# Search

Search finds the note you know exists and the phrase you forgot you wrote. It is the fastest path back into a growing vault.


## Why it exists

Folders age badly when a note belongs to several subjects. Search lets you retrieve by language instead of forcing a single location.

## When to use it

Use search when you remember a phrase, a person, a project, or a fragment of an idea. Use the graph when you want relationships instead of a result list.

## Workflow

Search a phrase → open the strongest result → follow its links → add a better link if the path was missing.

## Shortcuts

| Shortcut | Action |
| --- | --- |
| `Ctrl/Cmd+O` | Quick switcher |
| `Ctrl/Cmd+Shift+F` | Search vault |
| `Ctrl/Cmd+F` | Find in current note |

> **OpenOnyx tip**
> Search for language you actually used. Exact phrases often reveal a thread more quickly than broad tags.

> **OpenOnyx common mistake**
> A search result is a doorway, not a final answer. Follow links and read the surrounding note before acting on it.

## Continue learning

- [Writing Notes](<Writing Notes.md>)
- [Knowledge Graph](<Knowledge Graph.md>)
- [Vault Intelligence](<Vault Intelligence.md>)