How to use the query language

If the advanced form is not enough to configure complex search conditions, use the query language. Using it, you can:

  • Only search in specific message fields. For example, a search for messages from “Alice” with the “Report” attachment: from:Alice attachment:Report
  • Search for messages within a specific date range. For example, a search for messages from 15.06.16 to 10.07.2016: date-begin:2016-06-15 date-end:2016-07-10
  • Search for messages in specific folders or with specific tags. For example, a search in the “From Fluffy” folder: folder:"Messages from Fluffy"
  • Use operators to combine search conditions. For example, to look for messages from Mad Hatter to Alice and messages to Alice containing the word “tea” at the same time, use this formula: ((from:(just.mad.hatter OR Mad Hatter) OR text:tea) AND to:Alice

Message fields

Yandex Mail usually searches in all message fields and in the currently open folder. You can refine the search and specify the message field to search. This will make it possible to search separately in the message text, in senders and recipients, and in attachments, as well as to search messages by date, labels, and folders.

Type several comma-separated fields without spaces to search for the same word in multiple fields. For instance, from,cc,bcc:Mad Hatter.

Senders and recipients fields

Field

Description

Syntax

Query example

from:

Search for messages with the sender specified.
You can search by sender's name ("Alice"), username ("alice.the.girl"), or domain ("yandex.com")

from:word1

from:cheshire.katze

The system will search for messages that contain "cheshire.katze" in the From field.

to:

Search for messages with the recipient specified.

You can search by sender's name ("Alice"), username ("alice.the.girl"), or domain ("yandex.com")

to:word1

to:Alice

The system will search for messages that contain "Alice" in the To field.

cc:

Search by Cc .

You can search by sender's name ("Alice"), username ("alice.the.girl"), or domain ("yandex.com")

cc:word1

cc:just.mad.hatter

The system will search for messages that contain "just.mad.hatter" in the Cc field.

bcc:

Search by Bcc.

You can search by sender's name ("Alice"), username ("alice.the.girl"), or domain ("yandex.com")

bcc:word1

bcc:Rabbit

The system will search for messages that contain "Rabbit" in the Bcc field.

Text fields

Field

Description

Syntax

Query example

subject:

Search for messages with the subject specified.
If a subject contains several words, it should be specified in quotes, or a back slash \ should be added before each space in the title.

subject:word1

subject:"miracle tea"

The system will search for messages that contain "miracle tea" in the Subject field.

Note

If a subject consists of multiple words, use the quote operator ".

text:

Search in the message body.

text:word1

text:"Masala tea from India"

The system will search for messages with a body that contains "Masala tea from India".

Attachment fields

Field

Description

Syntax

Query example

has-attachments:

Search for messages with or without attachments.
To search for messages with attachments, enter “yes” after the operator (without a space); to search for messages without attachments enter “no”.

has-attachments:value

has-attachments:yes

The system will search for messages with attachments.

attachment:

filename:

Search by attachment name.

attachment:word1

attachment:photo

The system will search for messages with attachments that contain “photo” in the title.

Date fields

Field

Description

Syntax

Query example

month:

Search for email for the specified month.

month:name

month:april

The system will search for messages from April this year. If April still has not come this year, the system will search for messages from last April.

year:

Search for emails for the specified year.

year:YYYY

year:2016

The system searches for email from 2016.

date-
begin:

after:

and

date-end:

Search for messages in the specified date range.
The date range is specified inclusively.

You can use these operators separately: date-begin: to search for messages after the specified date; date-end: — until the specified date inclusively.

date-begin:DDMMYY

date-begin:YYYY-MM-DD
date-end:YYYY-MM-DD

date-begin:150616

The system will search for messages from 15.06.16 until the current date inclusive.

date-begin:2016-06-15
date-end:2016-07-10

The system will search for messages from 15.06.16 to 10.07.2016 inclusive.

before:

older:

Search for messages until the specified date exclusive.

before:DDMMYY

before:YYYY-MM-DD

before:150616

The system will search for messages from the mailbox creation date through14.06.16.

older-
than:

and

newer-
than:

Search for messages in the specified date range in relation to the current date.
The value may be specified in hours (“h”), days (“d”) or weeks (“w”).

older-than:value

older-than:value
newer-than:value

older-than:2d

The system will search for messages older than two days.

older-than:2d {newer-than:1w

The system will search for messages older than two days but newer than one week.

Folder and label fields

Field

Description

Syntax

Query example

folder:

Search for messages in a specific folder.
in quotes, or a back slash \ should be added before each space in the name.

folder:word1

folder:word1\ word2

folder:"Messages from Fluffy"

folder:Messages\ from\ Fluffy

The system will search for messages from the “Messages from Fluffy” folder.

label:

Search for the messages with a specified label.
If a label name consists of several words, it should be specified in quotes, or a back slash \ should be added before each space in the title.

To search for unread messages, specify the “unread” label, or the “read” label to search for read messages.

label:word1

label:word1\ word2

label:"Chinese tea"

label::Chinese\ tea

The system will look for messages that contain the “chinese tea” label.

Operators

You can use operators to combine conditions in a query, specify search options, and search for messages with an exact quote.

You can use multiple space separated operators in one query. For instance, "Masala from India" subject:tea from:rabbit.

Operator

Description

Syntax

Query example

"

Search for messages that contain the exact phrase (search by quote).

word1 word2 ... -wordN``

"ten impossible things
before breakfast"

The system will search for messages that contain “ten impossible things before breakfast”.

-

Search for messages that do not contain the specified word.

Only the word preceded by the operator is excluded.

You can use multiple - operators in one query.

word1 word2 ... -wordN

pu-ehr tea

The system will search for messages that contain “tea”, but do not contain “pu-erh”.

subject:(tea -pu-ehr)

subject:tea -subject:pu-ehr

The system will search for messages with a Subject that contains “tea”, but does not contain “pu-erh”.

OR

OR

Search for messages that contain any word from the query.

You can use multiple OR operators in one query.

word1OR word2OR ... OR wordN

black OR green OR
herbal

The system will search for messages that contain at least one word from the query: “black”, “green”, or “herbal”.

AND

AND

Search for messages that contain all the words from the query.

You can use multiple AND operators in one query.

word1AND word2AND ... AND wordN

white AND Chinese AND tea

The system will only search for messages that contain all the words from the query: “white”, “Chinese”, and “tea”.

()

Grouping words in complex queries.

Any operators can be used inside a group included in brackets.

word1 operator (word2 word3 ... wordN)
Whether there should be a space before ( depends on the syntax of the preceding operator.

(from:(just.mad.hatter
OR Mad Hatter) OR text:"tea
ceremony") AND
before:2016-10-11

The system will search for messages received before October 11, 2016, that contain "just.mad.hatter" or "Mad Hatter" in the From field, or "tea ceremony" in the body text.
Contact support