Search in Chats on Web

Note: Search in Chats is currently available on the web. Mobile support will follow soon.

Search in Chats helps you find conversations and messages faster when using Chats in a web browser.

You can search for:

• 1:1 chats by person name,
• group chats by chat name,
• group chats you have in common with another person,
• text messages that contain your search terms.

Search results only include chats and messages you have access to.

How to search in Chats

1. Open Chats on web.
2. Click the search field at the top of the chat list.
3. Type what you are looking for.
4. Select a result to open the chat or message.

When you select a message result, the chat opens and scrolls to the matching message.

To leave search mode, clear the search field or select the X button.

What appears in search results

Search results are grouped by type.

Chats

This section shows matching 1:1 chats and group chats.

For 1:1 chats, search uses the person’s name.
For group chats, search uses the group chat name.

Group chats in common

This section shows group chats where the searched person is also a member.

Messages

This section shows text messages that match your search. Message results include:

• sender name,
• timestamp,
• message preview,
• highlighted matching text

Minimum number of characters

Search starts after you type enough characters.

If you type only 2 characters, message results are not shown yet. Type at least 3 characters to search inside message content.

Use search with filters

You can combine search with chat list filters to narrow your results. Available filters:

• Unread Messages
• 1:1 Chats
• Group Chats

When a filter is selected, search works within that filtered view.

Search in Inbox and Archive

Search works separately in Inbox and Archive.

If you search from the Inbox, results come from your active chats.
If you search from Archive, results come from archived chats.

Archived chats and messages are not included in Inbox search.

What is not included in search

Search in Chats does not include:

• deleted messages,
• archived chats when searching from Inbox,
• attachments, such as PDFs, images, or files,
• content inside attachments,
• messages from chats you do not have access to.

Search limitations

Search is based on exact text matches.

This means:

• searching for Jon will not return John,
• searching for manager will not return management,
• searching for colour will not return color, unless that exact spelling is used.

Search does not translate messages. For example, searching in English will not return messages written only in another language unless the searched text is present.

Some languages or writing systems may not be fully supported yet, including Chinese, Korean, Thai, Khmer, and Myanmar/Burmese. 

Additional filters such as date, sender, or attachment type are not currently available.

Result order

Search results are grouped by category and shown in a fixed order:

1. Chats
2. Group chats in common
3. Messages

Within message results, exact matches are prioritized. If several messages match, newer messages may appear higher.

For chats and group chats, results are currently ordered by chat creation date, not by latest message date. This means a newer chat may appear above an older chat, even if the older chat has a more recent message.

Why a result may not appear

A chat or message may not appear in search if:

• you typed fewer than the required number of characters,
• the message is deleted,
• the chat is archived and you are searching from Inbox,
• the result is inside an attachment,
• the text does not exactly match your search,
• you do not have access to that chat,
• the language or writing system is not fully supported.

Mobile search is not available yet, but will follow soon.