# Filtering the sidebar

When you have many projects and sidebar items, the sidebar filter helps you find what you need quickly by name.

## Opening the filter

Press `\` (backslash) with the sidebar focused and no overlay open. The filter input at the top of the sidebar receives focus.

The filter input is controlled by **Show filter input** in **[Settings -> Sidebar](../settings/sidebar-settings.md)**. When that setting is off, the input is hidden and any active filter is cleared.

## How filtering works

As you type in the filter input:

- Solo evaluates names and titles across every project in the sidebar.
- A matching command or terminal row is shown only while its project and its **Commands** or **Terminals** section are expanded.
- A matching agent row is shown only while its project, its **Agents** section, and every parent-agent row are expanded.
- Matching active todos and unarchived scratchpads also require their **Show in sidebar** settings, an expanded project and section, and a place within the configured inline preview.
- Non-matching items are hidden.
- If a project name matches, its eligible children do not also need to match by name, but the same final visibility gates still apply.
- A project header remains for a matching project or eligible result. Its matching section headers appear only while that project is expanded.

Filtering is case-insensitive and matches on any part of the name. Partial matches work fine.

## Example

If you have three projects each with a `dev` command, typing `dev` searches all three. A matching command appears under its project only while that project and its **Commands** section are expanded.

If you type `worker`, only matching rows that pass the visibility gates above appear.

## Clearing the filter

- Press `Escape` while the filter input is focused to clear the filter and blur the input.
- Or clear the text manually.

When the filter is cleared, the ordinary sidebar returns. Rows remain subject to **Show in sidebar** settings, Todo and Scratchpad preview limits, collapsed projects and sections, and collapsed parent agents. Stopped lesser-used commands remain hidden until their group is expanded.

## Filter input visibility setting

In **Settings -> Sidebar**, the **Show filter input** option controls whether the filter input is available:

- **Off** — the filter input is hidden and the filter is cleared.
- **On** — the filter input is shown at the top of the sidebar and can be focused with `\`.

## Use cases

- **Finding an item** when you can't remember which project it's in.
- **Comparing similar commands** across projects — e.g., seeing all "test" commands side by side.
- **Quick navigation** without reaching for the mouse when you know the name.

For even faster navigation, [quick jump](../command-palette/using.md) lets you jump directly to projects, process rows, and available section headers. To find a Todo or Scratchpad, choose that project's **Search todos** or **Search scratchpads** entry, then type to select the item. Use quick jump's current shortcut; it defaults to `Cmd+E` on macOS and `Ctrl+E` on Windows and Linux, and it can be changed or disabled in **Settings > Hotkeys**.

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Are you a human? Read this doc on the web: https://soloterm.com/docs/sidebar/filtering