To find all photos on a Windows 11 computer, open File Explorer, select This PC, and type kind:=picture in the search box. Windows searches every drive it can reach and lists your image files. It’s slower than searching one folder, but the Photos app and cloud galleries only show the folders they know about, so File Explorer is the most complete option.
Find All Photos With File Explorer
Where a File Explorer search starts decides where it looks. Start from This PC when you don’t know where a picture is saved.
- Press Windows key + E to open File Explorer.
- Select This PC in the left pane. If you know the photo is in Pictures, Downloads, or on an external drive, select that location instead for a faster search.
- Click the search box in the top-right corner and type kind:=picture.
- Press Enter and wait for the green progress bar in the address bar to finish. A full-PC search can take several minutes on a large drive.
- Select View > Large icons to see thumbnails instead of file names.
- When you find a photo, right-click it and select Open file location to see the folder it’s in.
Microsoft’s Advanced Query Syntax reference lists kind:=picture and other search filters, such as kind:pics. If a photo you know about still doesn’t show up, search for its file extension instead: *.jpg, *.jpeg, *.png, *.heic, or *.gif. This can find files Windows doesn’t classify as pictures.
Narrow the Results
A full-PC search can return thousands of images, including small icons from apps. Add a filter after kind:=picture, separated by a space:
- ext:.jpg or ext:.png shows one file type. For iPhone photos, try ext:.heic.
- modified:last week or modified:this year limits results by date.
- size:>1MB hides tiny icons and thumbnails, leaving real photos.
- Part of a file name, such as IMG_ or DSC, finds phone and camera photos that kept their original names.
You can also sort the results by selecting Sort on the toolbar and choosing Date modified, Name, Type, or Size.
Make Searches Faster With Enhanced Indexing
By default, Windows only indexes a few folders, so a search of the whole PC reads every file one by one. Enhanced mode indexes your entire PC, so later searches return results much faster.
- Open Settings and select Privacy & security.
- Select Search.
- Under Find my files, select Enhanced.
Microsoft’s search indexing help says the first indexing run can take up to a couple of hours, and Enhanced mode may use more system resources. You can switch back to Classic at any time.
Browse Photos in the Photos App or Gallery
The Photos app and File Explorer’s Gallery show your photos in date order, which is nicer for browsing. By default, they only show your Pictures folder. On a Windows 10 PC, you can also play a folder of pictures as a slideshow from File Explorer. To add more locations in the Photos app:
- Open the Photos app.
- Select Gallery in the folders list on the left.
- Select Add folder.
- Choose the folder, such as Downloads or a folder on another drive, and confirm.
Those steps come from Microsoft’s Photos app help. In File Explorer, select Gallery in the left pane, then Collection at the top to add folders there.
The Photos app can also search by file name, date, file type, or location. On Copilot+ PCs, you can type a description, such as “sunset at the beach,” to find matching local photos.
Check OneDrive and Other Cloud Libraries
Photos you took on a phone may only be in the cloud. If OneDrive backs up your Pictures folder, look in OneDrive > Pictures in File Explorer. Online-only files show a cloud icon and download when you open them. To store them on the computer for good, you can move files from OneDrive to your PC. Also check iCloud Photos or Google Photos if you use them. iCloud.com works for other Apple data too, like your Apple Reminders on a PC. To get phone photos onto the PC, see how to transfer iPhone photos to a PC, and for OneDrive settings, see how to sync OneDrive.
Why a Photo Might Not Appear
- Wrong search location: search from This PC or choose the correct drive.
- External storage: reconnect the drive, SD card, or backup location, then search again.
- Cloud-only file: check OneDrive, iCloud, Google Photos, or the original service.
- Hidden folder: in File Explorer, select View > Show > Hidden items.
- Deleted file: check the Recycle Bin and the cloud service’s recently deleted area. See how to find deleted files.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does the Photos app show every photo on my computer?
Not necessarily. It shows the folders and cloud libraries you’ve added to it. Use File Explorer and search from This PC for the broadest local search.
What is the fastest way to find a missing photo?
Search the most likely folder with part of the file name. If that fails, select This PC and search by file name, extension, or kind:=picture.
Can I copy all the results into one folder?
Yes. Press Ctrl + A in the search results to select everything, then drag the files into a new folder while holding Ctrl to copy them instead of moving them. For more File Explorer tips, see how to use File Explorer in Windows 11.
Pin your Pictures folder with Quick access in Windows 11 so it’s always one click away.
Matthew Burleigh has been writing tech tutorials since 2008. His writing has appeared on dozens of different websites and been read hundreds of millions of times.
After receiving his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Computer Science he spent several years working in IT management for small businesses. However, he now works full time writing content online and creating websites.
His main writing topics include iPhones, Microsoft Office, Google Apps, Android, and Photoshop, but he has also written about many other tech topics as well.