Finding the right answer in the Instructure Community doesn’t have to mean scrolling through pages of results. Whether you’re tracking down a guide you’ve used before, revisiting a discussion, or exploring a specific product category, search is one of the most powerful tools in the Community.
Because search looks beyond titles and into the body of content, it can sometimes surface more results than you expect, especially when you know the answer lives in a specific space. With a few simple steps, like filters and modifiers, you can fine-tune your search and get to the most relevant content faster.
Prefer a walkthrough? Learn more in our guide: How do I search in the Instructure Community?
Start with what you know
Search works best when you begin with a clear starting point. Even a few keywords can surface helpful results right away, and from there, you can narrow the results even further.
- Start typing in the search bar, and suggested results appear as you type.
- Press Enter to view the full results page.
- Results are usually sorted by relevance by default, prioritizing official guides and recent content
Search isn’t limited to titles. Search looks across content body text as well as metadata. This means searching a phrase like "grade override" will find guides, questions, and discussions where that exact phrase appears, even if it’s buried in the text.
Narrow your scope
Once you see results, filters are where search becomes even more effective. They help you find the exact space, content type, or timeframe where you expect the answer to live.
From the full results page, you can filter and sort:
Sort all content by:
Now, apply filters. Filters are especially useful when you’re pretty sure the answer exists somewhere specific, like in Canvas Guides, Known Issues, or a hub forum.
Filter posts by:
- Author
- Date
- Tags
- Category (location, e.g., a product space or group)
- Post types (discussions, questions, ideas)
When searching for a discussion or update, use Date, Category, and Tags to narrow your results.
Filter articles by:
- Title
- Author
- Date
- Knowledge Base (set of guides)
If you know an article is part of a certain guide, filtering by Knowledge Base is the quickest way to narrow your search.
Improve your search with modifiers
When you need more precise results, modifiers help search focus on what matters most. Quotes, symbols, and wildcards reduce noise and surface the most relevant content faster.
Here are some examples to get you started:
- Quotes for exact phrases: "rubric scoring"
- + to require a term: +rubric discussion
- – to exclude noise: grade -book
- Wildcards:
- ? for a single character (e.g., te?t)
- * for multiple characters (e.g., assign*)
Search also recognizes word variations (like speak and speaking), so you don’t have to be exact.
The more you use search in the Instructure Community, the more intuitive it becomes. Whether you’re exploring broadly or trying to locate something specific, a few intentional choices can save time and uncover content you might otherwise miss.
