> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://cloudinary.com/documentation/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Advanced Search


The **Advanced Search** feature enables you to search for media assets in your product environment by choosing from a large variety of filtering criteria to help you find assets that meet the design and content needs of your application. 

![Advanced Search](https://res.cloudinary.com/cloudinary/image/upload/f_auto/q_auto/bo_1px_solid_grey/v1/docs/DAM/advanced_search_new_exp "thumb: w_850,dpr_2, width:850, with_code:false, with_url:false, popup:true")

> **NOTES**:
>
> * All of the search capabilities available in the Advanced Search (and more), are also available for developers via the [search method](search_method).

> * The [Image Analysis](#image_analysis_premium_feature) search capabilities are a premium feature and are only available for plans that include [Tier 2 search capabilities](search_method#search_api_tiers). If these capabilities aren't activated for your account, the relevant filters aren't available. For more options and information, [contact support](https://support.cloudinary.com/hc/en-us/requests/new).

> * If Visual Search isn't enabled for your account, the **Advanced** / **Visual** toggle won't be visible and you'll only see Advanced Search. Visual Search is available to Enterprise customers by request. [Learn more about Visual Search](dam_visual_search).

## Performing an advanced search

To access **Advanced Search**, go to the **Assets** page within the Media Library.

Select the **Advanced** toggle (that's the default selection when you land on the **Assets** page).

> **NOTE**: When you open the Advanced Search, the results you see are unfiltered, meaning, you'll see all the assets in your Media Library. You can select search criteria to narrow your results.

In the Advanced Search, you are provided with a large selection of criteria for filtering your assets. You can set the criteria for your search by clicking on the filters that are displayed in the Advanced Search section, and selecting the relevant values within each filter.

A default set of filters is permanently displayed in the Advanced Search for easy access. You can keep this set of filters, or your Assets administrator can select which filters are displayed (up to 10) and customize their order. This can be set via the [Media Library Preference](dam_admin_media_library_options#media_library_preferences) pane.

In any case, you always can [add more filters](#adding_filters) to the set that is initially displayed to search by an even wider variety of criteria. 

You can further fine-tune your search by adding your own text in the [free text](#search_by_free_text) box. 

#### Watch and learn: Perform an advanced search

#### Read how: Perform an advanced search:

1. Select values from the drop-down filters. 
   * You can select more than one value from a single drop-down, and you can deselect by clicking the value again.
   * You can deselect the choices you made by clicking **Clear selection** within a drop-down, or by clicking the X on the filter.
2. Optional. Enter text in the free text search box above the filter options.

### Adding filters

You can add criteria to your search by adding filters to the ones that appear by default. You can add **standard** filters as well as **custom** filters. 

* **Standard** filters represent criterion that are built-in, for example **Formats**, **Asset types**, and **Orientations**. 

* **Custom** filters are based on all the available structured metadata fields that your administrator configured for your product environment.

For your convenience, filters that were **Recently used** are listed at the top of the **Add more** drop-down.

**To add filters:**

* Click **Add more** and select the filter you want to add.

  
> **NOTE**:
>
> After refreshing the screen or logging out and logging back in to your account, the filters that you added will no longer be displayed in the Advanced Search section. They will again be accessible from the **Add more** drop-down.

## Search by metadata

**Custom** filters allow you to search by structured metadata fields.

The **Context** filter allows you to search by contextual metadata.

The filters for **Context** and **Custom** filters can be [added](#adding_filters) to your Advanced Search criteria using the **Add more** option.

### Search by structured metadata

You can add any structured metadata field that was configured by your Assets administrator as a **Custom** filter, and you can search for assets that contain specific values for those fields. 

You can include as many **Custom** filters as you like in a single search. When you select multiple different **Custom** filters, they are treated as 'AND' statements, and the results will include only assets that meet all of the different criteria specified. 

**To filter by a structured metadata field:**

1.  [Add](#adding_filters) the structured metadata field you want to search by to the Advanced Search filters using the **Add more** option. 
2.  Select the condition to determine how the [values](#values_within_a_structured_metadata_filter) you select within the filter are treated.
3.  Select the relevant values to find matching assets.

