Introduction

SharePoint provides powerful search capabilities that help users quickly locate files, people, and sites across their organization's Microsoft 365 environment. Whether you're trying to find a specific document, collaborate with a team member, or access a SharePoint site, the search feature streamlines your workflow.

This guide will walk you through the steps to effectively use SharePoint search to find files, people, and sites.

Requirements

• Access to a SharePoint Online or SharePoint Server environment.
• A valid Microsoft 365 account with appropriate permissions.
• A modern browser such as Microsoft Edge, Chrome, or Firefox.

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Access SharePoint

• Navigate to your SharePoint home page by going to https://www.office.com and selecting SharePoint from the app launcher.
• Alternatively, go directly to https://yourcompanyname.sharepoint.com (replace with your organization's SharePoint site).

2. Use the Search Bar on SharePoint Home

To search everything (files, people, sites):

• At the top of the SharePoint home page, locate the Search bar.
• Click inside the bar and begin typing your keyword (e.g., "Budget Report 2025", "Jane Doe", or "Marketing Team Site").
• Press Enter or select a suggested result from the dropdown.

Understanding Search Categories:

• Files: Documents stored in SharePoint document libraries.
• People: Directory profiles of coworkers using Microsoft 365.
• Sites: SharePoint team or communication sites within your organization.

3. Filter Your Results

Once results appear, use the filters on the left or top of the page to narrow your search by:

• Type (Documents, Sites, People, etc.)
• Modified Date
• Author
• File Type (Word, Excel, PDF, etc.)

4. Search Within a Specific SharePoint Site

• Navigate to the site where you want to search.
• Use the search bar at the top right of that site.
• This limits the search scope to that specific site’s content.

5. Search for People in Delve or Microsoft 365 Profile (Available if this has been configured)

• Go to https://delve.office.com or use the Microsoft 365 search bar.
• Type the person's name and select them from the results.
• You can view their organizational info, recent documents, and teams.

Tips and Best Practices

• Use specific keywords: Instead of typing "report," use "Quarterly Sales Report Q1 2025."
• Use quotation marks for exact matches (e.g., "Project Alpha").
• Save frequent searches by bookmarking URLs with common queries.
• Use Microsoft Search in the Microsoft 365 app launcher for a broader search across SharePoint, Teams, Outlook, and OneDrive.
• Ensure proper metadata and file naming in your documents to improve search relevance.

Additional Resources

• Microsoft Support – Search in SharePoint
• Microsoft Learn – Microsoft Search Overview
• SharePoint User Training