# Easily search filename for multiple (non-consecutive) words **URL:** \ **Category:** Help\ **Tags:** ui-ux, search\ **Created:** [October 30, 2026, 6:54pm UTC](https://forum.obsidian.md/t/easily-search-filename-for-multiple-non-consecutive-words/120026 "2026-10-30T18:54:08Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Lise](https://forum.obsidian.md/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/l/898d66/32.png) [@Lise](https://forum.obsidian.md/u/Lise)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2026, 6:54pm UTC](https://forum.obsidian.md/t/easily-search-filename-for-multiple-non-consecutive-words/120026/1 "2026-10-30T18:54:08Z")
The only way I have found to search for three words in filenames is to repeat where I want to search (file:) before each word. ```auto file: Jonnie file: sweater file: Christmas. ``` It would be great if Obsidian would have a way of saying: if an operator is used at the beginning, then assume it applies to the entire search until it sees a different operator. Or maybe using a single quote to indicate the same thing, as in: ```auto file: `jonnie sweater gift ``` Vaults are getting larger, and many of us use descriptors in the names to easily find them in the future. Of course if there is a trick I don’t know about, please share. * * * Also, I noticed this in the help file and it cold lead to some confusion: ![image](https://forum.obsidian.md/uploads/default/original/3X/3/e/3e9a818de1fe4c0e1cf02611e1ebccf149bd4603.png) This makes it sound like the `default` search looks to paths and filenames rather than the entire file: ![image](https://forum.obsidian.md/uploads/default/original/3X/7/c/7c684da49280a1d49e446a3f6da01967058a40e6.png) ---
**Author:** ![Rei\_Kurosawa](https://forum.obsidian.md/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/r/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Rei\_Kurosawa](https://forum.obsidian.md/u/Rei_Kurosawa)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2026, 7:05pm UTC](https://forum.obsidian.md/t/easily-search-filename-for-multiple-non-consecutive-words/120026/2 "2026-10-30T19:05:35Z")
A community reference for Obsidian search documents a shorter form: file:(jonnie sweater christmas). The file: operator applies the parenthesized subquery to the filename, and space-separated words inside it must all match - that AND behavior is how the official documentation describes search terms. So this finds filenames containing all three words without repeating file: each time. If you want to see how Obsidian parses it, ‘Explain search term’ in the search bar breaks the query down. ---
**Author:** ![CawlinTeffid](https://forum.obsidian.md/user_avatar/forum.obsidian.md/cawlinteffid/32/82899_2.png) [@CawlinTeffid](https://forum.obsidian.md/u/CawlinTeffid)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2026, 9:10pm UTC](https://forum.obsidian.md/t/easily-search-filename-for-multiple-non-consecutive-words/120026/3 "2026-10-30T21:10:06Z")
Rei’s answer is correct. Here is the Search documentation: [Search - Obsidian Help](https://obsidian.md/help/plugins/search). ---
**Author:** ![Lise](https://forum.obsidian.md/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/l/898d66/32.png) [@Lise](https://forum.obsidian.md/u/Lise)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2026, 9:28pm UTC](https://forum.obsidian.md/t/easily-search-filename-for-multiple-non-consecutive-words/120026/4 "2026-10-30T21:28:21Z")
Perfect. Thanks. ---
**Author:** ![Lise](https://forum.obsidian.md/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/l/898d66/32.png) [@Lise](https://forum.obsidian.md/u/Lise)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2026, 9:36pm UTC](https://forum.obsidian.md/t/easily-search-filename-for-multiple-non-consecutive-words/120026/5 "2026-10-30T21:36:50Z")
Yeah, I quoted that help file above. As I suggested, on the one hand it says that by default searches are done on paths and filenames, but that isn’t quite right, is it. With no operator, searching for `jonnie sweater gift`, matches all three words in “text”, which seems to mean in the entire file as well as the path and filename. So it is easy to confuse the matter and think: Oh, well, if the search bar searches filenames by default, then surely it will be searching for those three words in the filenames. ---
**Author:** ![CawlinTeffid](https://forum.obsidian.md/user_avatar/forum.obsidian.md/cawlinteffid/32/82899_2.png) [@CawlinTeffid](https://forum.obsidian.md/u/CawlinTeffid)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2026, 1:49am UTC](https://forum.obsidian.md/t/easily-search-filename-for-multiple-non-consecutive-words/120026/6 "2026-10-31T01:49:33Z")
Sorry, because I wasn’t addressing the aside about the docs I forgot that you’d obviously seen them. The sentences directly before and after that callout explicitly say that Search searches within files, so I wouldn’t expect much confusion about that. But you can file an issue on the documentation’s GitHub if you like (linked near the bottom of its homepage). Actually the transition from “Obsidian only searches the contents of notes and canvases” to that callout feels contradictory at first glance. That section could probably use some revision.