How to Find Folders in Google Drive (5 Quick Ways)

To find a folder fast, type part of its name in the search box at the top of drive.google.com and pick the folder from the drop-down. If too many files get in the way, filter the results to Folders only.

In this tutorial, I’ll show you five ways to find folders in Google Drive: searching by name, filtering to folders, narrowing by location, checking where a folder lives, and finding folders other people shared with you.

Method 1: Search for the folder by name

I’m using the demo Drive for Bluebird Landscaping Co., a made-up company, on a personal Gmail account. My folder is called Bluebird Landscaping.

1. Open drive.google.com.
2. Click the Search in Drive box at the top.
3. Type part of the folder name. I typed bluebird.
4. Click the folder in the drop-down list.

How does this work? Drive suggests matching items as you type, and folders show a folder icon. Clicking one opens it.

If you only remember a file inside it, search for that file, then use Method 4 to see its folder. You can also list every file in a folder and its subfolders once you’re in.

Method 2: Filter the results to show only folders

When a name matches dozens of files, I tell Drive I want folders.

1. Type the name in the search box.
2. Click the Type chip under the box.
3. Pick Folders.

Drive shows a hint, bluebird type:folder, in the box. Press Enter to get the full results page.

How does this work? The Folders chip hides every file, so only folders are left. The Location column tells you where each one sits, like My Drive. Results are sorted by relevance, but you can click a column header to re-sort, the same way you’d sort files in Google Drive.

Pro tip: Type type:folder after any word in the search box, and you’ll skip the chip menu entirely.

Method 3: Narrow the search to one location

On the results page, click the Location chip. You’ll see Anywhere in Drive, My Drive, Shared with me, Starred, and Trashed.

How does this work? Picking My Drive drops everything people shared with you. Picking Trashed is handy when a folder vanished. If nothing turns up anywhere, check my list of fixes for Google Drive files that went missing.

For more fields at once, click the sliders icon at the right end of the search box. Advanced search lets you set Type, Owner, Has the words, Item name, and Location together.

Method 4: See where a folder lives and keep it handy

Click a folder once in the search results. A path bar appears at the bottom of the page, such as My Drive > Bluebird Landscaping, so you know exactly where it is.

To find it faster next time, right-click it, choose Organize, then Add to starred.

How does this work? Starred folders show up under Starred in the left menu. Add shortcut in the same menu puts a link to the folder somewhere else, without moving it. If you keep losing folders, a few well-named subfolders in Google Drive help a lot.

Method 5: Find folders someone shared with you

Folders other people share with you don’t land in My Drive. Click Shared with me in the left menu, and you’ll see shared folders plus files shared by link that you’ve opened.

To keep a shared folder close, right-click it, then Organize > Add shortcut and choose My Drive. The owner still controls access, and they can unshare the folder at any time.

Things to keep in mind

• Google Docs doesn’t show folders. The Docs home page lists documents only. Folders live in Drive, which is one of the differences between Google Drive and Google Docs.
• Shared drives are Workspace only. Work and school accounts may have Shared drives in the left menu. Personal Gmail accounts don’t.
• On Android, tap Search in Drive at the top of the app, type a name, then pick a Type chip.
• Trash is searchable. Use the Trashed location before you assume a folder is gone.

If you are cleaning up your Drive, these guides help next

• See folder size in Google Drive
• Hide a folder in Google Drive
• Check recent activity on Google Drive
• Print an entire folder in Google Drive

Frequently Asked Questions