![Structured metadata filters](https://cloudinary-res.cloudinary.com/image/upload/f_auto/q_auto/v1672842089/docs/DAM/advanced_search_custom.png "thumb: w_300,dpr_2, width:300, with_code:false, with_url:false")

#### Values within a structured metadata filter

You can choose how the values within the filter are treated, depending the filter's field type:

* **Number**: Your searches can include the value conditions **=**, **=**, and **>**. You can also look for assets containing **Any number** as a value in that field, or search for assets lacking any value in the field using the **Is empty** option.
  
* **Text**: Your searches can include the value conditions **Starts with** and **Equal to**. You can also filter for assets with any value in the field by selecting **Isn't empty**, or search for assets with no value in the field by selecting **Is empty**.

* **Date**: Your searches can include the value conditions **Is**, **Before**, and **After**, or you can search for assets whose value falls within a custom range. You can also look for assets containing **Any date** as a value in that field, or search for assets lacking any value in the field using the **Is empty** option. Additionally, the **Within the next** filter lets you search for dates relative to today, with options like the next **7**, **14**, or **30 days**.

* **Multi-select**: If you filter by more than one value, you can choose whether they are treated as 'OR' or 'AND' statements. Results of an 'OR' statement will include assets with any of the specified values, while results of an 'AND' statement will include only assets that meet all of the different criteria specified. In addition, you can choose to search for assets that don't contain the selected value(s). You can also search for assets with any value in the field by selecting **Isn't empty**, or search for assets with no value in the field by selecting **Is empty**.
  > **NOTE**:
>
> The **Tags** filter behaves similarly to multi-select in that when filtering by more than one value, you can choose whether they're treated as 'OR' or 'AND' statements. However, filtering for assets that don't contain selected values isn't available.

* **Single-select**: If you filter by more than one value, the values are treated as an 'OR' statement, so the results will include assets with any of the specified values. In addition, you can choose to search for assets that don't contain the selected value(s). You can also search for assets for with any value in the field by selecting **Isn't empty**, or search for assets with no value in the field by selecting **Is empty**.

For more details on the Advanced Search AND | OR rules and other general search rules, see [Search tips and guidelines](#search_tips_and_guidelines).

#### Video tutorial: manage expirations with structured metadata search

Watch this tutorial to learn how to filter by structured metadata dates relative to today. This feature helps you manage expirations by making it easy to find assets within a specific timeframe. Additionally, it enables you create a [saved search](#saved_searches) that serves as a dynamic report of assets nearing expiration, keeping your data always up to date.

### Search by contextual metadata

The **Context** filter enables you to search by contextual metadata.

> **NOTE**:
>
> Depending on the [Media Library Preferences](dam_admin_media_library_options#media_library_preferences) set for your product environment, the **Context** (contextual metadata) filter may or may not be available in the **Add more** filter section. However, even if contextual metadata is not set to be available from the Media Library, existing contextual metadata values are still stored with the asset and can be accessed programmatically using the Cloudinary [Upload](image_upload_api_reference) and [Admin](admin_api) APIs.

**To search by contextual metadata**

1.  [Add](#adding_filters) the **Context** filter using the **Add more** option. 
2.  Select the condition to determine how the contextual metadata field [values](#values_within_the_contextual_metadata_filter) you enter within the filter are treated.
3.  Enter a contextual metadata key and value pair. Click **+** to enter an additional field (you can enter up to 5).  
4.  Click **Apply**.

![Contextual metadata filter](https://cloudinary-res.cloudinary.com/image/upload/v1648993829/docs/DAM/contextual_metadata_search.png "thumb: w_250,dpr_2, with_code:false, with_url:false, width:250, popup:true")

#### Values within the contextual metadata filter

* Enter the full expected value for each field. Only assets that match your entries exactly will be returned.

* If you enter multiple contextual metadata fields in a search, you can choose whether they are treated as 'OR' or 'AND' statements. Results of an 'OR' statement will include assets with any of the specified field/value pairs, while results of an 'AND' statement will include only assets with all of the specified field/value pairs. In the Contextual metadata search image above, your search results would include any assets that have **campaign** = `ABC` OR **discount_code** = `blue` OR **aaa** = `aaa`.

