Find a conversation or a message

Filter the conversation list and search the text of every message you can read.

In short

The conversation list can show only unread conversations or the ones that mention you, and can narrow by type and workspace. The search box finds conversations by name and messages by their text. Choosing a message result opens its conversation.

Before you start

Who: anyone signed in. Search reads only conversations you can read.
Plan: none.
First: nothing.

Steps

Under the search, choose "All", "Unread" or "Mentions". Unread and Mentions show how many.
Press "Filter conversations" and choose a "Type" (Any type, Direct, Groups or Archived).
Under "Show from", choose this workspace, "All workspaces" or one organization.

Type at least two characters in "Search" at the top of the conversation list.
Matching messages appear under "Messages" above the list, newest first. To narrow them, press "Filter found messages" and choose "This conversation", who wrote them ("Me" or a person found) and "Past week", "Past month" or "Past year".
Choose a result under "Messages" to open its conversation at that message - a thread reply opens at its thread. Press "Show more" for older results.

Result: the list shows only what you were looking for.

Good to know

In your Personal Workspace, the list shows private conversations and personal groups by default. Inside an organization, it shows your private conversations plus that organization's groups and channels.
Each row shows the title, who sent the last message and what it said, how long ago, and your unread count. A conversation that belongs to an organization carries its name.
Mark a conversation as a favorite from its menu ("Favorite"). Favorites sit under "Favorites" at the top, channels of your teams under "Team channels", the rest under "Recent".
A row's menu also has "Mark as read" and "Mute".
Search reads every conversation you can read, skipping deleted messages, and shows 30 results at a time.

If something goes wrong

"Search needs between 2 and 100 characters." Type at least two characters.
"No messages match." Remove a narrowing under "Filter found messages".
A conversation is missing from the list: check "Show from" - it may belong to another workspace. Choose "All workspaces".
"That message is older than what is loaded": the message is very far back. Press "Load earlier messages" in the conversation to reach it.