# Searching for references

## How to search for references in Overleaf

The following examples provide short video clips and step-by-step overviews that show how to use **simple search** and **advanced reference search**.

### How to use simple search

**Simple search** lets you browse and filter a list of the citation keys contained in your project’s `.bib` file(s). The following short video clip demonstrates **simple search** using the steps listed below.

{% embed url="<https://videos.ctfassets.net/nrgyaltdicpt/4iFibAVKcfG379yZypwmq9/9fb7361a12639eba20fc036effe67adf/SimpleSearchDemo.mp4>" %}

1. Type a citation command such as `\cite`.
2. Start typing between `\cite`’s braces, using text that could appear in a citation key, such as `Knuth`.
3. Overleaf will automatically filter the list of citation keys to display keys containing Knuth. The results are listed under the heading FROM YOUR PROJECT to highlight the source of these references.

![Image showing Overleaf's Simple search feature](/files/x896jYMXG7GPhhdEblUJ)

4. Select the desired citation key to complete the `\cite` command, such as `\cite{Knuth_textbook_1986}`. This completes the **simple search**.

### How to use advanced reference search (premium feature)

Before we explain how to select advanced reference search, and configure it, here is a short video showing how to use it. Our example is based on the steps listed below: searching for references containing the word `metafont`.

{% embed url="<https://videos.ctfassets.net/nrgyaltdicpt/2uSiLX16WwBy8Ek1mFmXcO/f1c5228946adf2160019d7e8ddd6400b/AdvancedSearchDemo.mp4>" %}

1. Type a citation command such as `\cite`.
2. Type your search term between `\cite`’s braces, using `metafont` as the search term—because it will likely appear in the reference title.

![Image demonstrating the use of Overleaf's advanced reference search.](/files/cFDIAzn7HuP5jzOYVQIL)

3. The search results list each reference under a heading showing where the reference was found; those headings are:

* FROM YOUR PROJECT
* FROM PAPERS
* FROM ZOTERO
* FROM MENDELEY

4. Select the desired citation key to complete the `\cite` command.
5. As shown in the video, a Mendeley reference with citation key `TeX1979` is selected and added to the project `.bib` file named `refmanagers.bib`.

### Benefits of advanced reference search

Advanced reference search allows you to search fields such as title and author rather than just the citation key:

* For `.bib` files it uses citation key, author, journal, title, year, and date.
* For reference managers, the searchable fields vary based on the features provided by each platform.

Additionally, **advanced reference search** lets you directly search linked reference managers and pull individual references into an Overleaf `.bib` file. This offers several benefits:

* All reference data added from a linked reference manager is fully editable by all collaborators.
* It avoids the need to refresh a linked file every time you add a new reference to your linked reference manager.
* The `.bib` file remains streamlined, minimizing file size and reducing compilation time by adding only the references used in your document.


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# Agent Instructions: Querying This Documentation

If you need additional information that is not directly available in this page, you can query the documentation dynamically by asking a question.

Perform an HTTP GET request on the current page URL with the `ask` query parameter:

```
GET https://docs.overleaf.com/citing-and-references/adding-citations-and-references/searching-for-references.md?ask=<question>
```

The question should be specific, self-contained, and written in natural language.
The response will contain a direct answer to the question and relevant excerpts and sources from the documentation.

Use this mechanism when the answer is not explicitly present in the current page, you need clarification or additional context, or you want to retrieve related documentation sections.