Searching for lists by name
Asked by PCJ52:

I just finished setting up an extensive set of Lists on a Board. After doing so I was ++very++ surprised to discover that Lists cannot be search for by name. I was so surprised that I feel that I must be mistaken. Is it possible that a key component of the system can't be searched?

Any help is greatly appreciated.

I should mention that I have a couple of work arounds. I have added the name of each list as the first card in the list so the search will work, but it is far from ideal.


Answers:
author: Stef
body: Hi PCJ! ?

I did some digging around and it looks like Trello's Search feature works only for when you need to search for cards within a list. It doesn't actually display the list name in the results. Is the latter option what you were looking for?

There's a [special operator](https://help.trello.com/article/808-searching-for-cards-all-boards) where if you use **list:name of list**it'll pull up all of the cards within that specific list. I tried with one of my boards (list:Vintage Classics) and Trello did pull up the three cards under that list, even if it didn't have "Vintage Classics" in the card name. ?

comments: author: PCJ52
body: HI Stephanie Alexis,

Thank you for taking the time to research my issue. For some reason, I can't duplicate your results unless there is a card in the list containing the search phrases. If I could figure out what I'm doing wrong, your solution would be a good work around. Thanks again for the effort.


author: Stef
body: I tried searching with list:name with my other lists and their respective cards are showing up. Since I don't have access to your board, you can share a screen recording of how you use the search operator and that it doesn't show the cards within the list. I can then take a look. ?

One thing I noticed is if the list name has two or more words in it, and you search using the list:name operator, only some or none of the cards show up. For example, list:Roald Dahl only shows 2/5 cards, while list:Roald shows 5/5. Is your experience similar to this?


author: PCJ52
body: Attached is a screen shot of my search for list:Auto Repair As you can see, the list is there but I can't make it appear in my search. I have a (somewhat clumsy) work around by making the first card in my list have the same name as the list itself (in the attached screen shot there is an example of that just to the right of my "Auto Repair" list)

I checked your original reply as an accepted solution since it should work. There may be something amiss on my end, but I'm ready to move on using the workaround, unless you can see something I'm missing.

Thanks for all your help.

![Selection_004.png](https://community.atlassian.com/t5/image/serverpage/image-id/21499i6B07F54A5369263D/image-size/large?v=v2&px=999 "Selection_004.png")


author: Stef
body: Oh, I see the problem now. The list Auto Repair is empty, and since Trello Search pulls up cards (it can't display lists alone), there wouldn't be any results to show since the list doesn't have any. If you add a couple of cards to it, and try the list:name operator again, cards should appear this time around. ?


author: PCJ52
body: Thank you for not giving up, but I'm afraid I got the same results (screen print below). I mystified, but after discussing this with you I realized that even if I'm successful, the search is still a bit awkward. Rather than try to bend the system to fit my vision, I've come up with something that works using available functions. I've created a "*Team* " where previously I had a "*Board* ", and "*Board* " where I previously had a "*List* ". This allows me to do the searches that I want. I always thought of a *Team* as being people, but this really works for me. Thanks again for the help. Talking about it helped steer me in the right direction.

![Selection_005.png](https://community.atlassian.com/t5/image/serverpage/image-id/21578i5DAF77651988D6EE/image-size/large?v=v2&px=999 "Selection_005.png")


author: Stef
body: You're welcome, and I'm glad you settled on a workaround that fits your needs! It can be frustrating when the apps we use aren't working as it should, but I'm glad I could at least help bounce ideas off with you.

See you around the Trello community! ?


author: Mariam Odintsova
body: Hi

I dicovered that if you type **\* list:name** Trello searches all cards in this list **name**. I've found it very helpfull.

/Mariam


author: MJ
body: Profile \> Settings \> Delete account.

<br />

Cause why on earth would you want to use a service that doesn't deliver on the most basic fundamental feature, knowingly, for SIX+ years.   

Don't the head developers have any pride in the work they do \& their legacy?? Imagine meeting at a conference and having the guy you're chatting to ask why you can't do the most basic, fundamental, simple feature that apps like yours are known for.. just... why?


author: Anton Rastyapin
body: Ctr+F

comments: author: Ivor Purser
body: This works for me!


author: Angela King
body: THANK YOU!!!! Perfect solution!


author: MJ
body: i SWEAR we ACTUALLY live in a simulation. What the flip does trello have against list names? We have sent man on moon, cars that can drive themselves. But an online sticky notes app with MILLIONS of users doesn't have the ability to search for list titles to jump to that list?????????  

mind you, this thread is SIX YEARS OLD, and they STILL haven't implemented it. Whoever is in charge of search should be fired, like what on earth????


author: Bob Timmermans
body: Thank you for the 'work around'. Nonetheless I am stil hoping/waiting for the improvement by Trello for the search function to be updated.

comments: author: MJ
body: imagine being one of the most popular notes webapps and not have the feature to search for a list. It is actually i n s a n i t y. Whoever is responsible NEEDS to be fired.


author: Neven Vi?i?
body: Hello,

since free Trello cannot have unlimited boards anymore, I needed to start using many lists instead. Is it really possible that search panel on system like this cannot find list names? Why is that so hard? If it can search all cards it surely could be searching lists too. And is it possible to sort those lists in alphabetical order?

Sincerely,

Neven

comments: author: PCJ52
body: Incredibly, I don't know of any convenient way to search for lists other than the very awkward methods listed above. I don't understand why such a useful function is not available.

Good luck


author: MJ
body: i swear we actually live in a simulation. like thats the first feature they should have. This thread is SIX years old and they still don't have it. I really don't get it. Whoever is in charge of search should be fired immediately


author: PCJ52
body: I first asked this question in 2018. 6 years later this simple search is STILL not available. I have long since moved away from using Trello because of this one deal breaker.

I have kept my account open as a "legacy" app so that I may occasionally look at an old board that I haven't copied out yet. Too bad, I'd come back in an instant if this limitation was fixed.

Good Luck to all.


author: MJ
body: yep. Monday com, asana, miro. Take your pick. I swear trello is like the laughing stock out of these companies. I don't understand what goes on in these corps, actually banana IQ.


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