How To Search on Discord Mobile: A Quick Guide

Q: Can I search the whole server instead of one channel?

Yes, remove the default in: #channel filter from the search bar to search the entire server.

To search on Discord mobile, open the app and use the search bar in the upper-right corner of the screen, or tap the search icon to search across all of your DMs and group chats. This is the quickest way to find specific messages, conversations, or content within the Discord mobile app.

How to use the search on Discord mobile

Open the Discord app on your mobile device.
Locate the search bar in the upper-right corner of the app.
Tap the search bar to activate it and begin typing your query.
As you start typing, the app shows in-line prompts for common filters to help narrow your search.

This basic search function lets you quickly locate messages, users, or channels without navigating through multiple menus.

Narrowing your search with filters

Discord mobile supports filters in the search bar, though the mobile-specific filter list is not fully documented on the official help page. You can use filters like from: to find messages from a specific user, to: to find messages directed at a user, and in: to search within a specific channel. You can also use the AND operator (&), OR operator (|), NOT operator (-), quotation marks for exact phrases, and a search range operator (after:/before:). A crucial tip is to remove the default in: #channel filter if you want to search an entire server instead of just one channel. This allows you to surface content across all channels in that server at once.

Searching by date and other operators

Community help posts reference operators such as during: for date targeting and in: for channel targeting, but these are community-confirmed tips rather than formal help documentation. Discord’s official help page documents search syntax in general, but the full operator set for mobile is not listed in the available official pages. Use these operators with the understanding that mobile support is not officially documented.

Understanding mobile search limits

There are key differences between iPhone and Android search behavior. A community report indicates that tapping a search result on iPhone shows the message with a few lines before and after it, but does not let you jump there or interact with it the way Android and desktop can. Android behaves more like desktop for search result navigation, according to the same community report. Additionally, no specific minimum iPhone or Android version is documented for mobile search, and no model-specific limits are documented. You can save search results by taking screenshots on your mobile device. You can also bookmark important messages or threads directly within the app by tapping and holding a message and selecting 'Bookmark'. Access your bookmarked messages by going to the Discord menu and clicking on 'Bookmarks'. You can create folders to categorize bookmarks by tapping 'New Folder' in the Bookmarks section. You also have the option to receive notifications for saved searches to be alerted when new messages matching your search criteria are posted.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I start a search on Discord mobile?

Use the search bar in the upper-right corner of the app, or tap the search icon to search across all DMs and group chats.

Can I search across all DMs and group chats?

Yes, Discord’s mobile update notes confirm you can search across all of your DMs and group chats using the search icon.

Can I search the whole server instead of one channel?

Yes, remove the default in: #channel filter from the search bar to search the entire server.

Does Discord document mobile search limits?

Does Discord document a way to save search results on mobile?

Is there a difference between iPhone and Android search results?

Yes, a community report states that iPhone search results are less interactive, showing only a few lines of context without the ability to jump to the message, while Android behaves more like desktop search.