How to Search for Text in Command Prompt and PowerShell in Windows 10

When using Command Prompt, you typically deal with many text outputs. However, manually going through all these texts is time-consuming. Thanks to the find dialog box, the task is significantly less tedious.

Find dialog in Command Prompt is a built-in search tool that lets you quickly locate specific words or phrases within the command output. It’s useful when looking for error messages and key information. It also prevents you from manually scrolling through large amounts of text. Additionally, the find dialog in Command Prompt improves efficiency when troubleshooting or analyzing logs.

In this article, we’ll show you how to search for text in Command Prompt and PowerShell in Windows 10.

How to use Find dialog in Command Prompt

Using the Command Prompt

1. Use one of the following methods to open Command Prompt:
   • Press the Windows key + R, type cmd, and press Enter. or;
   • Search for Command Prompt in the Start menu and select it.
2. Generate output to search by running any command that produces text output, such as the following:
   • ipconfig /all – Displays detailed network information.
   • dir – Lists all files and folders in the current directory.
3. Open the Find dialog by right-clicking anywhere inside the Command Prompt window. From the context menu, select Find… This will open up the dialog box.
4. In the dialog box, type the keyword or phrase you want to find. Click Find Next to locate the first occurrence.
5. Continue clicking Find Next to cycle through more matches.
6. When you’re done, click Cancel or press Esc to exit the find dialog box.

💡 We’ve written an in-depth guide on How to Use Windows Command Prompt here.

Alternative methods

Method 1: Using the find command in Command Prompt

Run a command that produces output, then pipe it into the find command to search for specific text. For example:

• • ipconfig /all | find “IPv4”
  • This will filter the output and show only the lines containing the word “IPv4.” You can replace “IPv4” with any other word or phrase you’re looking for.

Method 2: Redirecting output to a file and searching in Notepad

You can save the output of a command to a text file and then use Notepad to search through it. For example:

• • ipconfig /all > output.txt
    notepad output.txt
  • This will open the output in Notepad. Press Ctrl + F, type your keyword, and press Enter to locate it.

Method 3: Using PowerShell for advanced searching

In PowerShell, you can use Select-String to search within file contents. For example:

• • Get-Content output.txt | Select-String “IPv4”
  • This command reads the contents of output.txt and displays all lines that contain the word “IPv4”. It’s a more powerful alternative to the find command, especially for complex searches.

Troubleshooting common issues

Issue: Find dialog option is missing

If you find out that the dialog option is not available, you may resolve the issue through the following:

1. Make sure you’re right-clicking inside the Command Prompt window.
2. If you’re using Windows Terminal, the find dialog won’t appear—use PowerShell’s Select-String instead.

Issue: Command output scrolls too fast

Sometimes, when you run a command that generates a lot of output, the text scrolls quickly, causing you to miss important information. Here’s how you can mitigate the information:

1. Use the | more command. This tells the Command Prompt to pause after each screenful of text. Example:

• • dir | more
  • This generates a prompt like — More —, indicating that there’s a next page you can navigate.
  • To navigate, press your keyboard’s Spacebar to go to the next page.
  • Meanwhile, you can press Enter to scroll one line at a time.

Find dialog box FAQs

Can I use the find dialog in PowerShell?

Yes, you can use the Find dialog in PowerShell, but not with Ctrl + F. Instead, right-click the title bar and click Edit and then Find to open it. Alternatively, you can use Select-String PowerShell cmdlets for text searches. Follow the steps in “Method 3: Using PowerShell for advanced searching” above.

Does the find dialog support case-sensitive searches?

Yes, it does. Just check the Match case option in the Find dialog to enable case-sensitive searching.

Why can’t I find the text I’m looking for?

Several factors may affect your search using the find dialog tool, such as the following:

• Case sensitivity: Ensure the ‘Match case’ option is set in the Find dialog box, according to your needs.
• Search direction: The Find dialog allows you to set the direction of the search from the current cursor position, either “Up” or “Down.”
• Text output limitations: PowerShell’s console has a limited buffer size, meaning it only retains a certain amount of output. It won’t be found if the text you’re searching for has scrolled out of the buffer.

Using the Find Dialog tool for a convenient workflow

The Find Dialog box is a powerful tool for locating text in Command Prompt output. Right-click and select Find… to begin searching. For advanced searches, you can redirect output to a file or use PowerShell. Whether diagnosing a network issue or reviewing logs, these techniques can save time and improve your command-line efficiency.