Session Search
As your session history grows, finding a specific dictation is easy with TalkWriter's search and filtering tools. Search by keyword, date, or application to locate exactly what you need.
Searching by Keyword
- Open Session History
- Click the search bar at the top of the session list
- Type your search term
- Results filter in real time, showing only sessions that contain your keyword
Search matches against the full transcription text of each session. It is not case-sensitive, so "meeting" finds "Meeting", "MEETING", and "meeting".
Use specific phrases for better results. Searching for "quarterly review" is more effective than searching for "review" alone.
Filtering by Date
Click the calendar icon next to the search bar to narrow sessions to a time range:
- Today
- This week
- This month
- Last 30 days
- Custom range — select specific start and end dates
Filtering by Application
Use the app filter dropdown to show sessions from a specific target application:
- All Apps — shows everything
- Scratchpad — only Scratchpad sessions
- Specific apps — Safari, Slack, Microsoft Word, etc.
Combining Filters
All three filters work together. For example:
- Set the date to This month
- Set the app to Scratchpad
- Search for project plan
This shows only Scratchpad sessions from this month that mention "project plan."
Search Tips
| Goal | Strategy |
|---|---|
| Find an exact phrase | Type in quotes: "action items" |
| Find sessions about a topic | Use key terms: budget proposal |
| Find recent sessions | Combine keyword with This week date filter |
| Find sessions in one app | Set the app filter before searching |
Clearing Filters
To return to the full unfiltered session list:
- Clear the search bar
- Set the date filter to All time
- Set the app filter to All Apps
Or click the Clear Filters button in the toolbar.
FAQ
Does search look at metadata or just the text? Search matches against transcription text only. Date and app filtering handle the metadata.
Can I search using regular expressions? Not currently. Search uses plain text matching. Quoted phrases enable exact-match searches.
How fast is search over a large history? Search is indexed and returns results in real time, even with thousands of sessions.