To find all photos on a Windows 11 computer, open File Explorer, select This PC, type kind:pics in the search box and press Enter.
This guide covers that search, filters for file type, date and size, Enhanced search for the whole PC, the Photos app and OneDrive views, and why a photo might not appear.
Find all photos on a Windows 11 computer
Searching from This PC covers every drive, so it catches photos outside the Pictures folder, such as camera imports, downloads and old backups.
- Press Windows logo key + E to open File Explorer.
- Select This PC in the left pane.
- Click the search box at the top right of the window.
- Type
kind:picsand press Enter. - Wait for the progress bar in the address bar to finish filling.
- Select View and choose Large icons to see thumbnails, or Details to see the folder of each photo.
To search one drive only, such as an external disk, open that drive under This PC in File Explorer and run the same search from there.
Fast search vs. complete search
Where you start the search decides how fast it is and how much it finds. Indexed locations return results almost instantly; locations outside the index are read file by file.
| Your situation | Search from | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| You want a photo quickly and know part of its name | Search on the taskbar | Fast results from indexed folders and OneDrive |
| You want recent or cloud photos | File Explorer Home | Relevant files from your PC and the cloud |
| You need every photo on the PC | File Explorer This PC | A slower, more thorough search of all drives |
| The photos are in one known folder, such as Downloads | That folder in File Explorer | Results limited to that folder and its subfolders |
| You browse photos by date rather than search | The Photos app | A timeline of the Pictures folder plus any folders you add |
If This PC searches are slow, switch Windows Search to Enhanced mode so the whole PC is indexed.
Search for picture files by type, date and size in File Explorer
File Explorer accepts Windows search filters typed into the search box. Combine them with a space to narrow the results, or with OR in capitals to widen them.
| Type this | What it finds |
|---|---|
kind:pics |
All picture files |
ext:.jpg |
Only JPG files; swap in .png, .heic or .gif for other formats |
ext:.jpg OR ext:.png |
JPG and PNG files together |
kind:pics datetaken:last week |
Photos taken last week, read from the camera date |
kind:pics date:this week |
Pictures with a file date in the current week |
kind:pics size:>500 |
Pictures larger than 500 bytes, which skips tiny icons |
kind:pics cameramodel:sample |
Photos from a camera model; replace sample with the model name |
kind:pics folder:downloads |
Pictures inside folders named Downloads |
kind:pics orientation:landscape |
Landscape photos only |
Date ranges use two dots, for example date:11/13/21..11/15/21. NOT and OR must be in capitals and cannot both appear in one query.
Turn on Enhanced search to find all photos on PC
In Classic mode, Windows indexes only Documents, Pictures, Music and the desktop. Enhanced mode indexes the entire PC, including all user folders and files, so photo searches stay fast everywhere.
- Press Windows logo key + I to open Settings.
- Select Privacy & security.
- Select Searching Windows (shown as Search on some builds).
- Under Find my files, select Enhanced.
- Plug in a laptop and leave it on while the first full index builds.
- Run the
kind:picssearch again from This PC once indexing finishes.
Enhanced mode can use more system resources. To keep Classic and add only your photo drive, select Customize search locations, then Modify, and tick the folder or drive.
Use Photos and OneDrive as library views
The Microsoft Photos app shows every photo in your Pictures folder by default. Add other folders and sign in to OneDrive to see all of them in one timeline.
- Select Start, type Photos and open the Photos app.
- Select Gallery in the left pane, select Add folder and choose a folder that holds photos.
- Repeat for each drive or folder the search turned up outside Pictures.
- Select the OneDrive tab in the left pane and select the sign-in button to show your cloud photos.
- To add iPhone photos stored in iCloud, select iCloud Photos and install the iCloud for Windows app when prompted.
- Use Filter to narrow the view by media type, favorites, source, orientation or resolution.
Adding a folder to Photos does not upload it to OneDrive; only folders synced by OneDrive are uploaded. For photos backed up with Google instead, the Google Photos library on the web has its own search.
Open the folder of a photo found in Windows 11 search
A search result shows the photo, not where it lives. Confirm the location before you move or back up a set of photos.
- In the search results, right-click a photo.
- Select Open file location.
- Check the path in the address bar to see which drive and folder hold the photo.
- Look at the item count at the bottom left of the window to see how many photos that folder holds.
Why a photo might not appear
Can't find all my photos in File Explorer search
The search ran from Home or a single folder, or the folder is outside the Classic index.
- Select This PC before you search so every drive is included.
- Wait for the progress bar to finish; unindexed folders are read one file at a time.
- Switch Find my files to Enhanced, or add the folder through Customize search locations.
Photos in a hidden folder never show up
File Explorer hides hidden files and folders by default.
- Open File Explorer.
- Select View > Show and turn on Hidden items.
- Run the
kind:picssearch from This PC again.
The Photos app shows only some of my pictures
Photos shows the Pictures folder until you add other folders.
- Open Photos and select Gallery.
- Select Add folder and add each folder that holds photos.
- Sign in under the OneDrive tab to include cloud photos.
Photos stored in OneDrive are missing
You are not signed in, or the Photos app is set to show only the OneDrive Pictures folder.
- Sign in to OneDrive from the OneDrive tab in Photos.
- Select the Options button next to Filter.
- Under Photos from OneDrive, select All OneDrive folders.
Screenshots and GIFs are missing from Photos
The declutter setting hides them.
- Select the Options button next to Filter in Photos.
- Under Declutter, turn off Hide screenshots and GIFs.
If the photos sit on a phone or in a cloud service rather than the PC, each device has its own default folder for saved images.
Find all photos on Windows 11 FAQ
How do I find all photos on my PC?
Open File Explorer with Windows logo key + E, select This PC, type kind:pics in the search box and press Enter. Searching from This PC includes every drive, so photos outside the Pictures folder appear too.
How do I find all photos stored on my computer, including the C drive?
Open This PC, double-click the C drive and search kind:pics there. For all drives at once, search from This PC itself. Turn on Hidden items under View > Show to include hidden folders.
How do I find all photos on Windows 10?
The same search works on Windows 10. Open File Explorer, select This PC, type kind:pics in the search box and press Enter. The ext: and datetaken: filters work the same way to narrow the results.
How do I find all photos on a laptop?
A Windows laptop uses the same File Explorer search as a desktop. Search kind:pics from This PC, and keep the laptop plugged in while Windows builds a full Enhanced index so later searches return quickly.
Does the Photos app show every photo on my computer?
No. Photos shows your Pictures folder by default, plus OneDrive once you sign in. Photos in other folders appear only after you select Gallery > Add folder and add each location.
What is the fastest way to find a missing photo?
Type part of its file name into Search on the taskbar. If that fails, search kind:pics from This PC and add a date filter such as datetaken:last week to cut the list down.
How can I find photos by the date they were taken?
Add the datetaken: filter to a picture search, for example kind:pics datetaken:yesterday. It reads the camera date stored in the photo, which can differ from the file's modified date after copying.
Why can't I find all my photos after a search?
The search probably ran from Home or a single folder, the folder is hidden, or it sits outside the Classic index. Search from This PC, show hidden items, and switch Windows Search to Enhanced.
How do I see all my photos from my phone on my PC?
Photos synced through OneDrive appear under the OneDrive tab in the Photos app after you sign in. iPhone photos in iCloud appear under iCloud Photos once iCloud for Windows is installed.
