Filters are a special type of group that let you narrow down sheets within a specific group.

Once created, a filter displays all sheets in its group that match the defined criteria. For example, you could set up a filter to show only sheets tagged with the keyword “fantastic.” If the filter is located deep within a nested structure, say, six levels down, it will only display matching sheets from that particular group.

This guide explains how to create a filter and how filtering works.

How to Set a Filter

On Mac, go to File › New Filter or press ⌃⌘N to add a new filter. A new window will open. Alternatively, right-click a group and choose New Filter… to create a filter directly for that group.

On iPad/iPhone, touch and hold the group in the library and select Add Filter.

Start by giving your filter a name and, optionally, an icon and color.

Now you can set up your conditions. Click the first field to see the available options. For example, you can filter by keyword, text, or creation date along with other criteria.

On iPad/iPhone, you have to switch to the Conditions tab to define the filter criteria.

Depending on the condition you choose, additional options will appear. Here are a few examples: 

• If you select Text, you can enter the text the filter should include or exclude. You can also define the scope. By default, it applies to the entire text, but you can limit it to specific elements like Headings or Comments.

• If you select Keywords, you can choose whether the filter should match, not match, or match all specified keywords. As you type, existing keywords will be suggested.

• If you select Creation Date or Modification Date, you can specify the time frame.

Use the + icon (Mac) or the “Add Condition” button (iPad/iPhone) to add as many conditions as needed. Here is an example:

Finally, you can choose whether the filter should match at least one or all conditions. Selecting “all” makes the filter more precise, showing only sheets that meet every condition. Now, click Done (Mac) or the checkmark (iPad/iPhone) to apply the filter.

To edit a filter, right-click (Mac) or touch and hold (iPad/iPhone) it in the library and select the option from the context menu. To delete a filter, select the option “Move to Trash.”

Filter Rules

Filters apply only to sheets within their own group and to any groups nested inside it. They don’t work “upwards” in the hierarchy, only “downwards.”

To better understand how filters work, consider the following example:

Here, we have a three-level group, each containing a single sheet:

• Group 1
• Sheet 1
  • Group 2
  • Sheet 2
    • Group 3
    • Sheet 3

If you create a filter in the lowest-level group (Group 3) to show sheets containing the word “sheet,” it will only display the one sheet in that group. To try this out, right-click “Group 3” and add a new filter.

The filter will appear in “Group 3.” When you select it, you’ll see that it only displays the single sheet within that group.

If you move the same filter up one level to “Group 2,” it will also include the sheet in that group. Filters work “downwards,” not “upwards.”

The same happens if you move the filter up another level to “Group 1”: it will include all matching sheets within that group, no matter how many subgroups it contains. However, it won’t show anything outside of that group.

If you move the filter outside the top-level group, it will include all groups in that section, in our case, Notes.

Filters might seem a bit confusing at first, but once you try them out, they quickly start to make sense.