Overview
AppFlowy’s Workspace AI Search helps you find information across your entire workspace using natural language queries. Instead of remembering exact page titles or keywords, simply ask questions in plain English.AI Search is available on both desktop and mobile platforms, searching across all your workspace pages.
How AI Search Works
AI Search combines traditional keyword matching with intelligent natural language understanding:- Keyword search - Find pages by title and content keywords
- Natural language queries - Ask questions like “What are my project deadlines?” or “Show me meeting notes from last week”
- Semantic understanding - The AI understands context and intent, not just exact word matches
Using AI Search
Enter Your Query
Type your search query or question in the search field. You can use:
- Page titles:
project planning - Keywords:
meeting notes Q1 - Natural questions:
What tasks are assigned to me?
Review Results
Search results appear instantly, showing:
- Page titles and icons
- Content snippets with matching text
- Page location in your workspace hierarchy
Natural Language Search Examples
Ask questions naturally to find what you need:Finding Project Information
Finding Project Information
Query: “Show me all pages about the mobile app redesign”AI Search will find pages with relevant content, even if they don’t have “mobile app redesign” in the title.
Time-Based Queries
Time-Based Queries
Query: “What did I work on last week?”Finds recently modified pages or pages with date references matching your timeframe.
Task and Assignment Queries
Task and Assignment Queries
Query: “Which tasks are marked as urgent?”Searches for pages and database entries with urgency markers or priority tags.
Content-Specific Searches
Content-Specific Searches
Query: “Find documents about user authentication”Locates pages containing technical content about your query topic.
Search Panel Features
Revamped Interface
The redesigned search panel (introduced in v0.9.3) provides:- Cleaner layout - Streamlined interface for faster searching
- Better result organization - Results grouped by type and relevance
- Rich previews - See content snippets before opening pages
- Recent searches - Quick access to your previous queries
Search Filters
Refine your search results:Page Type
Filter by documents, databases, boards, or calendars
Date Range
Search pages created or modified within a specific timeframe
Location
Limit search to specific spaces or folders
Created By
Find pages created by specific team members
Keyboard Shortcuts
Search efficiently with keyboard navigation:| Shortcut | Action |
|---|---|
Cmd/Ctrl + K | Open search |
↑ / ↓ | Navigate results |
Enter | Open selected page |
Esc | Close search |
Cmd/Ctrl + ↓ | Jump to AI Overviews |
AI-Powered Search Intelligence
AI Search goes beyond simple text matching:Context Understanding
The AI understands:- Synonyms - “meeting” matches “discussion”, “conference”, “standup”
- Related concepts - “budget” finds “financial planning”, “expenses”, “costs”
- Intent - “urgent tasks” understands you want high-priority items
Smart Ranking
Search results are ranked by:- Relevance - How well the content matches your query
- Recency - Recently modified pages rank higher for time-sensitive queries
- Importance - Starred/favorited pages get priority
- Usage - Frequently accessed pages appear higher
Search on Mobile
AI Search is fully supported on iOS and Android:Search Best Practices
Start Broad
Begin with general queries and refine with filters if you get too many results.
Use Natural Language
Ask questions as you would to a colleague - the AI understands conversational queries.
Combine Keywords
Mix specific terms with context: “Q1 marketing budget spreadsheet”
Try Variations
If you don’t find what you need, rephrase your query using different words.
Search vs. AI Overviews
Understand when to use each feature:| Feature | Best For | Output |
|---|---|---|
| AI Search | Finding specific pages | List of matching pages |
| AI Overviews | Getting summaries | AI-generated answer with sources |
You can switch from search results to AI Overviews mode with
Cmd/Ctrl + ↓ to get an AI summary of your query.Advanced Search Techniques
Search Operators
Use special operators for precise searches:Multi-Word Queries
Improve accuracy with quoted phrases:Improving Search Results
Better Page Titles
Use descriptive, searchable page titles:- ✅ “Q1 2025 Marketing Strategy Meeting Notes”
- ❌ “Meeting Notes 1”
Add Metadata
Enhance searchability with:- Tags - Add relevant keywords
- Descriptions - Include page summaries
- Properties - Use database fields for structured data
Organize Content
Structure your workspace for better search:- Use consistent naming conventions
- Organize related pages in spaces
- Link related pages together
Troubleshooting
Search Not Finding Pages
- Check if the page exists and you have access to it
- Try different keywords or phrases
- Verify search filters aren’t excluding results
- Wait a moment for recently created pages to be indexed
Irrelevant Results
- Use more specific search terms
- Apply filters to narrow results
- Try quoted phrases for exact matches
- Use search operators to refine queries
Slow Search Performance
- Check your internet connection
- Clear the search cache in Settings
- Try searching with fewer filters
- Simplify complex natural language queries
Related Features
AI Overviews
Get AI-generated summaries instead of search results
AI Chat
Ask questions and get conversational AI responses
RAG Search
Search with AI in offline Vault workspaces
Command Palette
Access quick actions and commands