How to Search for Files Created Between Two Dates in Windows

Windows Search’s Advanced Query Syntax (AQS) can be used to narrow or pinpoint your searches in Windows. Searches can be narrowed by file type, kind, file property, file extension, date, and other parameters.

This post tells you how to use Windows Search to find files created, accessed, or modified within a given date range, in all versions of Windows, including Windows 10.

Search for files & folders in a given date range

To search for files and folders modified between two given dates, use this query syntax:

datemodified:‎4/‎1/‎2019 .. ‎4/‎15/‎2019

or

datemodified:>=‎4/‎1/‎2019<=‎4/‎15/‎2019

This lists files modified from April 1 → April 15, 2019.

How did I know that query string, and how to use GUI to select a date range?

In the Search box, type one of these query syntaxes:

date:
datemodified:
dateaccessed:
datecreated:
datetaken:

datetaken: is for your photos taken from a camera. Windows Search queries the Date field from the file’s EXIF info.

Once you type that, you’ll be presented with the date picker dialog box which looks like this:

search for files within a date range

Date Picker does not pop up?

The date picker (calendar) may not appear in Windows 10 version 1909 and higher, due to the introduction of a new Search box/UI. However, you can revert to the old search behavior using the Mach2 utility by Rafael Rivera.

https://twitter.com/WithinRafael/status/1222258919021498368

Instructions to restore the Classic Search in Windows 10

  1. Download the mach2 tool from its official GitHub page. Make sure you download the correct file, depending upon the bitness (32 vs 64 bit) of your Windows.
  2. Extract the ZIP archive to a folder — e.g., d:\mach2.
  3. Open Command Prompt as Administrator.
  4. Go to the folder that contains your copy of the mach2 tool. E.g.
    cd /d d:\mach2
  5. Type the following command:
    mach2 disable 18755234
  6. Restart Windows 10.

In this dialog, select the start date → Hold the Shift key down → select the end date. This creates a date range.

You can also use Shift with the arrow keys ( ← ↓→ ↑) on your keyboard to select a date range.

search for files within a date range

To go back to the earlier years, click on the month in the date picker.

Or go even another level up, month-wise.



And further up, year-wise:

One of the 8 preset options can also be selected, via the Date Modified ribbon control or via the date picker interface:

  • Today
  • Yesterday
  • This week
  • Last week
  • This month
  • Last month
  • This year
  • Last year

Once you select a date range, the corresponding query string is populated in the search box. For example:

datemodified:‎4/‎1/‎2016 .. ‎4/‎15/‎2016

You can also find files modified between two given dates using the following syntax:

datemodified:>=5/1/2019<=5/15/2019

Search for Files Created Between Two Dates

Examples:

To find files that were created between two dates, use the datecreated: operator.

datecreated:>=5/1/2019<=5/15/2019

To only find text documents (.txt) that were created or modified after a certain date (5/1/2019), you use:

datemodified:>5/1/2019 ext:.txt

AQS Search by date syntax

Search Criteria Advanced Query Syntax
Created before an exact date datecreated:5/2/2019
Created within a date range datecreated:2/1/2019..5/3/2019
Created before a specific date datecreated:<2/1/2019
Created after a specific date datecreated:>2/1/2019
Created prior to the current year datecreated:a long time ago
Created within the current year datecreated:this year
Created within the current month datecreated:this month
Created within the current week datecreated:this week
Created yesterday datecreated:yesterday
Created today datecreated:today

To find modified files within a date range use datemodified: instead of the datecreator: operator. To find files accessed in a date range, use dateaccessed:

“Earlier” search query

Other than this you can even use some vague operators such as:

datemodified:Earlier this month
datemodified:Earlier this year

When I used the Earlier this month query, it listed out files from the 1st week of the month (and today is 15th of the month). The search results of the "Earlier this" search query is relative to the current day, week, or the month. This means that running the same query at the end of the month may fetch files created or modified till the mid-month or the 3rd week.

You can combine or mix and match as many operators as you can, to refine the search results based on file type, name, size, attributes, etc., per your requirement.

For more information about the Advanced Query Syntax, read post Advanced Query Syntax at the Microsoft Docs website.


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Ramesh Srinivasan is passionate about Microsoft technologies and he has been a consecutive ten-time recipient of the Microsoft Most Valuable Professional award in the Windows Shell/Desktop Experience category, from 2003 to 2012. He loves to troubleshoot and write about Windows. Ramesh founded Winhelponline.com in 2005.

17 thoughts on “How to Search for Files Created Between Two Dates in Windows”

  1. I am trying to find files based on date created/ modified. I searched on microsoft websites and all answers are for people with a certain level of computer expertise that I do not have!! I was never told when choosing windows 10 and MS office that I have to be at a certain computer knowledge level!!!
    I tried to follow the steps; opened file explorer – which looks NOTHING like the screenshots microsoft show when answering the question I have – and typed date modified – again, NO calendar popped up like in microsoft answers.
    Can I get a simple, real answer to my query. Why there can’t be a simple way of finiding files based on name, location, creation, modification, size or whatever they may have. HOW COME YOU USED TO MAKE IT SO EASY FOR CUSTOMERS TO DO THIS AND DECIDED THAT IT IS TIME TO DO WINDOWS VERSION THAT ARE MORE AND MORE DIFFICULT?

    Reply
  2. Yes, I’ve just encountered this problem today (18 Nov ’19). The calendar always used to pop up in these circumstances but has just stopped doing so today, even after a restart.

    Reply
  3. Thanks, Ramesh, agreed: the problem is there on the 2 computers where I’ve done the optional update to 1909, but the not the one I haven’t which is still on 1903 and works as it always used to with the calendar pop-up. So how do we get Microsoft to take note and fix it, presumably at a cumulative update (hopefully the next one!)? I am forming the opinion that it’s better to delay updates as long as possible, unless they are clearly security-related. Most of the updates seem to have bugs of some sort and I am not aware of ever using any ‘new features’.
    Cheers,
    Ken.

    Reply
    • The Date: operator takes the earlier of “Date created” and “Date modified” if there is no “Date” field in the EXIF header (metadata) for JPEG images. If Date exists in EXIF, it takes precedence.

      Modified: and DateModified: operators are one and the same.

  4. Am finding that the date picker / min calendar does not show up under any circumstances

    Win10 version 21H1 Build 19043.1052

    Reply
  5. For the order of syntax, does it have to be mm/dd/yyyy, or should the query be in the order used in the File Explorer’s ‘Date modified’?

    Reply
  6. good stuff!
    are there query parameters, other than ext: name: ?
    why can’t i see a manual?
    thanks again for date ranges.

    Reply
  7. wth. Bring back Windows XP’s search side window. At least there you could specify dates, extensions, etc. without resorting to ridiculous “queries”.

    Reply
  8. There’s a “manual” of sorts in the M$ documentation of “Advanced Query Syntax”
    May not have been updated for Win10, though.

    Reply

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