---
title: "Message search"
date: 2021-08-03T20:30:00+02:00
---

## Message search

It is not uncommon to want to search for older conversation content.  To search the
message history in a room (or in all rooms) for a certain text, you will find the text,
you can find the "Search" button in the upper right corner of the Element app.  "Search"
button.

![Display of the position of the function button for the search](/images/message-search_en.png)

Searching for messages is possible in unencrypted rooms without any problem, since Element
has access to all messages. The situation is different in encrypted rooms.  This function
is only possible using the desktop client (see [Clients / Installation](/clients/)), because the messages must be cached for the search. The message search
must be explicitly enabled under `Settings` -> `Security & Privacy` -> `Message search`.
Afterwards, searching is also possible in encrypted rooms.

![Settings section for enabling message search](/images/message-search-active_en.png)