When you start trying inside the Windows File Explorer, it takes you to the first Item present in that folder whose name starts with the Key that you pressed. This is the default behaviour of Windows, and this happens because an option called Select the typed item in the view is selected in the Windows Folder Options.
However, if you want to change this behaviour, and want to search for the term that you typed, then you can select the other option called Automatically type into the Search Box. This option will take you directly to the search bar of the Windows File Explorer as soon as you start typing.
Here’s How to Search by Typing a Letter in Windows 10 File Explorer.
Step 1: Open Windows File Explorer.
Step 2: Click on the File tab in the Windows File Explorer toolbar, and then click on Change folder and search options button to open Folder Options.
Step 3: In the Folder Options window, click on the View tab.
Step 4: Navigate to the option that says When typing into list view. By default, the Select the typed item in the view is selected. Click on the radio button next to the option called Automatically type into the Search Box.
Step 5: Click Apply, and then OK.
Step 6: Now, when I typed w, instead of taking me to the first item whose name starts with w, the Windows File Explorer typed the term in the search box, and started the Search feature.
Reverse the process if you want to use the default setting again.