Open a file

In your Microsoft Office program, click File, and then click Open.
In the Look in list, click the drive, folder, or Internet location that contains the file you want to open.
In the folder list, locate and open the folder that contains the file.
If you can't find the file, you can search for it.

How?
1. Click Open .
2. Click Tools in the Open dialog box, and then click Search.
3. Do one of the following:
  Search for a file containing specified text
  
  You can find a file containing text in its title, contents, or properties.
  1. On the Basic tab, in the Search text box, type the text to search for in Microsoft Office files, Web pages, and Microsoft Outlook items.
    Tip
    You can use wildcards in the Search text box. Type a question mark (?) to match any single character, or type an asterisk (*) to match any number of characters. For example, s?t finds "sat" and "set"; s*d finds "sad" and "started."
  2. To limit where to search, in the Search in box, select one or more drives, folders, Web sites, or Outlook mailboxes. To search everywhere, select Everywhere. To specify a single location, type it directly in the Search in box.
  3. To limit the types of search results, in the Results should be box, select the types of items to find. To find all types of files, Web pages, and Outlook items, select Anything.
  4. Click Search.
    Tip
    To view all properties of a found item, click the command button following the item, and then choose Properties.
  Search for a file based on one or more properties
  1. On the Advanced tab, enter one or more search criteria.
    How?
    1. In the Property box, choose a property from the list or type in a property name. The Property box displays the properties available in the currently open document.
      Tip
      
      You can use wildcards in the Property box. Type a question mark (?) to match any single character, or type an asterisk (*) to match any number of characters. For example, s?t finds "sat" and "set"; s*d finds "sad" and "started."
    2. In the Condition box, choose a condition from the list, or type in a condition.
    3. In the Value box, enter the value to associate with the condition.
    4. If previous search criteria exist, click And to add a criterion that must be true in addition to previous criteria. Click Or to add a criterion that is sufficient regardless of previous criteria.
    5. Click Add to add the search criterion.
      Note If the value is invalid for the condition or property, the Add button is unavailable.
  2. To limit where to search, in the Search in box, select one or more drives, folders, Web sites, or Outlook mailboxes. To search everywhere, select Everywhere. To specify a single drive, folder, or Web site, type it directly in the Search in box.
  3. To limit the types of search results, in the Results should be box, select the types of files, Web pages, and Outlook items to find. To find all types of files and items, select Anything.
  4. Click Search.
    Tip
    To view all properties of a found item, click the command button following the item, and then choose Properties.
Click the file, and then click Open.

Open a file as a copy

In your Office program, click File, and then click Open.
In the Look in list, click the drive, folder, or Internet location that contains the file you want to open.
In the folder list, locate and open the folder that contains the file.
If you can't find the file, you can search for it.

How?
You can search the titles, contents, or properties of Microsoft Office files, Microsoft Outlook items, and Web pages.
1. On the Standard toolbar, click Search .
2. Do one of the following:
  Search for a file or Outlook item containing specified text
  
  You can find a file or Outlook item containing text in its title, contents, or properties.
  1. In the Search text box, type the text to search for in Office files, Web pages, and Outlook items
    Tips
    - Type a question mark (?) to match any single character in your search text, or type an asterisk (*) to match any number of characters. For example, s?t finds "sat" and "set"; s*d finds "sad" and "started."
    - When searching for Outlook items, use natural language searches. Natural language searching is only supported in English versions of Microsoft Office XP.
  2. To limit where to search, in the Search in box, select one or more drives, folders, Web sites, or Outlook mailboxes. To search everywhere, select Everywhere.
  3. To limit the types of search results, in the Results should be box, select the types of items to find. To find all types of files, Web pages, and Outlook items, select Anything.
  4. Click Search.
  Search for a file or Outlook item based on one or more properties
  1. In the Basic Search task pane, click Advanced Search.
  2. Enter one or more search criteria.
    How?
    1. In the Property box, choose a property from the list or type in a property name. The Property box displays the properties available in the currently open document.
    2. In the Condition box, choose a condition from the list, or type in a condition.
    3. In the Value box, enter the value to associate with the condition.
    4. If previous search criteria exist, click And to add a criterion that must be true in addition to previous criteria. Click Or to add a criterion that is sufficient regardless of previous criteria.
    5. Click Add to add the search criterion.
      Note If the value is invalid for the condition or property, the Add button is unavailable.
  3. To limit where to search, in the Search in box, select one or more drives, folders, Web sites, or Outlook mailboxes. To search everywhere, select Everywhere.
  4. To limit the types of search results, in the Results should be box, select the types of files, Web pages, and Outlook items to find. To find all types of files and items, select Anything.
  5. Click Search.
In the Search Results task pane, you can take one or more actions on the search results.
How?
- To quickly view an item's properties, rest the mouse pointer over the item.
- To open an item in its default editor, click it.
- To open an item in an Office application, click the command button following the item, and then choose Edit with <application>.
- To view a Web page in a browser, click the command button following the item, and then choose Open in Browser.
- To create a new document based on the selected item, click the command button following the item, and then choose New from this file.
- To copy a hyperlink to the selected item onto the Office Clipboard, click the command button following the item, and then choose Copy link to clipboard.
- To view all properties of an item, click the command button following the item, and then choose Properties.
Select the file you want to open a copy of. Click the arrow next to the Open button, and then click Open as Copy.

