Smart Lists, Smart Filters, and Search

A Smart Filter searches tasks using words, tags, dates, or other conditions. Save it as a Smart List to keep it in the lists panel. Matching tasks appear there automatically as your tasks change.

Use a filter once in Search or save it for later. The Focus Filter provides a quick way to switch a list between its full contents and your chosen conditions.

Reaching Search

Tap the search icon in the top toolbar. Type a query, or use the controls below the field to choose presets, dates, and the search scope. Pulling down on the task list starts a sync.

Full Text and Soundex

• Full Text Search searches the text you enter, with support for phrases, exclusions, wildcards, and OR.
• Soundex Search finds similar-sounding words, including some spelling mistakes and pronunciation variants.

If you typed this	Soundex can still find
plumver	plumber
Steven	Stephen
alexnder	Alexander

Turn Soundex on or off with the sounds-like control below the search field. Turn it off when you want results based only on the text you entered. 2Do remembers your choice, and each Smart List saves its matching option.

Full Text Search Operators

Pattern	Behaviour	Example
word1 word2	Both terms are required.	new job
word1 OR word2	Either term can match.	Call OR new
word -word2	Excludes a word	new job -find
word*	Wildcard: matches words starting with the prefix	new* matches new, newer, newest
*	Matches any task in the search scope.	Use alone or with structured filters.
!word	Excludes a term, like -word.	!work
"word1 word2"	Matches the phrase in that order.	"new job"
*word	Matches a word ending with the text.	*ing

Worked examples use these sample tasks: Get a haircut one day, Buy a new car some day, Find a new job, Call: Mum, tell about my new job, Call: Tim:

• new job: Find a new job, Call: Mum, tell about my new job
• new job -find: Call: Mum, tell about my new job
• a day: Get a haircut one day, Buy a new car some day
• Call OR new: Buy a new car some day, Find a new job, Call: Mum, tell about my new job, Call: Tim

The Built-In Keywords

Use these nine keywords to filter specific task details: type:, tags:, taggroups:, locations:, lists:, groups:, modified:, created:, and completed:.

type: Filter by Task Property

type: hiprio
type: (proj OR chck) AND hiprio AND !repeat
type: ((starred OR hiprio) AND due) OR today

Task Structure

Preset	Matches
alltasks	Tasks, projects, checklists, and sub-tasks in one result set.
task	Plain Tasks only
subtasks	Sub-tasks only
proj	Projects
chck	Checklists
emptyproj	Projects with no active sub-tasks
emptychck	Checklists with no active sub-tasks

Actions

Preset	Matches
action	Any Action
call	Call action
sms	Message action
email	Mail action
browse	Browse (URL) action
visit	Visit (Address) action
google	Google (search) action

Attachments / Notes

Preset	Matches
audio	Audio attachment
pict	Picture attachment
note	With notes

Priority

prio, noprio, hiprio, medprio, lowprio.

Status

starred, alarms, repeat, duration, inprogress, scheduled, paused.

Tags / Locations

anytag, notag, anylocation, nolocation.

Dates

due, nodue, start, nostart, today, duetoday, starttoday, anytoday, tomorrow, duetomorrow, starttomorrow, anytomorrow, thisweek, duethisweek, startthisweek, anythisweek, overdue, tasksoverdue, donetoday, doneyesterday, donethisweek.

today and tomorrow match the due date. Use anytoday or anytomorrow to match either the start or due date. thisweek and anythisweek both match start or due dates in the current week.

tags: Filter by Tag

tags: home, work             # = tags: home OR work
tags: (home OR work) AND !play
tags: (call OR mail) AND work
tags: ?                      # any tag set
tags: ~                      # no tag set

taggroups: Filter by Tag Group

Match tags from a named tag group:

taggroups: People
taggroups: People, Places
taggroups: !Someday

The group expands to its tags. As with tags: !work, excluding a group with tags matches tasks that have tags, leaving untagged tasks out.

lists: Filter by List

Search tasks in one or more named lists:

lists: Work
lists: Work, Home
lists: !Home

A matching list name searches that list even when another list is selected. List and group searches use names. Use ! to exclude a list.

locations: Filter by Location

locations: home, drycleaners
locations: (home OR work) AND !playground
locations: ?                 # any location set
locations: ~                 # no location set

groups: Filter by List Group

groups: projects
groups: home, work
groups: !home

modified:, created:, and completed: Filter by Recency

Use a number and a unit: mins, h, d, w, m, or y. A plain value or < means within that time; > means longer ago. Long forms such as 2 days and fractional values such as 1.5h also work.

modified: 2d           # last 2 days
modified: > 2d         # more than 2 days ago
created: 2h            # last 2 hours
completed: 7d          # completed within the last 7 days

Combining Keywords

plumber type: starred tags: builders groups: home

type: overdue tags: home OR school
tags: someday type: prio OR starred groups: shopping
tags: !work type: (hiprio AND thisweek) OR starred groups: !work

Keywords normally combine with AND. An OR inside a keyword applies only to that keyword’s values. To make a whole keyword an alternative, put OR before it:

type: overdue OR tags: urgent

This matches tasks that are overdue or tagged urgent. Search text goes before structured keywords, as in the plumber example above.

Date Filters

Tap the date-range button below the search field to open Search Dates:

• Under Date range, choose From and To dates, or turn on No Due Date.
• Under Dynamic, choose a range relative to today so the results change as time passes.
• Use Include scheduled tasks to choose whether the range includes tasks whose start dates are still in the future.

Tap Done to apply the choices. Clear removes the date range. These controls work alongside the search text.

Search Presets

Open Search Presets below the search field to choose built-in filters. Tap a filter to select it, and tap ! to exclude it. Turn Match ALL filters on to require every selected condition. Turn it off to accept any selected condition.

The preview shows the search text these choices produce. Tap Done to apply it.

If a typed filter is too complex for these controls, its expression remains visible and unchanged. Edit it in the search field instead.

Saving a Filter as a Smart List

When the results are right, tap the save/add button below the search field. 2Do creates a Smart List with the current query, dates, and search options, and gives it a name based on the query. You can rename it afterward.

Select All or set the search scope to all lists first if you want to search across lists. Otherwise, the saved search can be limited to the current list.

A Smart List shows the original matching tasks. Editing or completing one changes it in its own list. Its saved search does not copy or move tasks.

Updating or Editing a Smart List

Select the Smart List, open Search, and adjust its query or filters. Tap the save button below the search field to update the current Smart List. To save a separate Smart List, begin the search from another list, such as All.

To rename the Smart List, change its color or group, or delete it, touch and hold its name in the lists panel. Choose Edit for its settings. Deleting it removes the saved search and keeps the tasks.

Completed Tasks

Ordinary results follow Show Completed Tasks in Appearance settings. A completion filter such as completed: 7d or type: donetoday includes completed matches.

Paused tasks can appear in searches without unpausing their tags. Future tasks also depend on scheduling visibility and the date range's Include scheduled tasks choice. See Tags and Dates and Durations.

Reusable Smart List Recipes

Smart List	Rule
Someday	Open Search from All, choose No Due Date, and save.
Tomorrow	type: duetomorrow
Next 3 Days	Choose a three-day range under Dynamic.
Tasks With Any Tag	type: anytag
Untagged	type: notag
High-priority Today	type: hiprio AND today
Errands with directions	type: anylocation AND visit