Search phone option

Pete

Retired Moderator
Nov 12, 2012
4,593
0
0
Visit site
No there isn't. You can search for contacts and your messaging history using Cortana.

You'll need to enter individual apps for other items and use any search mechanism they offer for anything else.
 

dKp1977

New member
Jul 14, 2011
2,285
0
0
Visit site
Ehm.. Not sure if it works for all kinds of stuff, but when you search for something using either Bing search or Cortana, there's a Pivot called "phone". Just keep swiping over and you'll find it. It definitely finds my music, pictures and even videos. I see little reason, why it shouldn't also find documents.
 

anon(5844482)

New member
Mar 29, 2013
83
0
0
Visit site
Simply press the search button and enter query. Swipe over to the phone tab and press enter. It will search for contacts, music, email and sms.
 

Pete

Retired Moderator
Nov 12, 2012
4,593
0
0
Visit site
Ehm.. Not sure if it works for all kinds of stuff, but when you search for something using either Bing search or Cortana, there's a Pivot called "phone". Just keep swiping over and you'll find it. It definitely finds my music, pictures and even videos. I see little reason, why it shouldn't also find documents.

Yes, you're right there, thanks for the correction.The search won't find documents, however.
 

gpobernardo

Active member
Jan 12, 2013
4,339
0
36
Visit site
Is there an option in WP8.1 to search your phone for contacts, songs emails, documents, files, photos everything?

There is no search option for all file formats or phone content (or "everything") at this point. For contacts, emails, calendar events, songs and messaging contents, you can use the default search icon at the bottom left of the phone*. For all other file formats (photos, videos, documents and any other file with a file name), you can use the Microsoft Files app.

*- As indicated by other members above, just swipe over to "Phone" in the search results.
 

dKp1977

New member
Jul 14, 2011
2,285
0
0
Visit site
Again so Microsoft..

It's working fine. oO I've just been playing around with it again:

1) Music: searched for a specific song -> found. Searched for a specific artist: found. Searched for a specific album: found
2) documents: searched for a document (exact name though) with and without file extension: found
3) apps, contacts, emails -> found without the slightest issues.

The only thing I wasn't able to find was photos though. Well, that's where any good file manager kicks in. I don't see what Microsoft would need to add to an already great working, existing feature, tbh.
 

Xanderone

New member
Dec 23, 2013
8
0
0
Visit site
It's working fine. oO I've just been playing around with it again:

1) Music: searched for a specific song -> found. Searched for a specific artist: found. Searched for a specific album: found
2) documents: searched for a document (exact name though) with and without file extension: found
3) apps, contacts, emails -> found without the slightest issues.

The only thing I wasn't able to find was photos though. Well, that's where any good file manager kicks in. I don't see what Microsoft would need to add to an already great working, existing feature, tbh.


The reason you may not be able to search for specific pictures, especially those taken with your camera, is cos the device names the picture files in an unconventional way like "WP_xxxxx*extension. So unless you know the exact name your device has given the picture and have it typed in, you may not be able to search for it.
 

dKp1977

New member
Jul 14, 2011
2,285
0
0
Visit site
The reason you may not be able to search for specific pictures, especially those taken with your camera, is cos the device names the picture files in an unconventional way like "WP_xxxxx*extension. So unless you know the exact name your device has given the picture and have it typed in, you may not be able to search for it.


Yupp, that's what I'm thinking too. The names aren't even very unconventional. It's WP as a prefix followed by date (and time, not sure now) and a counter.
 

Members online

Forum statistics

Threads
323,236
Messages
2,243,500
Members
428,048
Latest member
johnsa3