Search

Type a word you remember from a document, and Paperwise finds it: in titles, notes, the text on every scanned page and inside files. Results show a snippet of the matching text.

What it is

Paperwise reads the text on your pages on your iPhone when you add them, and keeps it in a search index on the device. The Search field at the top of Home, under its title, looks through:

titles and tags
the text recognised on every scanned page
the text inside imported files, and file names
notes, and the names of their attachments
a card’s notes and number
summaries and key facts, for documents that used the AI helper

Each result shows a short snippet with your words highlighted, so you can see why it matched.

Private vaults are never searched here. Vault items aren’t in Home’s search index at all. Each vault has its own search inside it, which works only while that vault is open.

When to use it

When you remember what a paper said, not where you put it (“the plumber’s invoice”, “IBAN”).
To find every document that mentions a name, an address or a reference number.

Step by step

Search everything

On Home, tap Search.
Type one or more words. Results replace Home’s sections as you type.
Tap a result to open it.
Tap Cancel to go back to Home.

Each word matches the start of a word in the document, so “insur” finds “insurance”. With several words, a result must contain all of them.

Search inside All items or a folder

In All items, use Search all items. It works together with your filters, for example only Receipts.
In a folder, use Search this folder.

Work with the results

Tap Select to choose several results, then share, move, merge, make a collage or delete them together.

On iPad with a keyboard, ⌘F jumps to search.

Free and Pro

Search is free. The text it uses is recognised on your iPhone for everyone. With Pro’s AI helper, a document’s AI summary and key facts are searchable too.

Privacy

Search runs entirely on your iPhone. Your search words are never sent anywhere.
The search index is part of Paperwise’s encrypted database on the iPhone.
Vault items are never in Home’s search. When you move a document to a vault, its words leave Home’s search index at once.
IDs, medical papers, bank statements and tax papers still show up in search, but with a lock instead of the page and no snippet of their text.

Tips

Search for something only that document would say: a reference number, a name, an amount.
If a scan isn’t found, open it and check Text: if the page was hard to read, the recognised text may be wrong or missing.

What if…

What if search says Nothing mentions…?

No title, note, page text or file text contains that word. Try the start of the word, a different word, or fewer words. Search covers titles, notes, the text on every page and inside files. Private vaults are never searched here.

What if a document I moved to a vault doesn’t show up?

That’s on purpose: a private vault is never searched from Home. Open the vault and search there.

What if a just-scanned page isn’t found?

Paperwise may still be cleaning up and reading the page. Give it a moment and search again.

What if a handwritten page isn’t found?

Handwriting is harder to read on the device. With Pro you can use Read handwriting: see Read handwriting.