Twitter is giving users the ability to search for direct messages by typing peoples’ names into a search bar.
This feature is being tested on iOS and desktop first and will only work with users’ most recent direct messages.
Given that this feature is still in testing stages, it understandably has some limitations. The the most obvious one being that it only works with recent DMs.
While it does create an added layer of convenience, recent DMs are the easiest to find. It would be more useful if you could search for old messages as well.
Another limitation is only being able to search for DMs by people and groups, as shown in this example shared by Twitter:
Soul searching? Hard. DM searching? Easy! Go ahead and try out the new DM search bar. We’re testing it out on iOS and web with your most recent DMs. pic.twitter.com/vwGlBjz4B5
— Twitter (@Twitter) August 14, 2019
Being able to search for all types of keywords would be more effective. That means searching by peoples’ name as well as words contained in individual messages.
Perhaps the new DM search feature will grow as it moves past the testing stages. Presumably the feature will make its way to Android, but there was no mention of any immediate plans for that happening.
In any case, being able to search for DMs by the name of the person who sent them is better than the zero search functionality that existed before.
