Basic Search
Find notes by searching for keywords:What Search Covers
Search looks through multiple note properties:Note Titles
Searches through all note titles for matching keywords
Note Content
Searches the full text content of all your notes
Searched Content
Search includes:- Note titles - Primary search target
- Note body - Full text content
- Formatted text - Bold, italic, and other styled text
- List items - Bullet points and numbered lists
- Checkboxes - Task descriptions
Not Searched
Search does not include:- Tag names (use tag filtering instead)
- Note IDs or technical metadata
- User names or share information
- Timestamps or dates
To find notes by tag, use the tag filter in the sidebar instead of search. You can combine tag filtering with search for more precise results.
Search Behavior
Understand how search works:Case Insensitive
Search ignores letter case:- “Meeting” finds “meeting”, “Meeting”, and “MEETING”
- “TODO” matches “todo” and “Todo”
- Type naturally without worrying about capitalization
Partial Matching
Search finds partial words:- “anch” matches notes containing “anchor”, “ranch”, “branch”
- “doc” finds “document”, “doctor”, “documentation”
- No need to type complete words
Multiple Words
Search for phrases:- “project meeting” finds notes containing both words
- Words can appear anywhere in the note
- Order doesn’t matter - “meeting project” gives same results
Filtering Search Results
Refine your search by combining with other filters:Search + Tag Filter
Search Across Views
Search works differently in different sections:- All Notes - Searches active, non-archived notes
- Archive - Searches only archived notes
- Trash - Searches only trashed notes
- Shared - Searches notes shared with you
Switch to the Archive or Trash view before searching to find notes in those sections.
Search Results
Understand what appears in search results:Result Sorting
Search results are ordered by:- Pinned notes first - Pinned notes appear at the top
- Most recent - Within pinned/unpinned groups, sorted by last updated
Result Limit
For performance, search limits results:- Maximum of 200 results displayed
- Most relevant (recent) notes shown first
- Clear search or be more specific if you don’t see what you need
Offline Search
Search works fully offline:Local Database
Search queries run against your local note database
Instant Results
No network delay - results appear immediately
All Notes
Search all locally stored notes and shared notes
No Connection Required
Works anywhere, anytime, even in airplane mode
Search Synced Content
Search includes:- Your own notes
- Notes shared with you (after they’ve synced)
- Archived notes (when viewing archive)
- Trashed notes (when viewing trash)
New shared notes appear in search after your first sync. Once synced, they’re searchable offline like your own notes.
Search Tips
Get the most from search:Be Specific
- Use unique keywords that likely appear in the target note
- Combine multiple keywords to narrow results
- Include key phrases from the content you remember
Use Tags First
- Filter by tag before searching to reduce result set
- More efficient than searching across all notes
- Combine tag + search for laser-focused results
Remember Context
- Think about when you created the note
- Consider what tags you might have applied
- Recall specific phrases or unusual words
Try Variations
- If one search doesn’t work, try synonyms
- Use different word forms (“run”, “running”, “runner”)
- Try different combinations of keywords
Common Search Patterns
Finding Recent Notes
Since results are sorted by date:- Search for broad terms to see recent notes containing them
- Pinned notes always appear first
- Recent activity bubbles to the top
Finding Specific Notes
For a particular note:- Use unique words you know are in the title
- Include distinctive phrases from the content
- Combine multiple specific keywords
Exploring Topics
For research or review:- Use topical keywords (“react”, “recipe”, “budget”)
- Browse through results to discover related notes
- Refine with additional keywords as needed
Project Work
For project-related notes:- Search for project name or client name
- Combine with tag filter for project tag
- Add date-related terms (“Q1”, “January”) if relevant
Create consistent naming patterns in your notes to make searching easier. For example, start project notes with the project name.
Search Performance
Search is optimized for speed:Fast Results
- Searches local database with optimized queries
- Results appear as you type
- No noticeable delay even with hundreds of notes
- Instant feedback helps refine your query
Efficient Indexing
- Text content indexed for quick searching
- Case-insensitive matching optimized
- Minimal battery and resource usage
- Works smoothly on mobile devices
Limitations
Understand search boundaries:Text Only
- Search is text-based only
- Cannot search by date created or modified
- Cannot search by note properties (pinned, archived status)
- Cannot use advanced operators (AND, OR, NOT)
Result Limit
- Maximum 200 results shown
- Add keywords if you don’t see your note
- Very broad searches may exceed limit
No Full-Text Operators
- No regex or advanced pattern matching
- No proximity search (“words near each other”)
- No fuzzy matching for typos
- No stemming (“run” doesn’t automatically match “running”)
Search is designed for simplicity and speed. For complex queries, use a combination of search, tags, and view filters.
Clearing Search
Return to your full notes list:- Click the X button in the search box
- Clear the search text manually
- Press Escape key (on web)
- Pull down to refresh (on mobile)
Search Across Devices
Search behavior is consistent:- Same results on all devices (after sync)
- Local search means no server dependency
- Works offline on every device
- Fast regardless of where you search