Finding files by visual preview involves identifying them using thumbnail images instead of file names. Thumbnails are small, automatically generated representations showing the content of files like photos, videos, or certain documents. This visual approach lets you quickly recognize a file based on what you see, differing significantly from text-based searches where you depend on filenames or metadata keywords. File explorers and operating systems generate these previews to simplify browsing.

This feature is most valuable for media files and visually distinct documents. For example, photographers and designers browsing folders full of images (.jpg, .png) or videos (.mp4, .mov) in their operating system's file manager like Finder on macOS or File Explorer on Windows immediately see small versions of each item. Similarly, document-heavy workflows involving presentations (PowerPoint, Keynote) or PDFs benefit, as the first slide or page is shown as a preview, making specific files easier to spot within folders.

The key advantage is dramatically faster visual identification, boosting productivity when searching visually distinct items. However, limitations exist: preview generation can slow down systems with large libraries or unsupported file formats, and relying solely on thumbnails makes finding similar-looking files challenging. Advances in operating systems continuously improve preview reliability and speed for an even wider range of file types.