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9to5Google has reported that new & updated search operators for Google Drive are being added. Google Drive is super useful and many use it around the world. The service from Google makes it easy to store all types of documents, photos, and more in the cloud for safekeeping.
Google Drive and other Google services have recently had some changes to their storage guidelines, that some people did not like. But, news of new & updated search operators for Google Drive should make users happy.
Google Drive offers a GUI lookup interface which power users often take advantage of search operators to save time. The change is in the process of rolling out to “make finding shared files easier”. According to Google, “these updates to our search operators will enable more specific searches to find files shared with you by you”.
Google Drive new & updated search operators are now rolling out
The company further goes into detail, that the update “will help you find those files more quickly using more memorable details about the file”. At the high-level, Google notes how “you’ll still be able to perform all the same searches, just the operators you’ll use for them may change”.
What this is means to address how “finding files in Google Drive can be difficult because there are so many ways to remember a file”.
Firstly, the from tag will now return files shared with you by the specified email address. Previously, it would have returned files owned by that email address. Secondly, the to tag will now return files that you have shared with the specified email address. Previously, it would have returned files that the email address had permissions to view, comment, or edit.
Thirdly, the sharedwith tag is a new search operator that will return files that the specified email address owns or has permission to view, command or edit. Lastly, the owner returns files owned by the specified email address. There is no change to this operator, but you can use it to return the results you would previously have used the “from:” operator for.
Google has found that who you share a document with is “actually one of the most memorable aspects to use when finding a file”. The changes will impact Google Vault admins while “searches for from: and to: will not return files that were shared prior to February 2021.
The new operators are rolling out currently. The new update will be available fully in the upcoming weeks for all customers. So keep an eye out for these new operators to make searching easier.
