WiseCleaner Think Tank

Encounter difficult computer problems?
All about maintenance and optimization of your Windows System.

Home > Think Tank > Difference between wildcards (*) and (?)

Difference between wildcards (*) and (?)

Jul 14, 2020

A wildcard character is a kind of placeholder represented by a single character, such as an asterisk (*) and question mark (?), which can be interpreted as a number of literal characters or an empty string. It is often used in file searches so the full name need not be typed. - From Wikipedia.

What is the difference between * and ?

*, it matches zero or more characters.

?, it matches exactly one character. If the question mark is placed at the end of the word, it will also match missing (zero) trailing characters.

Some examples

wis* matches "wise", "wisecleaner", and others whose first three letters are "wis".

wis? matches only "wise" and "wis".




[Reference]
Wildcard character
Latest
How to Change Primary Mouse Button for Left-hander in Windows 11Enable Enhanced Phishing Protection in Microsoft DefenderUnderstanding Windows Power Plans: Balanced, Battery Saver, High Performance, and Ultimate Performance
Read more >>
Recommend
Understanding Windows Power Plans: Balanced, Battery Saver, High Performance, and Ultimate PerformanceWindows Update Delivery Optimization: How It Works & How to Disable It (2025 Guide)Should I enable or disable Trim of SSD?
Read more >>
Hottest
How to Install a macOS in VMware Workstation PRO 17How to Enable Task Manager Option in Taskbar Menu on Windows 11How to Fix Office Application Error 0xc0000142
Read more >>