---
schema_version: "1"
id: cb4f2c5e59da5835e3d27745b642838210bdb7f03d873e448c9ef94c199e267c
title: How Full-Text Search Works
collection: admin
version: current
locale: en-us
portal_url: https://docs.salesforce.com/admin/current/en-us/mktg/264-0-0/mc_es_how_full_text_search_works.md
canonical_url: https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=mktg.mc_es_how_full_text_search_works.htm&release=264.0.0&type=5
source_site: help.salesforce.com
content_type: documentation
content_hash: d3921ad34f6067613c7f13c5cdedeeeefbb02b80b4e4845c8304b70639baaf72
description: Learn how to use full-text search in Marketing Cloud Engagement.
products:
  - Marketing
  - Marketing Cloud Engagement
release: "264"
---
# How Full-Text Search Works

Learn how to use full-text search in Marketing Cloud Engagement.

![Note](https://sf-zdocs-cdn-prod.zoominsoftware.com/tdta-mktg-mc_email-264-0-0-production-enus/a0b807ef-dfbb-412c-b26e-310d91f2d6df/images/icon_note.png)

Note You cannot search for Salesforce Data Extensions in the Subscriber selector.

Full-Text search is used when searching for URLs in job links, list names, group names, data extension names, and individual subscribers in lists and groups in Subscriber Preview.

Full-Text search is a type of search that returns every word or phrase, excluding ignored text, beginning with the search term. The search only searches data in the searchable field. Search must contain at least three characters before you can start the search. Entering more characters can improve the performance of the search. The search searches phrases in English and works with some Latin-based languages. To learn more about Full-Text search, see _Microsoft Learn_: [Full-Text Search](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/sql/relational-databases/search/full-text-search).

Ignored text includes characters, numbers, and words filtered out of full-text search phrases because they add no value to a search. For example, full-text search ignores words such as a, and, the, and my. If your search contains ignored text, your results can be limited. We recommend using search terms that do not contain ignored text.

Your search cannot include wildcard characters, which are special characters used for unknown text. For example, you cannot use \*2015 to find everything ending with 2015. Your search results would contain everything that begins with 2015. Examples of wildcard characters include \*, ?, \[ \], !, and #.

## Scenario 1

A Northern Trail Outfitters marketer wants to update the following URL: http://www.sample-company.com/search/full-text/?id=Jul2015. Searching for the following words or phrases would return the specified URL:

- http
- www
- sample
- company
- com
- search
- full
- text
- id
- Jul2015

You can also use the beginning portion of these words or phrases, such as sam, co, or Jul. If you searched on ample or 2015, this URL does not return because the portions of the URL separated by punctuation do not begin with ample or 2015.

## Scenario 2

A Northern Trail Outfitters marketer wants search for their January 2015 Folder. Searching for the following words or phrases would return the specified email address:

- January
- Folder

## Ignored Text

![Note](https://sf-zdocs-cdn-prod.zoominsoftware.com/tdta-mktg-mc_email-264-0-0-production-enus/a0b807ef-dfbb-412c-b26e-310d91f2d6df/images/icon_note.png)

Note The text .com is ignored when used right before and after the @ when search for subscribers in a list.

<table class="slds-table slds-table_bordered slds-max-medium-table_stacked slds-m-bottom_small " summary="Ignored Text">
        <caption>Ignored Text</caption>
        <colgroup>
          <col style="width:11.11111111111111%">
          <col style="width:11.11111111111111%">
          <col style="width:11.11111111111111%">
          <col style="width:11.11111111111111%">
          <col style="width:11.11111111111111%">
          <col style="width:11.11111111111111%">
          <col style="width:11.11111111111111%">
          <col style="width:11.11111111111111%">
          <col style="width:11.11111111111111%">
        </colgroup>
        <tbody>
          <tr class="">
            <td class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;">
              <p>&lt;empty space&gt;</p>
              <p>!</p>
              <p>"</p>
              <p>#</p>
              <p>$</p>
              <p>%</p>
              <p>&amp;</p>
              <p>(</p>
              <p>)</p>
              <p>*</p>
              <p>+</p>
              <p>,</p>
              <p>-</p>
              <p>.</p>
              <p>/</p>
              <p>:</p>
              <p>;</p>
              <p>&lt;</p>
              <p>=</p>
              <p>&gt;</p>
              <p>?</p>
              <p>@</p>
              <p>[</p>
              <p>\</p>
              <p>]</p>
              <p>^</p>
              <p>{</p>
              <p style="margin-bottom:0;">|</p>
            </td>

