How do I Search for MP3, WMV & WAV Files?

Windows can search for files by their extension type.

A file's extension tells your computer which program to use to open it. Microsoft's Windows operating system uses WAV (Waveform audio), MP3 (MPEG Audio layer III) and WMV (Windows Media Video) file type extensions to store audio, music and video files, respectively. You may have downloaded files of each type from the Internet after buying them from websites or you may have uploaded them to your computer's hard drive from CDs, DVDs, audio and video recorders or flash drives. To organize these files or burn a playlist to a CD, Windows provides a helpful tool.

Instructions

1. Launch Windows Search by clicking the Windows icon (or "Start" in Windows XP) and then highlighting and clicking "Search." Alternatively, press the "Windows icon" key and "F" simultaneously to open Windows Search.

2. Search for all WAV files on your computer in Windows Search by typing "ext:WAV" (without the quotes) in the "search box" and then pressing the "Enter" key. Alternatively, type "*.WAV" (without the quotes) and press the "Enter" key. Windows will then compile a list of all WAV files. Depending on the size of your hard drive, and how many files you have stored, this process could take a few minutes.

3. Search for all MP3 files on your computer in Windows Search by typing "ext:MP3" (without the quotes) in the "search box" and then pressing the "Enter" key. Alternatively, type "*.MP3" (without the quotes) and press the "Enter" key.

4. Search for all WMV files on your computer in Windows Search by typing "ext:WMV" (without the quotes) in the "search box" and then pressing the "Enter" key. Alternatively, type "*.WMV" (without the quotes) and press the "Enter" key.

5. Search for all three file types simultaneously in Windows Vista by typing "ext:WAV OR ext:MP3 OR ext:WMV" (without the quotes). Make sure you type the "OR" (no quotes) in capital letters.

6. Search for all three file types simultaneously in Windows XP by typing "*.WAV; *.MP3; *.WMV" (without quotes and with a space after each semicolon).

Tips & Warnings

• You may have video and audio files stored on your computer in file type extensions other than WAV, MP3 and WMV. You can search for all video or audio or song files in Windows Search by typing "kind:videos" or "kind:songs" or "kind:music" (without quotes in each case, and without a space after the colon) in the Search box of Windows Search.

References

• Microsoft Windows: Tips for Finding Files
• Microsoft Support: Information about the Multimedia file types that Windows Media Player supports
• Microsoft: Windows Search Advanced Query Syntax
• Windows Vista Forums: Vista - Finding multiple file extensions

Resources

• Microsoft: Windows Search: Searchable File Types