--- title: "Searching for Content" slug: "searching-for-content-1-1" tags: ["Portal", "8.4"] updated: 2026-10-05T08:27:08Z published: 2026-10-05T08:27:08Z canonical: "kb.ctera.com/searching-for-content-1-1" --- > ## Documentation Index > Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://kb.ctera.com/llms.txt > Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further. # Searching for Content CTERA provides a basic search and an AI-assisted search when CTERA Content Services has also been installed. ## Basic Search You can search for folders and files in a folder. - In the **Search this folder** box, type part or all of the folder or file name you want to search for. If searching for a deleted folder or file, search results are displayed when deleted folders or files are visible. For more details, see [Managing Deleted Items](/v1/docs/managing-deleted-items-1-1). **Note** The search string can be a single character but the more characters, the more specific the search. The characters `*`, `?`, and `$` are not used as wildcard characters. The search is performed in the current folder and its sub-folders. The matching folders and files are displayed. ![image.png](https://cdn.document360.io/30792387-cdcb-4791-aa14-94929bbcd3fe/Images/Documentation/image-5PXSHOIM.png?sv=2026-02-06&spr=https&st=2026-11-11T04%3A28%3A04Z&se=2026-11-11T05%3A28%3A04Z&sr=c&sp=r&sig=JdpKjOvgXQuVx3jicf3OkfhmaaJd5NfHdexa9faK4Mc%3D) **Note** Searching for a deleted file, when deleted files are not displayed, does not return any results. **To clear a search:** - Click ![image.png](https://cdn.document360.io/30792387-cdcb-4791-aa14-94929bbcd3fe/Images/Documentation/image-IBSZGBOS.png?sv=2026-02-06&spr=https&st=2026-11-11T04%3A28%3A04Z&se=2026-11-11T05%3A28%3A04Z&sr=c&sp=r&sig=JdpKjOvgXQuVx3jicf3OkfhmaaJd5NfHdexa9faK4Mc%3D) next to the **Search this folder** box or clear the contents of the box. **Note** The search stops and a time out message is displayed when a search takes too long. ## AI-assisted Search When CTERA Content Services has been installed and the search capability integrated into the CTERA Portal global file system, it provides a high-performance, secure, and scalable search solution. **Note** For details about the Content Services configuration, see [Set Up Advanced Search in the End User Portal](https://kb.ctera.com/v1/docs/en/8dd2b63f-2823-4bf5-897b-5afb4ed33f35?isPreview=true&versionNumber=2). The search functionality enables you to find any file you are authorized to access without compromising performance. **Note** The advanced search searches for all files and folders that meet the search criteria starting from the folder where the search is run and searching all subfolders under this folder. ### Limitations The following limitations apply to the advanced search: - Each search filter can have a maximum of 70 characters. - You can set a maximum of 20 filters for a search. - Search filters are joined using `AND` and **not** `OR` logical operators. The search itself is not case sensitive, so *My Files* and *my files* are treated as the same for the search. Also, the search does not search the following: - Archived files and folders - Deleted files and folders - Content searches in images All file types are supported for name-only searches. ## Supported File Types The following file types are supported: - Microsoft