> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://icij.gitbook.io/datashare/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://icij.gitbook.io/datashare/usage/filter-documents.md).
# Filter documents
Filters are on the left of the search bar. You can contextualize, exclude, lock and reset them. Active filters are displayed in the search breadcrumb.
## Filters
Open '**Filters**' on the left of the search bar:
**'Indexing dates'** arethe dates when the documents were added to Datashare.
**'Embedding levels'** regard embedded documents:
* The 'file on disk' is level zero
* If a document is attached to (or contained in) a file on disk, its embedding level is '1st'
* If a document is attached to (or contained in) a document itself contained in a file on disk, its embedding level is '2nd'
* And so on
## Filter by entities
If you asked Datashare to '**Find entities**' and the task was complete, you will see names of people, organizations, locations and e-mail adresses in the filters. These are the entities **automatically detected by Datashare:**
## Exclude filters
Tick the '**Exclude**' checkbox to select all items except those selected.
In the search breadcrumb, you see that the excluded filters are **strikethrough**:
## Lock filters
{% hint style="info" %}
Locked filters are new in Datashare **21.20.4**.
{% endhint %}
Locking a filter value keeps it active for future searches, until you unlock it yourself, even across projects or after clearing every other filter.
A lock is:
* **Personal**: the fact that a value is locked is never shared with other members, and never travels with a shared link. Other members opening a search you share always see the filter value but never see the padlock icon.
* **Cross-project**: a locked value stays locked when you switch to a different project, even one where that value doesn't exist.
{% hint style="info" %}
Locking only works on filter **values**, never on the free-text search query itself.
{% endhint %}
{% hint style="warning" %}
Only the lock itself is personal, not the value it applies to. Even locked, a filter value remains included, exactly as applied on screen, in anything you export, save or download: a shared link, a saved search or a batch download.
{% endhint %}
#### Lock a value from the Filters panel
Tick a filter value, then click its **padlock icon** to lock it:
The padlock switches to its closed/filled state once the value is locked:
Unticking a locked value removes it **and** unlocks it at the same time. There is no way to keep a lock without keeping its value applied.
{% hint style="info" %}
A value you locked earlier can still show up as locked even if it later disappears from the results (a deleted tag, a re-indexed path, for instance).
{% endhint %}
#### Lock a chip from the search breadcrumb
Open '**Your search**' to see the search breadcrumb, then click a chip's **padlock icon** to lock or unlock it (see the '**French**' chip above, for instance).
Locking one side of a paired filter (for instance a content type marked '**Excluded**') never locks its opposite side. For instance, if you lock 'PDF', its paired category content type ('Document') won't be locked.
#### Apply your locked filters
A lock doesn't silently reapply itself to searches that don't already match it. For instance, right after you open a search link someone else shared with you, or when you open a saved search, or start a brand-new search. The search breadcrumb's '**Apply locked filters**' button becomes clickable whenever at least one locked value isn't reflected in your current search:
Click it to instantly apply every locked value to your current search (locks always win over a conflicting value). A confirmation message tells you whether it succeeded:
{% hint style="info" %}
If you have at least one lock active, the search breadcrumb opens automatically after you run a new search, and whenever a locked value stops matching your current search, so you always see what's locked before you read your results.
{% endhint %}
#### Unlock every filter
To remove every lock at once, without touching the filter values currently applied, open the search breadcrumb and click '**Unlock filters**':
## Contextualize filters
In most filters, tick '**Contextualize'** to **update the number of documents indicated in the filters so they reflect the results**.
The filter will only count what you selected, it will reflect the results of your current selection:
## Clear all filters
To reset all filters at the same time, open the **search breadcrumb**:
Click '**Clear filters**':
{% hint style="info" %}
'**Clear filters**' and '**Clear filters and query**' never remove a locked value. They clear every other filter and instantly re-apply your locks. To remove the locks themselves, see [Unlock every filter](#unlock-every-filter) above.
{% endhint %}
---
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