For more details on the Advanced Search AND | OR rules and other general search rules, see [Search tips and guidelines](#search_tips_and_guidelines).

## Filter drill-down

The following sections provides clarification for certain filters.

### Dates 

You can search by time-related stats associated with your asset: 

  * **Creation date**: when the asset was created (first uploaded to Cloudinary). 
  * **Last replaced**: when an existing asset was most recently overwritten or replaced. For an asset that was never replaced, this attribute will have the same value as its **Creation date**.  
  * **Date taken**: the asset's Exif date.

![Advanced Search dates](https://cloudinary-res.cloudinary.com/image/upload/v1649082406/docs/DAM/advanced_search_time.png "thumb: w_200,dpr_2, width:200, with_code:false, with_url:false")

### Orientations

You can filter by image orientation:

* **Portrait** orientation finds assets with aspect ratios narrower than 1:1.
* **Square** orientation finds assets with aspect ratio 1:1.
* **Landscape** orientation finds assets with aspect ratios wider than 1:1, but less than 2:1. 
* **Panorama** orientation finds assets with aspect ratios that are at least 2:1

![Advanced Search orientations](https://cloudinary-res.cloudinary.com/image/upload/v1649082406/docs/DAM/advanced_search_orientations.png "thumb: w_150,dpr_2, width:150, with_code:false, with_url:false")

### Size and duration

You can search for image and video assets by their size, and you can search for videos by their duration. Enter a range to return assets that match the minimum and maximum you entered, and all values in between. You can also enter only a minimum to return assets that have at least that value, or you can enter only a maximum to return assets that have at most that value. The search is submitted as you type.

* Search by size: 
    ![Size filter](https://cloudinary-res.cloudinary.com/image/upload/f_auto/q_auto/v1649849645/docs/DAM/advanced_search_size.png "thumb: w_250,dpr_2, width:250, with_code:false, with_url:false")

* Search by duration:
    ![Duration filter](https://cloudinary-res.cloudinary.com/image/upload/f_auto/q_auto/v1650806343/docs/DAM/advanced_search_duration.png "thumb: w_250,dpr_2, width:250, with_code:false, with_url:false")

### Dimensions

You can search for images within a range of dimensions. Choose the option that matches your desired dimensions:

**Images:**

* **Icon:** Up to 0.1 million pixels
* **Small:** From 0.1 to 0.5 million pixels
* **Medium:** From 0.5 to 2 million pixels
* **Large:** Over 2 million pixels

For videos, you can search by resolution. Select the option that corresponds to your preferred video quality:

**Videos:**

* **SD:** 720 x 480
* **HD:** 1280 x 720
* **Full HD:** 1920 x 1080
* **4K:** 3840 x 2160

### Formats

You can filter your assets by a wide variety of formats, including popular 3D image formats such GLB, OBJ, FBX and more:

![Format filter](https://cloudinary-res.cloudinary.com/image/upload/f_auto/q_auto/v1674047695/docs/DAM/advanced_search_format.png "thumb: w_200,dpr_2, width:200, with_code:false, with_url:false")

### Image Analysis (premium feature) 

> **READING**:
>
> :no-title
> Tier 2 search capabilities aren't included in the Media Library available with the **Assets Free** plan, which offers essential media management capabilities. They're part of the Media Library for **Assets Enterprise** plans.

> * To learn more about the features available in the **Assets Free** plan and how they can support development workflows, see [Media Library for Developers](media_library_for_developers). 

> * For upgrade options or more information, [contact us](https://cloudinary.com/contact).

You can search for images based on advanced image analysis including the style of the image, the predominant colors of the image, the number of faces (as determined by Cloudinary's built-in face detection algorithm), or the location of a photo. These criteria are valuable for helping you search for assets that fit design or content requirements. If these filters aren't available in your list of filters in **+ Add more**, your account doesn't include [Tier 2 search capabilities](search_method#tiers). [Contact us](https://support.cloudinary.com/hc/en-us/requests/new) for more options and information.

