Everything
Windows desktop search utility that instantly finds files and folders by name, by voidtools.
Commenters like it for instant file-name search on Windows1234 and use it in place of the built-in Windows search,567 with advanced queries, a command-line tool and launcher integrations.891011 One commenter uninstalled it because it regularly rewrites its several-hundred-MB database file,12 and another built a Linux alternative because there is no Linux equivalent.13
Why people recommend it
Instant search · 3
Finds files by partial name almost instantly, especially when bound to a hotkey.
“Everything is amazing.”
“This tool has completely changed the way I work with files”
Show 1 more
“at the core of my workflow on Windows is using the Everything app (on hotkey) to quickly search my Drive files”
Replaces Windows search · 3
Commenters install it early and disable or bypass the default Windows search.
“When I use Windows, Everything is one of the first tools I install.”
“I've been using this tool for a while. It is incredibly useful.”
Show 1 more
“I switched to Everything for search a while ago and haven’t looked back.”
Integrations · 3
Works with launchers, file managers and Explorer mods, for example to show folder sizes.
“When I use Windows, Everything is one of the first tools I install.”
“The tool is truly amazing. Both for simple usage, and the advanced queries that it accepts.”
Show 1 more
“instant search (with the help of Everything)”
Advanced queries · 2
Supports powerful filters such as wildcards and size conditions.
“The tool is truly amazing. Both for simple usage, and the advanced queries that it accepts.”
“Everything is amazing.”
Command line · 1
The es command-line tool prints matches to stdout and can speed up scripts compared with walking directories.
“I used this a lot when I was doing Windows stuff professionally, and I always really liked it.”
Caveats and dissent
Database rewrites · 1
Updates its database by writing a full new copy, which one commenter saw as wasteful on SSDs.
“it updates its database by creating an entirely new copy and then deleting/renaming. For me that meant a several-hundred-MB file was being unnecessarily rewritten”
No Linux version · 1
A commenter built a separate tool because there was no Everything equivalent on Linux.
“the need to have an equivalent of voidtool's Everything on Linux”
Who recommends it in their own words
Threads where it came up
- Voidtools Everything – Locate files and folders by name instantly 7 mentions
- Hister: A private search engine for the pages you visit and the files you keep 1 mention
- iOS 27, iPadOS 27, and macOS 27 1 mention
- Finder is so frustrating and has been since day one 1 mention
- Ask HN: What are you working on? (June 2026) 1 mention
- Gaming on Linux has never been more approachable 1 mention
Data: everything.json. Quotes are verbatim; the verdict and theme labels are written by a model from these comments, and every clause links to its sources.
All comments 13
“For file search, I use voidtools' Everything”
“I switched to Everything for search a while ago and haven’t looked back.”
“instant search (with the help of Everything)”
“the need to have an equivalent of voidtool's Everything on Linux”
“When I use Windows, Everything is one of the first tools I install.”
“I used this a lot when I was doing Windows stuff professionally, and I always really liked it.”
“it updates its database by creating an entirely new copy and then deleting/renaming. For me that meant a several-hundred-MB file was being unnecessarily rewritten”
“I've been using this tool for a while. It is incredibly useful.”
“The tool is truly amazing. Both for simple usage, and the advanced queries that it accepts.”
“This tool has completely changed the way I work with files”
“Everything is amazing.”
“at the core of my workflow on Windows is using the Everything app (on hotkey) to quickly search my Drive files”
“The “Everything” application is what you want:”