Everything as a file explorer

Search finds a folder in a second, but opening it in another program takes longer than the search did. I stay in Everything instead and move through folders as in File Explorer, without touching the mouse.

How it works

  1. Search, for example reports, and select the folder.
  2. Right goes into it, showing everything below it.
  3. Ctrl+Shift+P narrows that to the folder’s own contents, one level only.
  4. Select a subfolder and repeat. Ctrl+Shift+I goes up one level.
  5. Alt+S jumps from any result to the folder that holds it.
  6. Left or Alt+A goes back; Alt+F goes forward.

Setting it up

Keyboard shortcuts, in Tools > Options > Keyboard:

Command Shortcut
File > Search in Everything Right (result list)
File > Search path in Everything Alt+S
History > Back Left (result list) and Alt+A
History > Forward Alt+F

Two bookmarks do the rest. Create each with Bookmarks > Add Bookmark, put the line below in its search field, and give it the shortcut.

One level only, Ctrl+Shift+P:

/expand """#[pathpart:#currentsearch:#]:\*"""

Up one level, Ctrl+Shift+I. It keeps the quotes, so paths with spaces still work:

/expand """#[pathpart:#currentsearch:#]:"""

Further reading