This guide explains how to efficiently locate your digital assets and content using the powerful search tools built into your website. In Umbraco 17+, the search functionality is faster and more reliable than ever, powered by .NET 10 LTS and a mature, polished "Bellissima" backoffice architecture.
Files as Searchable Content
In the Umbraco 17+ back office, files are stored as Media Nodes, which means they are indexed not just by their filename, but also by their metadata like alt-text and descriptions. Because Umbraco 17 supports a load-balanced back office, your search indexes are synchronized across all server instances, ensuring that when an editor uploads or renames a file, it is instantly searchable for the entire team.
When to Search for Files
Efficiently searching your library is key to maintaining a high-performance site. You should use search when:
- Asset Reuse: Quickly finding a brand logo or a standard PDF brochure to use on a new page.
- SEO Management: Locating pages or files to update their Meta Titles and Descriptions.
- Library Audits: Finding old or large assets that may need to be moved or deleted to keep your workspace tidy.
- Content Filtering: Setting up Interactive Listings on your front-end so visitors can search and filter through your public documents.
Watch: Finding Assets in Umbraco 17+
This video demonstrates how to use the global search bar, how to perform deep searches within the Media section, and how to use the List View to filter through hundreds of files in seconds.
Other Related Tutorials
- [Tutorial] How to hide a Page or Blog Post from your internal search
- [Tutorial] How to create an interactive Listing
- [Tutorial] Optimise your page for search engines
- [Tutorial] How to add or edit your Meta Title and Description
Action Steps to Search for Files
- Use Global Search: Click the search icon at the top of the Umbraco 17+ backoffice. This searches across all content, media, and even system settings simultaneously.
- Filter by Section: If you are looking specifically for an image or PDF, navigate to the Media section first. This restricts your search to your digital assets.
- Leverage List View: On large folders, click the "List View" tab. This presents your files in a searchable, sortable table—the fastest way to find a specific item among hundreds [source context].
- Check the Info Tab: Once you find an item, click the "Info" tab to see exactly which pages are currently linking to it, ensuring you have the right version [source context].
- Refine for Users: Use the uSkinned Interactive Listing component to provide a front-end search bar for your visitors to find files on your live site,.
Pro-Tip: With Umbraco 17’s Consistent UTC date handling, you can accurately search and filter for content based on its "Last Updated" date, which is especially helpful for global teams working across different time zones,.
Where Next?
Now that your content is perfectly organized, why not make it easier for your team to find specific items? Your next step is to explore "Rotating Images".