Linux Find File: find Command by Name Guide

How to find files in Linux is a core skill for new users who feel lost after leaving Windows File Explorer. The built-in find command is the most flexible native search tool—once you know a few safe patterns. This beginner guide covers practical find examples, targeted vs full-disk search, common errors, and an easier graphical option for office documents with WPS Office on Linux.

Use Word, Excel, and PPT for FREE

Free Download

Quick answer: Search your home folder first: find ~ -iname '*report*'. Limit by type with -type f (files) or -type d (folders), by size with -size +1G, or by time with -mtime -7. Prefer a specific path over /. Use -iname for case-insensitive matches. Avoid -delete until you have previewed results.

Basic Syntax of the Linux find Command

find [search_directory] [tests...] [actions...]

Quotes matter. Patterns with * should usually be wrapped in single quotes so the shell does not expand them early: -name '*.pdf'.

Most Practical File Search Examples

1. Search by full or partial name

# Case-sensitive name match (exact filename)
find ~/Documents -name 'report.docx'

# Partial match: names containing “report”
find ~/Documents -name '*report*'

# Case-insensitive partial match (recommended for beginners)
find ~/Documents -iname '*report*'

2. Filter by file format (extension)

# All PDFs under your home folder
find ~ -type f -name '*.pdf'

# PDFs or Word docs (group the OR conditions)
find ~ -type f \( -name '*.pdf' -o -name '*.docx' \)

Use *.pdf / *.docx—not .pdf alone—or you will miss normal files.

3. Find large files by size

# Files larger than 1GB (start in home to stay safer/faster)
find ~ -type f -size +1G

# Full-disk scan (slower; may show Permission denied without sudo)
find / -type f -size +1G 2>/dev/null

4. Filter by modification time

# Modified within the last 7 days
find ~ -type f -mtime -7

# Not modified in the last 30 days
find ~ -type f -mtime +30

-mtime -7 means “less than 7 days ago.” -mtime +7 means “more than 7 days ago.”

5. Search folders only or files only

# Directories only
find ~ -type d -iname '*project*'

# Regular files only
find ~ -type f -iname '*project*'

Targeted Folder Search vs Full System Search

~ is your home directory. / is the entire filesystem root. Full-disk searches take longer and often print Permission denied for protected system folders—that is normal without elevated access.

Common Errors and Quick Fixes

# Preview matches first
find ~/Downloads -type f -name '*.tmp'

# Only after you verify the list (destructive—use with care)
find ~/Downloads -type f -name '*.tmp' -delete

Graphical Alternatives (Including WPS for Office Files)

If you prefer not to use the terminal for everyday hunting:

• Files (GNOME) / Dolphin (KDE): use the window search box inside a folder.

• locate (if installed): fast name index after the database is updated—great for quick lookups, less flexible than find for size/time filters.

• WPS Office for Linux: handy when you mainly need Word, Excel, or PowerPoint files. Open WPS and use its file/open recent/search workflow to jump to office documents without memorizing find flags. Core editing features are free for personal use, with strong compatibility for common Microsoft Office formats.

Tip: Use find for system cleanup and precise filters; use WPS or your file manager when you just need that report.docx from last week.

Related Linux file management guides: linux create file; linux copy file; linux move file; linux rename file; linux delete file; remove directory linux; linux size of directory; linux zip folder; linux unzip.

FAQ

Does find distinguish uppercase and lowercase?

Yes by default with -name. Use -iname to ignore case: find ~ -iname '*readme*'.

Can I delete files directly with find?

Yes—with -delete or -exec rm—but it is easy to wipe the wrong files. Always run the same command without delete first and read the output carefully.

Why can’t find see files on a USB drive?

The drive must be mounted. Search the mount point (check your file manager sidebar path), for example find /media/$USER/USBNAME -iname '*.pdf'.

What is the difference between find and locate?

find walks directories in real time and supports rich filters. locate queries a prebuilt index and is often faster for simple name searches, but results can be slightly stale until the index updates.

Conclusion

To find files in Linux, learn a few find patterns: start in ~, match with -iname '*text*', narrow with -type, -size, and -mtime, and quote your wildcards. Prefer targeted folders over full-disk scans. Preview before -delete. For daily office documents on Linux, WPS Office offers a simpler graphical path alongside the terminal when you do not need advanced filters.

Free Office Download

• Use Word, Excel, and PPT for FREE, No Ads.

• Edit PDF files with the powerful PDF toolkit.

• Microsoft-like interface. Easy to learn. 100% Compatibility.

• Boost your productivity with WPS's abundant free Word, Excel, PPT, and CV templates.

Free Download

100% secure