Twitter is upgrading the direct message search bar, adding the much requested ability to search for DMs by entering keywords.
This update to Twitter DM search is rolling out to the iOS and Android apps, and will also be available on web browsers.
If you’re thinking searching by keyword is how a search bar is supposed to work, it’s likely you’ll find anyone who will disagree.
However, since Twitter DM search was introduced in 2019, it has lacked the basic functionality of searching by keyword.
Until now, Twitter users have only been able to search for DMs by name, which isn’t particularly useful if you have a long DM thread going with someone.
As I noted when Twitter DM search was first announced, the ability to search for messages containing specific keywords would have been more valuable.
Now, nearly three years after launching the first iteration of DM search, Twitter is giving users the functionality they really wanted.
We know you’ve been waiting for the option to search your DMs…
Now you can use the search bar in your inbox to find specific messages using keywords and names. pic.twitter.com/A41G8Y45QI
— Twitter Support (@TwitterSupport) March 23, 2022
Searching For Twitter DMs By Keyword
Twitter DM search now works as you’d expect it to.
Simply navigate to your DM inbox using a mobile app or web browser, and start typing in a keyword.
Results will populate as you type, displaying messages containing the word or phrase you’ve entered.
You can see this demonstrated in Twitter’s example below:
now you can search for really important things in your DMs pic.twitter.com/pZP6TMYyEN
— Twitter (@Twitter) March 23, 2022
While this is certainly an improvement over Twitter’s previously limited DM search functionality, it still lacks the ability to search for historical DMs.
Search results only go as far back as messages sent and received in 2020.
If you want to quickly find a DM from your earlier years on Twitter you won’t be able to accomplish that with the built-in search bar.
For finding Twitter messages sent within the past couple of years, this update should serve your needs.
Featured Image: FP Creative/Shutterstock