Short answer
X search operators are short codes you type into the search box to narrow results, such as from:username, to:username, since:2025-01-01, until:2025-02-01, min_faves:100, lang:en, filter:replies and filter:links. Combine them with spaces (AND), OR in capitals, and a minus sign to exclude.
Key takeaways
- A space means AND. Write OR in capital letters. A minus sign in front of any term or operator excludes it.
- The since: operator includes the date you give; until: stops the day before it.
- min_faves:, min_retweets: and min_replies: are the quickest way to cut noise.
- Put a minus in front of a filter (-filter:replies) to remove that type of post.
- You need to be signed in to X to see search results.
How do X search operators work?
You type them into the normal search box, mixed with ordinary words, and X narrows the results to match.
A space between terms means AND: troll bridge finds posts with both words. OR in capitals means either. A minus sign excludes: troll -doll. Parentheses group terms: (troll OR trolls) bridge. Operators follow the same rules, so -from:someone removes one account's posts from your results.
If typing these feels fiddly, the advanced search builder writes them from a form and opens the results.
Which operators filter by words?
Plain words, quotes, OR, minus and hashtags cover almost every keyword search.
| Operator | Example | Finds |
|---|---|---|
| words | bridge troll |
Posts containing both words |
| "phrase" | "under the bridge" |
That exact phrase |
| OR | troll OR goblin |
Either word |
| - | troll -doll |
troll but not doll |
| # | #moderation |
Posts with that hashtag |
| $ | $TSLA |
Posts with that cashtag |
| ( ) | (troll OR trolls) bridge |
Groups terms |
| lang: | lang:es |
Posts X tagged as Spanish |
Which operators filter by account?
from:, to: and @ do most of the work.
| Operator | Example | Finds |
|---|---|---|
| from: | from:nasa |
Posts written by @nasa |
| to: | to:nasa |
Replies sent to @nasa |
| @ | @nasa |
Posts that mention @nasa |
| -from: | @nasa -from:nasa |
Mentions, minus the account's own posts |
| filter:follows | pizza filter:follows |
Only accounts you follow |
| filter:verified | news filter:verified |
Only verified accounts |
| filter:blue_verified | news filter:blue_verified |
Only accounts with a paid checkmark |
| list: | list:123456789 |
Posts from members of a list (use the list's ID) |
The meaning of "verified" changed in 2023 when X moved checkmarks to a paid subscription, so the two verified filters may overlap more than you'd expect.
Which operators filter by date and engagement?
since:, until: and the min_ operators narrow results to a time window or a popularity floor.
| Operator | Example | Finds |
|---|---|---|
| since: | since:2025-06-01 |
On or after June 1, 2025 |
| until: | until:2025-06-08 |
Before June 8, 2025 (the 8th is excluded) |
| min_faves: | min_faves:250 |
250 or more likes |
| min_retweets: | min_retweets:50 |
50 or more reposts |
| min_replies: | min_replies:20 |
20 or more replies |
| since_time: / until_time: | since_time:1735689600 |
Unix timestamp bounds, accurate to the second |
Dates use the YYYY-MM-DD format and are read as UTC days.
Which operators filter by post type?
The filter: family includes or (with a minus) excludes a kind of post.
| Operator | Finds | Negated form |
|---|---|---|
| filter:replies | Only replies | -filter:replies gives original posts only |
| filter:links | Posts with a link | -filter:links |
| filter:media | Posts with images or video | -filter:media |
| filter:images | Posts with images | -filter:images |
| filter:videos | Posts with video | -filter:videos |
| filter:quote | Quote posts | -filter:quote |
| filter:nativeretweets | Reposts (normally hidden from search) | |
| url: | url:example.com finds posts linking to that domain |
-url:example.com |
| conversation_id: | Posts in one thread |
What does a good query look like?
Start broad, then add one condition at a time until the results look right.
- What an account said about a topic:
from:account topic -filter:replies - Complaints sent to a brand last week:
to:brand (broken OR refund OR worst) since:2025-11-01 until:2025-11-08 - Popular posts linking to your site:
url:yoursite.com min_faves:20 - A troll's replies in one thread:
from:handle conversation_id:1234567890123456789 - Clean topic search without spam:
"search phrase" lang:en min_faves:10 -filter:links
Open the result on the Latest tab when order matters, and on Top when you want the posts that got traction.
Questions people ask
Is there an official list of X search operators?
X's Help Center documents the advanced search form and a handful of operators, but there has never been a complete official list. The operators in this cheat sheet are the ones that work in the search box today.
Are X search operators case-sensitive?
Operators should be lowercase (from:, filter:). The boolean OR must be uppercase; a lowercase "or" is treated as a word. Search terms themselves are not case-sensitive.
How do I search for an exact phrase?
Wrap it in straight double quotes, for example "nothing lives under this bridge". Curly quotes from a word processor sometimes break this, so type the quotes yourself.
Can I search within a specific thread?
Yes. conversation_id: followed by the ID of the first post in the thread (the number at the end of its URL) returns posts in that conversation.
Do geo operators like near: still work?
They are unreliable. Very few posts carry location data now, so near: and within: return thin or odd results. Don't rely on them.