# How to find words in a conversation on Windows

## Quick answer

In a conversation:

1. Click **Find** at the top. Or press **Ctrl+F**.
2. Type a word.
3. Click the arrows to go to each match.
4. Click the x after the arrows to close.

The word is marked in yellow.

## What you need

- TextPort for Windows, with a conversation open

## Steps

1. Click **Find** and type a word

   Click **Find**. Type in **Find in conversation**. The nearest match shows. Click the arrows to go to the others.

   Tip: You can also press **Enter** for an older match, or **Shift+Enter** for a newer one.

2. Click the count to see all matches

   It says how many, like **1 of 30**. **All matches** opens. Click one to go there.

3. Click the x to close

   It is after the arrows. The marks go away, and you stay at the last match.

   Tip: You can also press **Esc** when the cursor is in the box.

## Done

You are at the message you were looking for.

## Problems

| What you see | What to do |
| --- | --- |
| **No matches** | Try a shorter word, or another word from the message. The dates you picked next to **Export** can limit it too. To look in every conversation, see [Search all your messages](https://textport.com/guides/search-all-your-messages-on-windows.md). |
| **Still preparing search. Some matches may be missing.** | Wait a moment. Then type the word again. |
| **Couldn’t search this conversation.** | Click **Try again**. |
| None of these match. | Email [support@textportapp.com](mailto:support@textportapp.com). Say which step you were on. Say what you saw. We usually reply within a day. |

## Questions

### Do capital letters matter?

No. TextPort finds both.

### Does it look in the other conversation with this person?

No. iMessage and SMS are two conversations. Open the other one, or use [Search all your messages](https://textport.com/guides/search-all-your-messages-on-windows.md).

## Next guides

- [How to search all your messages on Windows](https://textport.com/guides/search-all-your-messages-on-windows.md): You will find a message in any conversation and jump right to it.
- [How to find and read a conversation on Windows](https://textport.com/guides/find-and-read-a-conversation-on-windows.md): You will have the right conversation open on your PC, at the days you want.

## On other platforms

- On Mac: [How to search inside a chat on Mac](https://textport.com/guides/search-inside-a-chat-on-mac.md)

TextPort guide for Windows. Updated 2026-11-05. Web page: https://textport.com/guides/find-in-a-conversation-on-windows