How to search across documents in a data room?

Large data rooms can hold hundreds of files across deep folder structures. The viewer-side search bar lets visitors type a query and instantly see every document whose name matches, with jump-to-file shortcuts so they don't have to navigate the folder tree manually.

Viewer search is available on every plan that supports data rooms, starting from the Data Rooms plan. It's always on for visitors and doesn't need to be enabled per link.

What viewer search does

For visitors inside your data room:

• A search bar lives at the top of the file list
• Typing filters documents and folders by name as you type
• Results show the file name, folder path, and a quick jump-to-link
• Search respects permissions, so visitors only see documents they have access to

For you as the data room owner, no setup is required. Search is enabled by default for every visitor.

What you can search for

• File names of every document in the data room
• Folder names
• Items added as external links
• Auto-generated index numbers like 2.1.3

The viewer search matches on names, not on the document content. To search inside document content, ask the AI agent for data rooms instead.

Viewer flow: how visitors search

1. Visitor opens the data room link and verifies their email.
2. Visitor clicks the search bar at the top of the file list (or presses / as a shortcut).
3. Visitor types a query.
4. Results appear instantly, grouped by folder.
5. Visitor clicks a result to jump straight to the document preview.

How to help visitors find documents faster

As the data room owner, you can make search results more useful by following a few naming conventions.

• Use descriptive file names. Acme_master_services_agreement_v3.pdf is much easier to search for than MSA-v3.pdf.
• Use consistent prefixes. Q3-2025-financials.xlsx, Q4-2025-financials.xlsx makes it easy to search by quarter.
• Number sections. Combine with automatic index numbering so visitors can search by index (3.2, 4.1).
• Avoid abbreviations. Spell out terms in file names where possible.
• Match the language of your audience. If your viewers are English-speaking, use English file names.

Use cases

• Buy-side counsel: search for "indemnification" across a data room of contracts.
• Auditors: jump to specific evidence files like "Q4-2025-revenue-recognition".
• Investors: find the latest pitch deck or financial model quickly.
• Buyers in M&A: type a vendor name to surface every related document at once.

Frequently asked questions

Related guides

• How to enable index generation for your data room
• Using AI agent for data rooms
• How to organise documents into folders
• How to add documents to your data room

Need help? Contact support@papermark.com or use the in-app chat.