WizFile 2.05

A fast file searching tool that can match file names or entire paths, providing a viable alternative to Windows' search function

Windows comes with built-in file search functionality, which has been improved over the years as the operating system got to its latest iterations. In Windows 10, you simply have to start typing in the Start menu, and matching results are displayed, be them from the local PC or the cloud. However, the Windows search has its shortcomings. For instance, it requires indexing. That is why developers thought about creating alternatives to the built-in file search function in Windows. One of them is WizFile.

Portable archive and classic executable available
First of all, you should know that WizFile comes in two flavors: an executable file that requires installation, and a portable archive. The latter enables you to run WizFile without having to go through a setup process.

Displays the search results as you type
WizFile features a simple interface layout, which makes it extremely easy to use. There is a dedicated field that you can use to type in the keyword to search for, alongside options to match either the file name or the entire file path. By default, WizFile is configured to interrogate all the NTFS drives on the PC, but you can change this setting if you want to.

The results are displayed as you type - you should notice that the list is updated in real time, and your keyword is highlighted both in the name of the files and in their path. Aside from the file name and its location, WizFile also displays the file size, its timestamp and special attributes.

The search takes no longer than two or three seconds to complete but such speed comes at a cost: the application requires quite a bit of the RAM memory.

Active monitoring and extra file manipulation tools
Wildcards are supported. You can use an asterisk to replace one or more characters and a question mark to match a single character. Furthermore, WizFile recognizes multiple search terms: space acts like a logical "AND" operator, while the vertical pipe symbol is used as the "OR" operator. Having these options, you can build more complex search expressions and reduce the number of matches. On the downside, regular expressions are not supported.

It is worth mentioning that WizFile actively monitors the hard drive, updating the search results when changes occur.

Additional options enable you to quickly open the folder where a file is located, launch the command prompt, copy a file's path, and delete or wipe a file or a folder.

A quick and intuitive search tool
Due to the direct interrogation of the Master File Table, WizFile is fast, which is its utmost feature. All its data is kept in the memory, which allows it to perform search queries much faster than other tools, with an obvious cost. While the search functionality is powerful, regex filtering and content searching are not supported.