Search what's inside your files,
not just the filename
Most of the time you remember what a file said, not what it was called. PowerFind searches the full text inside documents, code, PDFs and Office files — so a phrase you half-remember brings back the file in milliseconds. It matches Chinese substrings too, and every part of it runs on your own machine.
Windows 10 / 11 x64 · Free forever · No ads · Fully offline
Search for what you remember — find the file
You type a phrase from the body of the file. Content search reads inside every document and returns the ones that contain it, even when the filename says nothing.
Reads the text inside
Documents, code, PDFs and Office files. A phrase from the body surfaces the file, even when the name gives nothing away.
Millisecond results
Content is indexed ahead of time, so matches come back as you type across a large collection of files.
Chinese content, substring match
Type any run of characters that appears in the file. No word segmentation needed — an area where CJK support is often limited elsewhere.
What content search covers
A quick look at where full-text content search sits, next to the built-in and general desktop-search approach most people already have.
| Capability | Windows index & desktop search tools | PowerFind |
|---|---|---|
| Full-text content search | Varies by setup | Built in |
| Search inside PDF text | Varies by setup | Built in |
| Search inside Office files | Varies by setup | Built in |
| Chinese content, substring match | Varies by setup | Built in |
| Runs fully offline, on-device | Varies by setup | Built in |
| No account required | Varies by setup | Built in |
"Windows index & desktop search tools" refers to the built-in search and general third-party desktop search category, whose behavior depends on configuration and version; listed for reference only.
Content search is one part of PowerFind
The same search bar also does instant filename search over the NTFS master file table, launches apps, keeps clipboard history, and finds files with a local, on-device AI. Content search is the focus of this page — the rest is there when you need it.
Frequently asked questions
How is searching file contents different from a filename search?
A filename search matches the name of the file. A content search reads the words written inside the file. If you remember a phrase from a contract but not what the document was called, content search is what finds it. PowerFind does both: instant filename search over the NTFS master file table, and full-text search inside documents, code, PDFs and Office files.
Which file types can PowerFind search inside?
Text and code files, PDFs, and Office documents such as Word, Excel and PowerPoint. PowerFind reads the text inside each of these so a phrase you remember from the body of the file will surface the file, even when the filename gives nothing away.
Does content search work for Chinese text?
Yes. PowerFind matches Chinese substrings directly, with no word segmentation step. Type any run of characters that appears inside the file and it is found. This is an area where many desktop search tools have limited support for CJK content.
Do my file contents get uploaded to the cloud?
No. Indexing and search both run locally on your computer. There is no account, no cloud connection and no telemetry. The text inside your files never leaves this machine.
Does content search cost anything?
Core search is free forever, with no ads and no time limit. The free tier returns up to 20 content matches per search; Pro removes that cap for unlimited results and is a one-time purchase, not a subscription.
Find files by what they say
Search inside documents, code, PDFs and Office files — offline, on your own machine. Core search is free forever.
Download PowerFind