Use search to find something specific in your community, and the Explore page to browse what's popular. This article covers where to search, what search finds, how to narrow results, and how Explore and hashtag pages work.
Who can do this: Signed-in members. You need to sign in to search. · Where: Web and the Mateflow app for iOS and Android. · Plan: Not plan-dependent. Event and course results appear only if your community uses them.
Where to search your community
On the web:
- Search box: on a wide screen, type in the Search box at the top of the right-hand column. Matching people, posts, spaces, events, courses, and hashtags appear as you type. Press Enter to open the full Search page.
- Command palette: press Ctrl+K (⌘K on a Mac) anywhere and type. Start with
@to search only people,#for spaces and hashtags, or>for commands. Choose Search for "…" to open the full Search page. - On a phone's browser: tap Search in the bottom bar.
In the app, tap the magnifying glass at the top of Home, Spaces, or Messages.
What community search finds
On the web, the Search page sorts results into tabs:
| Tab | Results |
|---|---|
| Top | The best matches of every type |
| Latest | Matching posts, newest first |
| People | Members by name or username |
| Spaces | Spaces, including ones you haven't joined |
| Hashtags | Matching hashtags and how many posts use them |
| More → Media, Events, Courses, Blogs | Posts with images, video, audio, or GIFs; events; courses; long-form articles |
The app has the tabs Top, Posts, People, Spaces, Hashtags, Events, and Courses.
Search shows only what you're allowed to see. Secret spaces stay hidden from non-members, and members who turned off Member Directory in their privacy settings don't appear under People. A course you haven't unlocked shows how to get in, for example Subscribe to unlock. Messages aren't included; search a conversation or chat space instead. See Direct messages and group chats.
Filter search results
- Web: on the Latest tab, open the post type menu next to Filters: and choose All Posts, Posts, Articles, Podcasts, or Videos. Click Clear filter to go back.
- App: on the Posts tab, tap All, Posts, Articles, Media, Podcasts, or Videos, and switch the order between Top and Latest.
Search inside a space or a profile
To search only one space, open it and click the magnifying glass (Search this space). Results are split into posts, Events, and Members, depending on what the space offers and what you can see. To search one member's posts and replies, open their profile and use Search this profile.
At the bottom of the results, Search all of the site for "…" opens the full Search page with the same words. On the web, those results stay limited to the space or member at first, shown by a Searched in label; click Search everywhere to search the whole community. In the app, Search all of the community for "…" searches the whole community right away.
Recent and trending searches
Before you type, the Search page shows your Recent searches. Click one to run it again, click × to remove it, or click Clear to remove them all. It also shows the community's Trending searches for the last 24h, 7 days, or 30 days, and Trending hashtags. The app shows Recent and Trending.
Browse the Explore page
Explore is for browsing rather than searching. It has four tabs: Posts (popular posts), Hashtags (trending Today, This Week, or This Month), Spaces, and People (members to follow).
- App: open the menu (☰) and tap Explore.
- Web: add
/trendingto your community's web address, or click View All Trending Topics on the Trending Topics card or Explore more people under suggested people, when your home page shows them.
Your home feed's Discover tab is another way to see what's happening across the community.
Hashtag pages
Click or tap a hashtag anywhere, in a post, in search, or in a trending list, to open its page. It lists posts with that hashtag under Top, Latest, and Media. On the web, the page also shows Statistics and Related Tags. If your community marked a hashtag as sensitive, the web page shows a Content Warning first; click Show Content to continue.
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