How to Search Messages on WhatsApp

Reviewed by Luigi Oppido

Last Updated: September 30, 2024 Fact Checked

To search messages on WhatsApp on an iPhone, go to Chats → swipe down on your screen → tap “Search” → type in your search term → select a conversation from the results.

Quick Steps

Open WhatsApp and tap on the Chats button.
On Android, click on the magnifying glass icon.
Type in the Search bar and press Enter on your phone keyboard to search.
Scroll through the returned chats that match your search term.

Method 1

Method 1 of 2:

iPhone

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This will reveal the Search bar. ^{[1]
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You can search for messages that were sent or contacts that you've chatted with. WhatsApp will search all of your conversations to find matches.
This will open the conversation and highlight your search term in it. ^{[3]
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Method 2

Method 2 of 2:

Android

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You can find this in your list of apps.
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This can be found at the top of the screen. ^{[5]
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You can search for content inside of conversations, as well as contacts that you have chatted with. ^{[6]
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All of the results that match your query will be displayed. Tap one to open it with your search term highlighted.