# Allow searching across multiple categories
**URL:** https://meta.discourse.org/t/allow-searching-across-multiple-categories/98045
**Category:** Feature
**Tags:** completed
**Created:** [September 25, 2018, 9:27pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/allow-searching-across-multiple-categories/98045 "2018-09-25T21:27:09Z")
**Posts on this page:** 7
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Michael\_Hunger](https://meta.discourse.org/u/Michael_Hunger)
#### Post date: [September 25, 2018, 9:27pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/allow-searching-across-multiple-categories/98045/1 "2018-09-25T21:27:09Z")
I’m trying to do a search across multiple categories like:
`category:10,11,12` but it seems to use only the first one.
Am I missing some syntax? I presumed the same as for tags?
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### Author:  [@david](https://meta.discourse.org/u/david)
#### Post date: [September 25, 2018, 9:39pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/allow-searching-across-multiple-categories/98045/2 "2018-09-25T21:39:43Z")
Unfortunately you cannot search across multiple categories, this is only supported for tags. I will move your topic to #Contribute > Feature, as it is a reasonable request.
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### Author:  [@Michael\_Hunger](https://meta.discourse.org/u/Michael_Hunger)
#### Post date: [September 25, 2018, 9:42pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/allow-searching-across-multiple-categories/98045/3 "2018-09-25T21:42:36Z")
Thanks David, I wonder if for time being it then would be ok to just append it as local href:
`search?q=status%3Anoreplies%20after%3A7%20-tags%3Aknowledge-base%20in%3Aunseen%20order%3Alatest`
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### Author:  [@Mark\_Walkom](https://meta.discourse.org/u/Mark_Walkom)
#### Post date: [March 24, 2021, 1:24am UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/allow-searching-across-multiple-categories/98045/4 "2021-03-24T01:24:18Z")
Wanted to add this would be handy for us too.
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### Author:  [@dandv](https://meta.discourse.org/u/dandv)
#### Post date: [June 8, 2023, 3:17pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/allow-searching-across-multiple-categories/98045/5 "2023-06-08T15:17:10Z")
Searching across categories would provide a workaround for finding unsolved topics in more than one category. [Searching for `status: unsolved` returns unwanted results](https://meta.discourse.org/t/discourse-solved/30155/330) because it includes topics that don’t have **Solved** on.
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### Author:  [@JammyDodger](https://meta.discourse.org/u/JammyDodger)
#### Post date: [June 8, 2023, 3:26pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/allow-searching-across-multiple-categories/98045/6 "2023-06-08T15:26:03Z")
This will be possible with the new filters. 🥳
> [@Topics list filter feature](https://meta.discourse.org/t/experimental-topics-list-filter-feature/263641):
>
> We have recently introduced an innovative [/filter](https://meta.discourse.org/filter) route, enabling more sophisticated filtering of the topics list. Significantly, this marks the initial step towards a unified topic filtering language for both search and filtering. Additionally, the dedicated route for topic list filtering enhances the customizability of the sidebar, as users can now incorporate links as [custom section links](https://meta.discourse.org/t/custom-sidebar-sections-being-tested-on-meta/255303) within the sidebar. How it works The [/filter](https://meta.discourse.org/filter) has an input field which users can input a query string to …
Still experimental though, but live on Meta if you want to give them a try. 👍
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### Author:  [@JammyDodger](https://meta.discourse.org/u/JammyDodger)
#### Post date: [June 10, 2023, 7:00am UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/allow-searching-across-multiple-categories/98045/7 "2023-06-10T07:00:30Z")
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