---
title: "Search Guide"
url: "https://helpdesk.kontainer.com/article/search-guide/"
type: "article"
category: ["Intro to DAM", "Tagging, data & search"]
tags: ["Pro+ plans", "DAM"]
language: "en"
published: "2020-11-09T12:52:17+00:00"
updated: "2026-01-07T13:19:50+00:00"
summary: "The Kontainer search function offers a range of options for quickly retrieving files.   Search Filters Search filters are based on data categories such as attributes, filters, tags, data, etc., t…"
---

# Search Guide

The Kontainer search function offers a range of options for quickly retrieving files.

## Search Filters

Search filters are based on data categories such as attributes, filters, tags, data, etc., that your files are enriched with.

With these search filters, your users are guided to quickly find what they are looking for.

Read more about *[Tagging and Advanced Search here](https://helpdesk.kontainer.com/article/tagging-filtering-advanced-search/).*

![Searching Kontainer using the custom field filters](https://helpdesk.kontainer.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Kontainer-Search_Custom-Fields-2.png?v=1763368897)

## General Search Bar

This guide focuses on how to use the general search bar, which:

- searches across folders unless you define a specific folder to search
- searches filenames and any manual or aut0matically added attribute/value/tag
- searches across data categories

![Searhing Kontainer via the Global Search Bar](https://helpdesk.kontainer.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Kontainer-Search_Search-Bar-1.png?v=1763368897)

## Excluded Values

The system interprets all non-alphanumeric characters as spaces. So, any character that is not a number or a letter will be understood as a spacer.

**Examples:**

- **AW22_photo**
- **AW22#Photo**
- **Photo/AW22**
- **AW22**

These searches will all find the same results with the values containing **AW22** and **photo**.

## Single Value (Wildcard Search)

Search a single value to find every file containing that value, also called a wildcard search.

**Example: AW22**

Results:

- All images with a **filename containing** AW22
- All images with **attributes containing** AW22

![Searching Kontainer for a single word/value](https://helpdesk.kontainer.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Kontainer-Search_Single-value-1.png?v=1763368897)

## Multi-value Search (Wildcard search)

Search multiple values to find all files containing all those individual values but not in any specific order.

**Example: Photo AW22**

The results will be all values **containing Photo AND AW22**, like:

- **AW22**_Campaign **Photo**_Candles
- **AW22**_Campaign **Photo**_Models

**OR logic:** Combine values with OR logic to match files containing **any** of the given values, rather than all of them.

![Searching Kontainer using multiple values](https://helpdesk.kontainer.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Kontainer-Search_Multi-value-1.png?v=1763368897)

## Exact search (single & multiple)

To do an exact search, add "" around the search value. You can do an exact search on multiple values as long as they all have "" added to them.

**Example: "83615"**

The results will be all values with an **exact match on 36158**, like:

![Kontainer search on exact values](https://helpdesk.kontainer.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Kontainer-Search-guide_exact-match.png?v=1763368898)

The **above results will not include** all the other images with a value **containing 83615**, like here:\
 ![Files excluded when conducting exact search](https://helpdesk.kontainer.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Kontainer-search-guide_excluded-in-exact-search_1.png?v=1763368898)\
 **Variations**

- - **Multiple exact:** "karolina" "83615" (= match **exactly** on karolina **AND** match **exactly** 83615)

- **Mixed:** "karolina" 83615 (= match **exactly** on karolina **AND** any value **containing** 83615)
- **Exact phrase:** "karolina 83615" (= match for **exact combination** of values, karolina followed directly by 83615)

## Expanded Search

The expanded search function of the search bar allows you to search a whole list of EAN or item numbers, for example.

To start, **click the expanded search symbol** within the search bar.

Or, **copy/paste** a list of numbers from a spreadsheet or order list.

![Expanding the general serch function in Kontainer](https://helpdesk.kontainer.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Kontainer-Search_Expanded-Search-1.png?v=1763368897)

For the system to register **each number or value** as different, it must be on **its own line**.

Values can also be separated with **commas** in a **copied/pasted** list.

![Searching a list of values in Kontainer](https://helpdesk.kontainer.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Kontainer-Search_EAN-numbers-1.png?v=1763368897)

## AI / Natural-Language Search

In addition to filter- and keyword-based search, Kontainer supports **AI / natural-language search**. Type a plain-language query, and Kontainer interprets it to find relevant files — without needing to know the exact tag or attribute values.

## Similar Image & Similar Face Search

You can also search for files that **look like a selected image**, or that contain the **same face** as a selected image. Select a file and choose the similar-image or similar-face search option to find visually related files across your Kontainer.

## Saved & Recent Searches

Kontainer keeps a history of your recent searches, and lets you flag specific searches to save them. Reopen a saved or recent search at any time instead of rebuilding it from scratch.

## Sorting, Date Ranges & Fuzzy Matching

Search results can be **sorted** by relevance or by a specific field, including custom fields. You can also filter results to a specific **date range**, and the search includes a degree of **fuzzy matching**, tolerating minor typos in your query.

## Max values

The current max input values are as follows:

- Normal search: 10 words or 10 phrases
- Expanded search: 800 characters

__________________________________________________________________________

That's our brief introduction to Kontainers search function.

If you have any questions about the search, contact [Customer Success](mailto:%20support@kontainer.com). We look forward to hearing from you.

## Other languages

- [Deutsch](https://helpdesk.kontainer.com/de/article/suchen-in-kontainer-dam/index.md)

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