Windows search show full path

When performing a search in Windows explorer window, it might be interesting to see the files locations in the results.

This is not displayed by default - however, there is an easy way to do it, by displaying the search as a list, and adding the full folder path in displayed columns.

Windows search results

Starting with a search in Windows explorer, the default output only shows miniature for pictures, file names, date taken when available, and size, which might not be sufficient.

Display information about each item

By clicking the list display option in the search results window, or by pressing the keyboard shortcut CTRL+SHIFT+F6, the displayed output will change.

Windows search file location

There, only the name of the folder containing the file is displayed by default. By putting the mouse pointer above the name, the full path is displayed.

This is already an improvement - however, we want here to see directly all folder path for the search results.

Windows 10 search full path

To do so, the next step is to right click on the columns name, and then select the More... option, which will allow to select which columns are displayed in the search results.

Steps to view the files and folders with details

In the choose details window, we can now select between many different outputs. The one we want for now is the folder path, which is the full folder path of the files in the search results.

Check the corresponding box, and click ok to validate.

Windows explorer show full path search

And that is it ! Now, the search results are displaying the full path name, which helps to visually understand where the search results are located.

This can be extremely useful in different situations.

How to search in windows 10

By using the Windows explorer search field, it is possible as explained above to find a lot of different information about the resulting files, like full directory path, and more depending on the file type - for example, frame rate for movies, resolution for pictures, and more !

What is windows search windows 10

Windows search in Windows 10 is a powerful way to find files by name. Using wildcards, like * to replace any characters, it is possible to push it even further.

What is path in computer

Path in a computer is the location of a file. All files are stored on the computer hierarchy. The root folder (or the main hard drive) contains folders, and each folder can contain other folders or files. The path, or directory, is the full name of that location, with names of all folders inbetween.

What is file and folder

A file is any document stored on a computer. A folder is a specific type of file, its specificity is that it can contain other files.

What is absolute path

Absolute path, or full path, or file location, is the full address of a specific file, starting at the root folder. It can only be unique, unlike relative path, which refers to a specific location, and can exist in other locations.

Windows 10 show full path

To show full path in Windows explorer, go to Windows search > file explorer options > view > display the full path in the title bar.

After having activated this options, Windows explorer will show the full path of current folder.

What is Windows search

Windows search is the built in function in Windows that allows to search not only the Windows option, but the whole computer, including files and softwares. Simply open Windows search, start typing something, and Windows will propose possible solutions.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it possible to get file path Windows by default?

No, this is not displayed by default, however there is an easy way to do this by displaying the search as a list and adding the full path to the folder in the displayed columns.