A small repeatable search beats opening every app and guessing. This workflow starts with what you remember and narrows the list from there.
Start with one useful clue
Think of a word from the filename, the app you used, a file extension, or roughly when you last opened it. A distinctive clue usually works better than a broad search such as “document.”
Open your recent-work view
With What Was I Working On?, press Alt + Space to bring up the quick overlay. If another app already owns that shortcut, the app can fall back to Ctrl + Alt + Space; you can also customize the shortcut in Settings.
Search, then narrow it down
Type a filename fragment, app name, folder, or extension into the search field. Search understands helpful terms such as today, yesterday, week, pinned, .pdf, app:word, and type:images. You can combine words to narrow results.
Use the time, app, and file-type filters if you have several similar matches. For older items, open the full history window from the tray and choose the appropriate date range.
Open the item—or its folder
Select the match and press Enter to open it in its default app. Use Ctrl + Enter to open File Explorer with the item selected. You can pin something you expect to need again, or copy its full path.
Make next time easier
- Pin active project files you return to throughout the week.
- Use a memorable project name in filenames or folder names.
- Pause tracking when you don’t want new activity recorded; existing history remains available.
- Use the optional Recent work widget on Windows 11 for a quick glance at recent items.