The new Windows Explorer in Windows 7 has a new icon, introduces you to libraries and folders and lets you search for file by name all within the same pane. This article summarises the main features and describes how to use them.

Once the Windows 7 desktop has loaded you won't see a My Computer icon which was so familiar in Windows XP. Instead there's a new Windows Explorer icon on the lower left of the task bar. Click the icon and you're taken to the default Windows Explorer view which shows favourites, the new libraries, home group, computer drives and networks if appropriate.

Windows Explorer has a navigation pane to left of the screen showing the default view of Favourites, Libraries and Computer Drives. All these headings can be expanded to show folders or subfolders and if you click once on any folder in the navigation pane its contents will show in the display area on the right. Windows 7 uses default locations called libraries for Documents, Music, Pictures and Videos and if you save an application file in a format one of these headings recognize, the saved location will be one of these libraries.

You can change the Windows Explorer in different ways. For example if you choose View from the upper menu bar you can select how the items in the content area are displayed, for example with large or small icons, with detail or showing in a list.

You can use the Organise button at the top of the Navigation Pane to turn on or off different elements of the display. For example if you choose Organise, Layout, Details Pane you'll see this pane at the bottom of Windows Explorer. T

he Details Pane shows key information about any selected item in the navigation pane or contents area, such as date modified for a folder or file size for a file. If you choose Organise, Layout, Preview pane, you'll see the Preview Pane to the right of the contents area. You can preview any Office application file as some other files types such as PDFs or image files. To see this in action ensure a file is listed in the content area then click once on it.

Windows Explorer built in viewer will then open the file, although there can be a slight delay for non Office file types. You can also turn the Preview Pane on by clicking once on the Preview Pane icon at the top right of the display.

Windows Explorer now allows you to search for a folder or file name by clicking once into the search box at the top right of the Explorer screen. If you start typing characters into this box, Windows Explorer will auto match any content as you type, identifying all folders and files matching what you typed. If you type some more, the auto matches changes and so on until you've completed the search criteria. You can return to the original content display by closing the search criteria box. Wildcards can also be used with search criteria.

Just be aware that the search facility in Windows Explorer only searches in the currently display folder, and not in sub folders or in other folders.

Windows Libraries can be managed in Windows Explorer. For example you can add or remove content of a library. To do this, ensure the folder or file you want to add is visible in the contents area. Then right click the item and choose Include In Library. Choose a library and the item is copied to the library.

You can then expand the library in the Navigation pane to see the item. You can remove items from a library in a similar way. To do this, expand the library until the items are displayed. Then right click an item and choose Remove from Library. You can also create new library headings. To do this right click an item in the contents area, choose Include in Library, Create new Library.

So the new Windows Explorer in Windows 7 includes more features compared to Explorer in Windows XP, such as use of libraries, more customizable views and an auto search facility. You can easily manage library content, change views and search using the new auto search facility. If you're interested in learning more about the many features in Windows 7 you might like to consider attending a training course. This can be a really effective way to greatly increase your skills in using Windows 7.