How to search and explore your content in Dropbox Dash

Updated Oct 20, 2025

In this article

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This article describes features available to all Dropbox Dash customers.

With the powerful search functionality of Dropbox Dash you can search across all of your connected apps with speed and precision. You can use Dash to find what you need, summarize content, and answer specific questions about files you have access to.

Not using Dropbox Dash yet? Discover universal search for work content.

How to search and explore your content with Dropbox Dash

 

You can quickly and easily find and create content from apps you or your admin have connected to Dash.

 

Enter your query in the search bar to find specific items, or click one of options below the search bar before entering your query to use that feature:

  • Ask: Ask a question about content from apps you or your admin have connected to Dash.
  •  Write: Draft new content based on existing files, templates, and tone.
  • Organize: Create a new Stack.
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Note: You can only use the search bar to search content on the Dash desktop app and the Dash mobile app. Ask, Write, and Organize are only available on dash.ai.

To find content in Dropbox Dash:

 

  1. Log in to dash.ai.
    • If you’re using the desktop app, press control-shift-e (Windows) or command-shift-e (macOS) to open the app window.
  2. Enter your search term, question, or phrase in the search bar.
    • Notes: 
      • Dash uses text from titles, content, and your recent interactions to quickly rank relevant results for you while you type. Select a suggestion or enter your full query.
      • You can search for video, image, and design files by title, folder and file path, and EXIF data (location, date taken, resolution, and camera model), where applicable.
  3. You can also use typeahead filtering to refine your search, if you’d like:
    • from: to find files or messages from a specific person
    • in: to search within a particular app
    • time: to filter by date
    • type: to search by file type (such as documents, spreadsheets, emails, and images)
  4. Press enter on your keyboard to see a full list of search results.
    • Click the filters at the top of the search results page to refine your search by App, Type, Updated, or People, if you’d like.

You can filter for text found in images by clicking Type, followed by Image, and then clicking Text Found.

You’ll see previews of videos and images that match your query, and can enlarge that preview by clicking the thumbnail.

The following file types are supported when searching for multimedia:

 

  • Image files: .gif, .heic, .jpg, .png, .svg, .tiff, .webp
  • Text from image files: .jpg, .pdf, .png, .tiff
  • Video files: .3gp, .3gp2, .3gpp, .asf, .asx, .axv, .avi, .dif, .dl, .dv, .fli, .flv, .gl, .m2t, .m4v, .mkv, .mov, .movie, .mpe, .mp4, .mpg, .mpv, .mts, .mxu, .ogv, .qt, .ts, .vob, .webm, .wm, .wmv, .wmx, .wvx
  • Design files: .aep, .ai, .indd, .psd, .prproj, Canva files

 

Dash can retrieve multimedia search results stored on Dropbox, Google Drive, OneDrive, and Canva, as long as these apps have been added to your Dash account.  

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Notes:

  • Searching for text in image files is currently only supported on dash.ai and the Dropbox Dash desktop app
  • Follow-up questions are only available on dash.ai.

Searching with the Dropbox Dash browser extension
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Note: This feature is only available on Chrome and Edge browsers.

You can quickly search across all of your Dash content through the Dash browser extension. 

 

To do so:

 

  1. Click (Dropbox) next to the address bar of your browser.
    • If you don’t see  (Dropbox), click (extensions) and select  Dropbox Dash from the dropdown. 
  2. Click  in the top-left of the panel.
  3. Enter your query in the text bar labelled Find.
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Tips:

  • In the Dash desktop app, use control-e (Windows) or command-e (macOS) at any time to open a search box and start a search instantly.
  • If you have the Dropbox Dash browser extension installed, you can also search by entering “ds” and the space key directly into the address bar on Google Chrome and Microsoft Edge. “Dropbox Dash |” will appear, and you can start entering your query.
  • Admins can set files as verified, indicated by a verified (verification checkmark), meaning those files have been reviewed and confirmed as the most relevant and up-to-date resource for specific search terms. Learn more about verified results.

The Ask feature gives you detailed, context-aware answers using information from the files and data available through Dash. For example, you can quickly summarize a long document, find key points from a presentation, or review common themes in customer feedback.

 

To ask a question:

 

  1. Log in to dash.ai.
    • If you’re using the desktop app, press control-shift-e (Windows) or command-shift-e (Windows) to open the app window.
  2. Click Ask below the search bar.
  3. Enter your question in the search bar and press enter on your keyboard.
    •  You can also select one of the questions in the Recent or Suggested list.

You’ll be taken to a new Chat page where you can ask follow-up questions.

Learn more about chatting with Dash.

You can also ask a question with the Dropbox Dash browser extension:

 

  1. Click ①(Dropbox) next to the address bar of your browser.
    • If you don’t see  (Dropbox), click  (extensions) and select  Dropbox Dash from the dropdown. 
  2. Enter your question in the text bar labelled Chat with Dash.

 

The answer to your question will appear in the panel on the right.

The Write feature helps you quickly create new content using preset tones and formats, based on files and data available in Dash.

 

You can use Write to draft:

 

  • Client follow-up emails using existing documents as reference
  • Financial summaries drawn from existing reports
  • Project proposals based on various project plans
  • Action item lists contained within meeting notes

 

To draft new content with Write:

 

  1. Log in to dash.ai.
    • If you’re using the desktop app, press control-shift-e (Windows) or command-shift-e (Windows) to open the app window.
  2. Click  Write below the search bar.
  3. Enter your prompt in the search bar and press enter on your keyboard.

 

You’ll be taken to a new page where you can view and edit your generated content. From here, you can make changes to the wording, tone, and structure of your content. 

You can also use the Dash browser extension to draft content:

 

  1. Click  (Dash) next to the address bar of your browser.
    • If you don’t see  (Dash), click  (extensions) and select  Dropbox Dash from the dropdown. 
  2. Enter your prompt in the text bar labelled Chat with Dash.
  3. Click Open draft.

Your drafted content will open in the panel on the right.

Learn more about drafting content with Dash.

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Note: The Write feature isn’t available in the Dash desktop app.

Stacks let you organize and collaborate on all your content in one place, including files, apps, and browser links. You can easily share stacks with anyone, whether they are on your team or outside your organization. Learn more about working with stacks.

You can use the search bar to quickly create a new Stack to organize your content. To do so:

 

  1. Log in to dash.ai.
  2. Click Organize below the search bar.
  3. Enter the name of your new Stack and press enter on your keyboard.

 

Your new Stack can be found in the  Stacks page in the left sidebar.

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Note: The Organize feature isn’t available in the Dash desktop app.

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