> **NOTE**:
>
> The **Transparent** option (under **Image Style**) will return any image that contains at least one pixel with an alpha channel. In some cases, images that meet this criteria might not have any visibly transparent or semi-transparent areas. This option is equivalent to including `transparent:true` in a [search method](search_method) expression.

## Quick searches

Quick searches are popular searches that are pre-defined so you can access them easily. Once you've navigated to a quick search, you can refine it using additional filters and save it as a new Saved Search.

Navigate to one of the quick searches via the **Saved** dropdown menu located to the right of the filters:

![Access quick searches](https://res.cloudinary.com/cloudinary/image/upload/f_auto/q_auto/bo_1px_solid_grey/v1/docs/DAM/nav_to_saved_search "thumb: w_750,dpr_2, width:750, with_code:false, with_url:false, popup:true")

Quick searches include:

* **My uploads**: View all assets that you've uploaded. (Sets the **Created by** filter to the current user.)
  > **NOTE**:
>
> The availability of the **Created by** filter depends on your account setup. If this filter is not yet enabled for your account and you'd like to enable it, please contact our [support](https://support.cloudinary.com/hc/en-us/requests/new) team.
* **Recently uploaded**: View the assets that were uploaded within the last 7 days. (Sets the **Creation date** filter to **Last 7 days**.)
* **Deleted assets**: View the assets that were deleted from your product environment. (Sets the **Delivery types** filter to **Deleted asset**.)

## Saved searches

Save up to 15 searches and revisit them anytime. Additionally, collaborate effectively by sharing commonly used searches with your teammates to aid them in finding the right images. This feature allows experienced users and Admins to provide assistance to those who may not be familiar with the asset organization taxonomy by sharing their saved searches. Searches shared by Admins will be conveniently accessible from users' Homepage.

> **READING**:
>
> :no-icon :title=For Assets Enterprise plans
> **Saved Search** is a premium feature and its availability depends on your account setup. If **saved search** is not yet enabled for your account and you want to enable it, please contact your Customer Success Manager.

### Saving a search

**To save a search:** 

1. Click **Save**. ![Save searches](https://res.cloudinary.com/cloudinary/image/upload/bo_1px_solid_grey/f_auto/q_auto/v1/docs/DAM/save_a_search "thumb: w_250,dpr_2, width:250, with_code:false, with_url:false, popup:true")
2. In the dialog box, give the saved search a descriptive name. 
3. Optionally share it by inviting teammates and adding a message.

### Accessing saved searches

Access all of your saved searches from the **Saved** dropdown located to the right of the filters. Filter them by **My saved searches** or **Shared with me**.

![Access saved searches](https://res.cloudinary.com/cloudinary/image/upload/f_auto/q_auto/bo_1px_solid_grey/v1/docs/DAM/nav_to_saved_search "thumb: w_750,dpr_2, width:750, with_code:false, with_url:false, popup:true")

### Managing saved searches

After saving a search, you can modify it in the following ways:

**Save Changes**: If you edit the filters of a saved search, click **Save Changes** to overwrite the original saved search. Any changes you make affect all users you've shared the search with.

**Options menu**: Use the (3-dots) options menu for additional actions:

![Saved searches](https://res.cloudinary.com/cloudinary/image/upload/f_auto/q_auto/bo_1px_solid_grey/saved_search_management "thumb: w_830,dpr_2, width:830, with_code:false, with_url:false, popup:true")

* **Share**: Internally share your saved search:
  * An email notification is automatically sent to anyone you've shared with who hasn't opted out of receiving emails in the [My Profile](https://console.cloudinary.com/app/settings/profile) page of the Console Settings.
  * Only **Can view** permissions are available, so those you invite can view results but can't modify the original saved search. 
  * If a user lacks folder permissions for specific assets, they won't be able to view those assets in the shared search.
  * For **Assets** users, if you are an administrator, the saved search you shared is accessible from the homepage of all users you shared with.
* **Share with**: View avatars of users you've shared with.
* **Save As...**: Save your filtering edits as a new saved search.
* **Delete Saved Search**: Deletes the saved search for both you and any users you've shared it with. The deleted saved search can't be recovered.

