How to Find an Old Message on Messenger
Want to track down a specific message without scrolling through months of chat? You can find an old message on Messenger using keyword search. Here's how to do it, step by step.
Prefer a video? Watch the full tutorial below.
Finding an old message on Messenger, step by step
Open the chat search
"Search in conversation" opens keyword search. Open the chat, tap the "name" at the top, then tap "Search in conversation."
Type a keyword
A single keyword is enough to filter all the messages in the chat. Enter a "word" that appears in the message you're looking for (a name, place, topic…).
Open the result
The result takes you to the exact message in the chat. Tap a result: Messenger takes you "straight" to the message in the chat.
Good to know
Messenger takes you "straight" to the message it found, highlighted. The search covers the "entire history" of the chat, even very old messages.
Good to know
- The search applies to "one chat" at a time, not all of them at once.
- Use a "rare" word from the message to narrow the results quickly.
- From the home screen, the search bar mostly finds "people" and chats.
Frequently asked questions
- Can I search across all my chats at once?
- No. The "in conversation" search is specific to each chat. The home search bar is mainly for finding contacts and chats.
- Does the search go all the way back to old messages?
- Yes. It covers the entire history of the chat, including very old messages.
- How do I find a message faster?
- Type a rare or specific word from the message (a first name, a place) to cut down the number of results.
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