            <td class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;">
              <p>}</p>
              <p>~</p>
              <p>‚</p>
              <p>„</p>
              <p>…</p>
              <p>†</p>
              <p>‡</p>
              <p>‰</p>
              <p>‹</p>
              <p>“</p>
              <p>”</p>
              <p>•</p>
              <p>–</p>
              <p>—</p>
              <p>›</p>
              <p>¡</p>
              <p>¦</p>
              <p>§</p>
              <p>«</p>
              <p>±</p>
              <p>¶</p>
              <p>·</p>
              <p>»</p>
              <p>¿</p>
              <p>×</p>
              <p>÷</p>
              <p style="margin-bottom:0;">_</p>
            </td>

            <td class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;">
              <p>0</p>
              <p>1</p>
              <p>2</p>
              <p>3</p>
              <p>4</p>
              <p>5</p>
              <p>6</p>
              <p>7</p>
              <p>8</p>
              <p style="margin-bottom:0;">9</p>
            </td>

            <td class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;">
              <p>A</p>
              <p>B</p>
              <p>C</p>
              <p>D</p>
              <p>E</p>
              <p>F</p>
              <p>G</p>
              <p>H</p>
              <p>I</p>
              <p>J</p>
              <p>K</p>
              <p>L</p>
              <p>M</p>
              <p>N</p>
              <p>O</p>
              <p>P</p>
              <p>Q</p>
              <p>R</p>
              <p>S</p>
              <p>T</p>
              <p>U</p>
              <p>V</p>
              <p>W</p>
              <p>X</p>
              <p>Y</p>
              <p style="margin-bottom:0;">Z</p>
            </td>

            <td class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;">
              <p>.com</p>
              <p>about</p>
              <p>after</p>
              <p>all</p>
              <p>also</p>
              <p>an</p>
              <p>and</p>
              <p>another</p>
              <p>any</p>
              <p>are</p>
              <p>as</p>
              <p>at</p>
              <p>be</p>
              <p>because</p>
              <p>been</p>
              <p>before</p>
              <p>being</p>
              <p>between</p>
              <p>both</p>
              <p>but</p>
              <p>by</p>
              <p>came</p>
              <p>can</p>
              <p>come</p>
              <p>could</p>
              <p>did</p>
              <p>do</p>
              <p style="margin-bottom:0;">does</p>
            </td>

            <td class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;">
              <p>each</p>
              <p>else</p>
              <p>for</p>
              <p>from</p>
              <p>get</p>
              <p>got</p>
              <p>had</p>
              <p>has</p>
              <p>have</p>
              <p>he</p>
              <p>her</p>
              <p>here</p>
              <p>him</p>
              <p>himself</p>
              <p>his</p>
              <p>how</p>
              <p>if</p>
              <p>in</p>
              <p>into</p>
              <p>is</p>
              <p>it</p>
              <p>its</p>
              <p>just</p>
              <p>like</p>
              <p>make</p>
              <p>many</p>
              <p>me</p>
              <p style="margin-bottom:0;">might</p>
            </td>

            <td class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;">
              <p>more</p>
              <p>most</p>
              <p>much</p>
              <p>must</p>
              <p>my</p>
              <p>never</p>
              <p>no</p>
              <p>now</p>
              <p>of</p>
              <p>on</p>
              <p>only</p>
              <p>or</p>
              <p>other</p>
              <p>our</p>
              <p>out</p>
              <p>over</p>
              <p>re</p>
              <p>said</p>
              <p>same</p>
              <p>see</p>
              <p>should</p>
              <p>since</p>
              <p>so</p>
              <p>some</p>
              <p>still</p>
              <p>such</p>
              <p>take</p>
              <p style="margin-bottom:0;">than</p>
            </td>

            <td class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;">
              <p>that</p>
              <p>the</p>
              <p>their</p>
              <p>them</p>
              <p>then</p>
              <p>there</p>
              <p>these</p>
              <p>they</p>
              <p>this</p>
              <p>those</p>
              <p>through</p>
              <p>to</p>
              <p>too</p>
              <p>under</p>
              <p>up</p>
              <p>use</p>
              <p>very</p>
              <p>want</p>
              <p>was</p>
              <p>way</p>
              <p>we</p>
              <p>well</p>
              <p>were</p>
              <p>what</p>
              <p>when</p>
              <p>where</p>
              <p>which</p>
              <p style="margin-bottom:0;">while</p>
            </td>

            <td class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;">
              <p>who</p>
              <p>will</p>
              <p>with</p>
              <p>would</p>
              <p>you</p>
              <p style="margin-bottom:0;">your</p>
            </td>

          </tr>
        </tbody>
      </table>