Finding Folders by File or Subfolder Count
Folders holding enormous numbers of files are a quiet source of trouble: they slow File Explorer to a crawl, stretch backup and antivirus scan windows, amplify per-file allocation overhead, and complicate storage migrations. FolderSizes' search tool can find folders by their file or subfolder count - a capability Windows offers no built-in way to match.
Questions This Search Can Answer
- Which folders contain unusually large numbers of files or subfolders?
- Which folders are completely empty (zero files and subfolders)? (Also see finding empty folders - the same mechanism.)
- Which folders hold between, say, 100 and 200 items?
How to Search by Item Count
- Click the Search button in the FolderSizes ribbon bar.
- Add the drives, folders, or network paths to examine on the Search Paths tab.
- On the Search Rules tab, click New Rule and choose New Folder Rule.
- Open the Item Count tab and set your criteria. Two comparison modes are available: immediate count (direct children only) or aggregate count (all descendants at every level).
- Click Start to run the search.
Prefer not to build the rule yourself? Click the Samples button to browse pre-configured searches, including one designed specifically to find folders with large numbers of immediate files.
Acting on the Results
Search results support direct action: copy, move, delete, or archive the offending folders straight from the results list. Consolidating tens of thousands of tiny files into a single zip archive is often the single most effective fix - reclaiming slack space and shrinking backup times simultaneously. Learn more about FolderSizes' advanced search capabilities.