Microsoft Teams is introducing SQL-like structured search queries (e.g., from:, in:, is:) to filter messages, files, and conversations more precisely. Rolling out August 2025 on Web, Desktop, and Mac, this feature enhances search accuracy without admin action needed. Users can activate it by typing supported commands in the search bar.
Introduction
We’re introducing a new way to search in Microsoft Teams using structured, SQL-like query commands in the search bar. This enhancement allows users to filter messages, files, and conversations more precisely using keywords such as from:username, with:username, in:channel, or is:type (message, file, group chat, channel). This feature is especially useful for developers and power users who prefer to express specific search intent to narrow down search results and easily find what they are looking for.
This message is associated with Microsoft 365 Roadmap ID 496590.
When this will happen
How this affects your organization
This feature enhances the search experience in Microsoft Teams by enabling structured, SQL-like queries. It will be available on the following platforms at launch:
Users will be able to filter messages, files, and conversations using commands such as is:, in:, from:, and with:. This applies to all Teams content that is accessible to the user, including private chats, shared channels, and files.
Once available, the feature will be on demand—users can begin typing one of the supported commands in the search bar to activate it.
If a user enters an unsupported or malformed query, the system will default to standard search results. Users can also leverage query suggestions to help formulate correct queries.
This update provides a faster, more accurate way to locate content, especially in large or complex Teams environments.
What you can do to prepare
No admin action is required. You may wish to:
Compliance considerations
No compliance considerations identified, review as appropriate for your organization.