Note When you open a file as a copy, a new copy of the file is created in the folder that contains the original file.

Open a file as read-only

In your Office program, click File, and then click Open.
In the Look in list, click the drive, folder, or Internet location that contains the file you want to open.
In the folder list, locate and open the folder that contains the file.
If you can't find the file, you can search for it.

How?
You can search the titles, contents, or properties of Microsoft Office files, Microsoft Outlook items, and Web pages.
1. On the Standard toolbar, click Search .
2. Do one of the following:
  Search for a file or Outlook item containing specified text
  
  You can find a file or Outlook item containing text in its title, contents, or properties.
  1. In the Search text box, type the text to search for in Office files, Web pages, and Outlook items
    Tips
    - Type a question mark (?) to match any single character in your search text, or type an asterisk (*) to match any number of characters. For example, s?t finds "sat" and "set"; s*d finds "sad" and "started."
    - When searching for Outlook items, use natural language searches. Natural language searching is only supported in English versions of Microsoft Office XP.
  2. To limit where to search, in the Search in box, select one or more drives, folders, Web sites, or Outlook mailboxes. To search everywhere, select Everywhere.
  3. To limit the types of search results, in the Results should be box, select the types of items to find. To find all types of files, Web pages, and Outlook items, select Anything.
  4. Click Search.
  Search for a file or Outlook item based on one or more properties
  1. In the Basic Search task pane, click Advanced Search.
  2. Enter one or more search criteria.
    How?
    1. In the Property box, choose a property from the list or type in a property name. The Property box displays the properties available in the currently open document.
    2. In the Condition box, choose a condition from the list, or type in a condition.
    3. In the Value box, enter the value to associate with the condition.
    4. If previous search criteria exist, click And to add a criterion that must be true in addition to previous criteria. Click Or to add a criterion that is sufficient regardless of previous criteria.
    5. Click Add to add the search criterion.
      Note If the value is invalid for the condition or property, the Add button is unavailable.
  3. To limit where to search, in the Search in box, select one or more drives, folders, Web sites, or Outlook mailboxes. To search everywhere, select Everywhere.
  4. To limit the types of search results, in the Results should be box, select the types of files, Web pages, and Outlook items to find. To find all types of files and items, select Anything.
  5. Click Search.
In the Search Results task pane, you can take one or more actions on the search results.
How?
- To quickly view an item's properties, rest the mouse pointer over the item.
- To open an item in its default editor, click it.
- To open an item in an Office application, click the command button following the item, and then choose Edit with <application>.
- To view a Web page in a browser, click the command button following the item, and then choose Open in Browser.
- To create a new document based on the selected item, click the command button following the item, and then choose New from this file.
- To copy a hyperlink to the selected item onto the Office Clipboard, click the command button following the item, and then choose Copy link to clipboard.
- To view all properties of an item, click the command button following the item, and then choose Properties.
Select the file you want to open a copy of. Click the arrow next to the Open button, and then click Open as Read-Only.

Tips

You can create a shortcut to a folder on a network file server or Web server. In Microsoft Windows 2000 and Windows Millennium Edition, use My Network Places. In Windows NT 4.0 and Windows 98, use Network Neighborhood and Web Folders.
The New File task pane displays a list of the last few files that you most recently opened. Click on the file name to open it.
The History folder in the Open window lists the previous files and folders that you have opened.