file types: .docx, .xlsx, and .pptx. - .csv files. - video files. For example .mov, .mp4. Searching within these files can take a long time. - Markdown files. For example, .md, .mkd. - .json files. - .txt files. - .html files. - Source code files. For example, .py, .js, and .java. - .pdf files. - Image files. ### Using the Advanced Search Filters When **Advanced Search** has been enabled, an **Advanced Search** button us displayed. ![Image](https://cdn.document360.io/30792387-cdcb-4791-aa14-94929bbcd3fe/Images/Documentation/image-R8VPBZLI.png?sv=2026-02-06&spr=https&st=2026-11-11T04%3A28%3A04Z&se=2026-11-11T05%3A28%3A04Z&sr=c&sp=r&sig=JdpKjOvgXQuVx3jicf3OkfhmaaJd5NfHdexa9faK4Mc%3D) 1. Click **Advanced Search** to display the **Filters** pane. ![Image](https://cdn.document360.io/30792387-cdcb-4791-aa14-94929bbcd3fe/Images/Documentation/image-GAHB6766.png?sv=2026-02-06&spr=https&st=2026-11-11T04%3A28%3A04Z&se=2026-11-11T05%3A28%3A04Z&sr=c&sp=r&sig=JdpKjOvgXQuVx3jicf3OkfhmaaJd5NfHdexa9faK4Mc%3D) 2. Specify the first filter. 1. Choose the filter value from the list: **File name**, **Content**, **File type**, or **File size**. ![Image](https://cdn.document360.io/30792387-cdcb-4791-aa14-94929bbcd3fe/Images/Documentation/image-CLSF9SF5.png?sv=2026-02-06&spr=https&st=2026-11-11T04%3A28%3A04Z&se=2026-11-11T05%3A28%3A04Z&sr=c&sp=r&sig=JdpKjOvgXQuVx3jicf3OkfhmaaJd5NfHdexa9faK4Mc%3D) 2. Choose the operator: **contains**, **is**, or **is not**. ![Image](https://cdn.document360.io/30792387-cdcb-4791-aa14-94929bbcd3fe/Images/Documentation/image-TW9UUYC3.png?sv=2026-02-06&spr=https&st=2026-11-11T04%3A28%3A04Z&se=2026-11-11T05%3A28%3A04Z&sr=c&sp=r&sig=JdpKjOvgXQuVx3jicf3OkfhmaaJd5NfHdexa9faK4Mc%3D) 3. Specify the value that matches the filter value. For example, if you specified file type, you can enter a value such as `txt or multiple file types separated by commas, like `txt,pdf,docx` 3. To add another filter, click **Add Filter**. ![Image](https://cdn.document360.io/30792387-cdcb-4791-aa14-94929bbcd3fe/Images/Documentation/image-S1CQQ5TV.png?sv=2026-02-06&spr=https&st=2026-11-11T04%3A28%3A04Z&se=2026-11-11T05%3A28%3A04Z&sr=c&sp=r&sig=JdpKjOvgXQuVx3jicf3OkfhmaaJd5NfHdexa9faK4Mc%3D) Filters are joined using the **AND** operator. 4. Specify the filter in the same way you specified the first filter. ![Image](https://cdn.document360.io/30792387-cdcb-4791-aa14-94929bbcd3fe/Images/Documentation/image-W3HBF8Z3.png?sv=2026-02-06&spr=https&st=2026-11-11T04%3A28%3A04Z&se=2026-11-11T05%3A28%3A04Z&sr=c&sp=r&sig=JdpKjOvgXQuVx3jicf3OkfhmaaJd5NfHdexa9faK4Mc%3D) 5. Click **Apply**. The results are displayed. ![Image](https://cdn.document360.io/30792387-cdcb-4791-aa14-94929bbcd3fe/Images/Documentation/image-TIOQ4S6R.png?sv=2026-02-06&spr=https&st=2026-11-11T04%3A28%3A04Z&se=2026-11-11T05%3A28%3A04Z&sr=c&sp=r&sig=JdpKjOvgXQuVx3jicf3OkfhmaaJd5NfHdexa9faK4Mc%3D) **To remove a filter:** Delete the filters you want to remove by clicking ![Image](https://cdn.document360.io/30792387-cdcb-4791-aa14-94929bbcd3fe/Images/Documentation/image-876XQLKV.png?sv=2026-02-06&spr=https&st=2026-11-11T04%3A28%3A04Z&se=2026-11-11T05%3A28%3A04Z&sr=c&sp=r&sig=JdpKjOvgXQuVx3jicf3OkfhmaaJd5NfHdexa9faK4Mc%3D) next to the filter to remove. **To remove filter results:** Remove the filter by clicking the **x** in the **Active Filters** at the top of the list of results.