---
title: How to apply and search for File content
description: "### Overview You can find files that contain specific texts in the content of the Files. You can also find text inside images and videos, this is done through Google’s Optical Character Recognition (OCR) technology. When using Content [Text Search](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Full-text_search)…"
url: "https://gatlabs.com/knowledge/tech-tips/how-to-apply-and-search-for-file-content/"
updated: "2025-04-25"
category: "Drive Audit & Management"
tags:
  - GAT+
---

# How to apply and search for File content

### Overview

You can find files that contain specific texts in the content of the Files. You can also find text inside images and videos, this is done through Google’s Optical Character Recognition (OCR) technology.

When using Content [Text Search](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Full-text_search) the terms you type will be searched for in the **title**, **description**, **comments**, and **content** of the files.

When searching the case sensitivity of the words is not important. Regardless of whether I’m searching for **SECURITY** or **seCURITY** any file that contains **security** would be returned.

### Full Content Search 

Navigate to **GAT+ > Drive > Files**

Click on the **Apply custom filter** button.

- Type - **Full Content Search**
- **Query** - enter the query 
- **Users** - select specific users you want to search through - this will allow to **speed up** the search result
  - Local user/group - enter user of your domain
  - Org. - enter the organizational unit of users you want to search from
    - Include sub. org - enable or disable to search through the users of the sub. org units
- (Optional) In the search **Definition** area, you can specify additional parameters to make the search even faster.

![](https://gatlabs.com/knowledge/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/full-content-search-filter.png)

Click on **Apply** to start the search

### Full Content Search tab

In GAT+ we have a tab called **Full Content Search.**

This allows the Admins to use a custom query that can be applied to all users of the domain.

Navigate to **GAT+ > Drive > Full Content Search**

![](https://gatlabs.com/knowledge/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/full-context-security-tab.png)

#### Query

In the **query box**, enter the text you want to search. Examples of [queries](https://developers.google.com/drive/api/v2/search-files?hl=en) that can be applied

```
Full text only - means we query the API like: fullText='input text contents' instead of title= "something" and full text is searching like the Google Drive User interface.
```

- If you type **more than one word,** the files that are returned **must contain both **words
- When typing words into the Query box, you can use a hyphen ( - ) to ignore files that contain certain words.
  - One contains the text “Complacency”
  - One contains the texts “Complacency - Fungible”

![](https://gatlabs.com/knowledge/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/query-comlacence.png)

### Result

All files that **contain the text** (query) will be returned.

In Conclusion, the **Full Content Search** is a very powerful feature to help G Suite Super Admins search through files using specific word queries

![](https://gatlabs.com/knowledge/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/2021-12-24-14_25_33-GAT.png)

### Schedule report

**Drive > Files > Full content search** - the above examples can be set up and run **scheduled reports ** ![](https://gatlabs.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/screenshot-gs.generalaudittool.com-2020.09.30-13_52_26.png)