# How to search inside a chat

## Quick answer

In the chat:

1. Tap the magnifying glass at the top.
2. Type the word.
3. Tap a message to see it in the chat.

Search looks in this chat only.

## What you need

- TextPort on your iPhone
- A chat saved in TextPort

## Steps

1. Tap the magnifying glass

   Open the chat. It is at the top right. **Search Messages** opens.

2. Type the word

   The box is at the bottom. The keyboard opens by itself.

3. Tap a message

   Only messages with the word show. The word is bright.

4. Read around it

   Search closes. The chat shows that message with the ones around it.

## Done

You found the message and can read what came before and after it.

## Problems

| What you see | What to do |
| --- | --- |
| **No Results** | Check the spelling. Try a shorter word. |
| You want to leave search. | Tap the **X** next to the search box. |
| You want to search all chats. | Search looks in one chat at a time. Open the other chat and search there. |
| You know the day, not the word. | See [Jump to a date in a chat](https://textport.com/guides/jump-to-a-date.md). |
| 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

### Does search change my chat or export?

No. It only shows you the matching messages. The chat stays the same.

## Next guides

- [How to jump to a date in a chat](https://textport.com/guides/jump-to-a-date.md): You will go straight to the day you want in a long chat.
- [How to read a chat in TextPort](https://textport.com/guides/read-a-chat.md): You will know who sent each message and when, and how to hide or show the times.
- [How to copy a message](https://textport.com/guides/copy-a-message.md): You will have the words of a message ready to paste in another app.

## On other platforms

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

TextPort guide for iPhone. Updated 2026-11-05. Web page: https://textport.com/guides/search-inside-a-chat