"File Finder" is a Qt 6.10 desktop utility that helps C++ and Arduino developers quickly locate files within a chosen directory tree. It provides a simple GUI to enter a filename, select a search root, and view all matching full paths. This application is optimized for fast file searches and low memory usage.
The application presents two inputs: File Name for the target filename (e.g., my-header.h) and Search Directory for the root folder to scan. You can type a directory path directly or click Browse… to open a native folder chooser. When you press Search, the app recursively scans the directory and all subdirectories, performing a case-insensitive match on the filename and listing each full path in the Found textbox.
Built with C++20 and Qt Widgets, the tool is lightweight and responsive. It persists the last searched directory using QSettings, so your preferred search root is prefilled on the next launch—streamlining repeated lookups and everyday workflows.
Due to the way the Qt works, the files must be in a very specific directory structure.
Make sure you have the Visual C++ Redistributable installed. You can download it from the Microsoft website: Microsoft Visual C++ Redistributable packages for Visual Studio 2017-2026
Directory structure:
.\icons\FileFinder.ico.\icons\FileFinder.png.\imageformats\qico.dll.\platforms\qwindows.dll.\styles\qmodernwindowsstyle.dll.\FileFinder.exe.\Qt6Core.dll.\Qt6Gui.dll.\Qt6Widgets.dll
On Linux, I am using the AppImage to package the application. This allows the application to run on any Linux distribution without any additional dependencies. I have included the icon so you can set up a .desktop file for your distribution.
Directory structure:
./icons/FileFinder.ico./icons/FileFinder.png./FileFinder.AppImage
On macOS all the files are in the app bundle and no extra steps are required.