draft*final`	Pattern matches, * = anything, ? = one character
`ext:`	`ext:pdf,docx`	Only those file types
`in:`	`in:archive`	Only files whose path contains "archive"
Size	`>100mb` · `size<50kb`	Larger / smaller than a threshold
Date	`after:2025-06-01 before:2026-01-01`	Modified within a date range
Combined	`budget ext:xlsx >1mb after:2025-01-01`	All conditions at once

Like this syntax? It's modeled on desktop tools such as Everything — which does the same across your entire drive, millions of files at a time. Learn more patterns in our regex search guide.

privacy, verifiable

Your files stay on your device. Here's why you can trust that.

This tool is plain client-side JavaScript served from a static page. There is no backend, no database and no account system anywhere on filelocator.net. When you pick a folder, your browser's File System Access API grants this tab read access; indexing, searching, duplicate hashing (SHA-256 via your browser's built-in crypto.subtle) and content scans all run in your browser's memory.

Don't take our word for it: open your browser's developer tools, switch to the Network tab, and scan a folder. You'll see zero requests while the tool works. Close the tab and the index is gone.

when you outgrow it

Browser tool vs desktop tools: honest limits

What this tool does well, and where a desktop app wins
Task	This tool	Better desktop pick
Search one folder (≤ ~100k files)	✓ instant	—
Search a whole drive / millions of files	✗ memory limits	Everything, UltraSearch
Text inside .txt / code / CSV	✓ built in	—
Text inside Word, PDF, email	✗ plain text only	Agent Ransack, DocFetcher
Find & delete duplicates	✓ finds / deletes manually	duplicate finder apps
Always-on background index	✗ per-session	Copernic, X1

questions

File Finder FAQ

Are my files uploaded to a server?

No. The tool runs entirely in your browser. Files are read locally, nothing is transmitted, and closing the tab discards the index. Verify it yourself in the developer tools' Network tab — no requests fire during scanning or searching.

How does the duplicate finder work?

Files are grouped by exact size, then each candidate's first 256 KB is hashed with SHA-256 in your browser. Files sharing size and hash are reported as duplicates, sorted by reclaimable space. For deletion workflows, see our duplicate files guide.

Can it search inside file contents?

Yes — plain-text formats (txt, md, csv, log, json, source code and more) up to 10 MB each. Switch the mode dropdown to "Search inside files" and press Enter. For Word docs and PDFs, use a desktop tool: our content search guide shows how.

How many files can it handle?

The index lives in tab memory, so tens of thousands of files — a Documents, Downloads or project folder — is comfortable. For whole-drive search, a desktop tool is the right instrument.

Which browsers are supported?

Chrome, Edge and Opera get the full experience including drag-and-drop. Firefox and Safari use the classic folder picker; every feature still runs 100% locally.

Need this power across your whole PC?

Our 2026 roundup ranks the desktop tools that index millions of files — most are free.

See the best desktop tools

Keep exploring

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