### Access saved searches quickly

You can star saved searches to mark them as favorites. Starred searches appear in the **My Favorites** section on your homepage and in the left [Product Navigation menu](dam_digital_asset_management#cloudinary_console), making them easy to find and access quickly.

Navigate to a saved search and toggle the star icon:

![Star a saved search](https://cloudinary-res.cloudinary.com/image/upload/f_auto/q_auto/bo_1px_solid_grey/v1768765785/docs/DAM/favorite_saved_search.png "thumb: w_800,dpr_2, width:800, with_url:false, with_code:false, popup:true")

### Saved searches shared with me

If a teammate shares a saved search with you, find it in the **Shared with me** section of the search navigation drop-down.

You'll receive an email containing a link to the saved search, unless you opt out in the **Email Preferences** tab of the [My Profile](https://console.cloudinary.com/app/settings/profile) Console Settings page.

In Assets Enterprise plans, saved searches shared by an administrator are displayed in the [homepage](dam_digital_asset_management#media_library_pages), accessed from the **Home** tab of the Media Library. 

You can refine a search shared with you further and save the updated version under a new name, but you can't modify or overwrite the original saved search. 

#### Sharing saved searches to users' homepages video tutorial

When administrators share saved searches, users they've shared with can conveniently access these shared saved searches from their homepages.

> **NOTE**: Some features have been updated since this video was created. However, the video still demonstrates the general flow.

## Search tips and guidelines

* When no filters are applied, all assets, from all folders in your product environment, appear in your Advanced Search view. To clear all filters once applied, click the X in the corner of every active filter.  
* By default, searches find assets in all folders. To search for results only within a specific folder (and its subfolders), click the **Folders** filter and select a folder.
* When you select multiple different criteria, including all types of filters as well as free text, they're treated as 'AND' statements, and the results will include only assets that meet all of the different criteria specified. Within an individual criterion that supports multiple values (**Formats**, **Delivery types**, **Asset types**, **Orientations**, etc.), entering multiple values is treated as an 'OR' statement within that criterion, so the results will include assets with any of the specified values. For example:
If you specify both `Upload` and `Fetched URL` in the **Delivery types** criteria, results with either of these types are included in the results. But if you specify `Upload` for **Delivery types** and `cats` for **Tags**, then only assets that meet BOTH of those criteria are included in the results.
* When filtering by **Tags** and selecting multiple criteria, you can specify whether they are treated as 'AND' statements (**All selected values**), which will include only assets that meet all the specified criteria, or 'OR' statements (**Any selected values**), which will include assets that meet any of the specified criteria. After making a selection, your preference is saved, and the next time you filter by tags, the same preference will be selected by default.You can also search for assets that have any tag by selecting **Isn't empty**, or search for assets that haven't been tagged by selecting **Is empty**.You can also filter by **None of the selected values ('NOT')**, if you want your search results to include all assets except ones that contain the specified tag(s).
* For filters based on structured metadata fields of type text where you can select between **Equal to** and **Starts with**: 
  * **Starts with** allows you to search for the **prefix** (first part) of the entire value or the prefix of any distinct element within a value, where elements are separated by a space, hyphen, or underscore. You can't search for the middle or end of a word or element. For example, entering `cat` in the main search bar or in a text search field: 
    	* Returns assets where the name or one of its attributes has values such as: `cat`, `cats`, `dogs and cats`, `1-cat`, `dog_cat`.  
    	* Will not return assets with values such as `scat` or `scatter`, because in these cases, the searched term is not a prefix of either the entire value or of a distinct element.
  * **Equal to** will search only assets where the value you specified is the entire value.
* If you need to perform a more complex search or with different 'AND' or 'OR' rules than described above, switch to [Query Builder](dam_query_builder).

> **What else can you do with Assets?**:
>
> * [Manage and share folders and collections](dam_folders_collections_sharing)

> * [Upload and store media assets](dam_upload_store_assets)

> * [Perform operations on individual assets](dam_manage_individual_assets)

> * [Media Library administrator tasks](dam_media_library_administration)