How do I use the GUI to search for files in GNOME?

There are several ways you can do this.

  1. Open Files and click the Search button. This is the easiest and recommended choice since it's installed by default.
  2. Or you can install gnome-search-tool Install gnome-search-tool
  3. Or you can install tracker-gui Install tracker-gui

I was also looking for this myself as I find Unity too slow (Ubuntu 12.10). Best thing I've found so far is Synapse. Ctrl + Spacebar to activate once installed.


Catfish

You can also install catfish package (written in Python):

Catfish is a search GUI powered by locate and find behind the scenes, with autocompletion from Zeitgeist and locate. The advanced options allow filtering by date and file type. The interface is intentionally lightweight and simple, using only GTK+.

screenshot

References

  • Official site (on Launchpad)
  • Catfish on Two Toasts