Searching for files with similar names involves using pattern matching techniques to locate files sharing common naming elements or sequences. This differs from searching for exact filenames by employing wildcard characters like asterisks (*) and question marks (?). An asterisk substitutes for any number of characters, while a question mark substitutes for a single character. Additionally, operators like square brackets [ ] can specify a range of characters (e.g., [0-9] for any digit). Most operating systems support this functionality.

For instance, to find quarterly financial reports named report_q1_2023.pdf, report_q2_2023.xlsx, etc., you could search for report_q*2023.*. This locates all files starting with "report_q" and containing "2023" somewhere before the extension. Similarly, searching photo??.jpg using Command Prompt, Terminal, or File Explorer's search box would find files like photo01.jpg and photoab.jpg, representing any two characters after "photo".

This method is efficient for batch operations and organizing large sets of files, especially useful in fields like data analysis or media management. Its main limitation is returning unsorted results requiring manual review. Wildcards are powerful but won't understand semantic similarity; files with entirely different names sharing content require specialized tools. Mastering pattern searching significantly improves file management productivity across systems like Windows, macOS, and Linux.