Microsoft OneDrive Enhances Search Experience with New Filters and Other Capabilities

Microsoft OneDrive is getting a slew of updates designed to simplify file discovery for customers.

Published: Oct 07, 2024

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Key Takeaways:

  • Microsoft OneDrive now offers file type and date range filters, allowing users to refine searches by specific file formats and time periods.
  • New columns for “Location,” “Created by,” and “Modified by” provide more context about file origins.
  • Users can toggle between searching all accessible files or focusing on personal files, specific folders, or libraries.

Microsoft has announced a slew of updates aimed at improving the search experience in its OneDrive cloud storage service. These new features are designed to help users quickly locate important files stored within the OneDrive app.

With file type filter pills, users can now easily filter their search results by specific file types, such as spreadsheets, documents, and presentations. They can simply click on the desired filter to view only that file type.

Microsoft has introduced a new date filter that allows users to find files modified within a specific time frame, such as “Today,” “Last 7 Days,” “Last 30 Days,” “Last 3 months,” or “In the last year.” Additionally, new columns for “Location,” “Created by,” and “Modified by” provide details about the file’s origin, including who created or last updated it.

Microsoft OneDrive Enhances Search Experience with New Filters and Other Capabilities
File Type Filter Pills (Image Credit: Microsoft)

Switch between All Files, My Files, Current Folder, and Library in Microsoft OneDrive

Last but not least, Microsoft has released a new feature that allows users to switch between “All Files,” “My Files,” “Current Folder,” and “Current Library” on the search results page. “This feature allows for a broader search across all accessible files or a more focused search within your personal files, a specific folder, or a document library, depending on your needs at any given moment,” Microsoft explained.

Microsoft says the new OneDrive search features are currently rolling out to all customers globally. Later this year, the company plans to introduce additional features, such as the ability to open PDF files protected by Microsoft Purview Information Protection sensitivity labels.

Last month, Microsoft announced that Copilot in OneDrive is now generally available for commercial customers. The Copilot AI assistant allows users to find, summarize, and extract information from a wide range of files. It’s available for work and school customers with a Copilot for Microsoft 365 subscription.

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