---
title: How Do I Filter and Refine Document Center Results?
description: Learn how to narrow a folder or search results by file type, modified date, and access, and how to sort them.
---

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# How Do I Filter and Refine Document Center Results?

This article shows you how to narrow what Document Center lists by file type, modified date, and access level, and how to sort the results. Owners and Org Admins can use these controls on the **Browse** tab and on search results.

##### **When would you use this?**

- A folder holds hundreds of files and you only want the PDFs.
- You need the files added or changed during a specific week, such as the days around a board meeting.
- After a search, you want to see only the results that are visible to all members, or only the ones that are Admin only.

##### **Filter the Files in a Folder**

1. Click **Document Center** in the left nav and open a folder by clicking its name.
2. Click the **Filter** button above the list. Its label includes the folder name, for example **Filter State Pics**.
3. Under **File type**, open the **Select File Type** list and choose PDF, Image, Document, Spreadsheet, Video, Archive, or Other. Under **Modified date**, use the two date boxes to enter the first and last day of the range you want.
   
   ![Filter Options panel inside a folder with the File type list and the two Modified date boxes highlighted](https://help.hoastart.app/hubfs/empower-kb-how-do-i-filter-and-refine-document-center-results-1-folder-filter.png)
4. Click **Apply**. The panel closes and the list shows only the matching files. A small number on the Filter button shows that a filter is active.
5. To see everything again, click the Filter button, then click **Reset**. The full list returns right away.

A date range includes both of its end dates, so entering the same day in both boxes lists items modified that day. You can use File type and Modified date together.

##### **Refine Search Results**

1. Click the **Search** tab, type a name, and run the search. See [How Do I Search for Files and Folders in Document Center](https://help.hoastart.app/how-do-i-search-for-files-and-folders-in-document-center?hsLang=en) for the search itself.
2. Click **Refine results**. The panel has three fields: **Access** (Admin Only, Member Read, or Public), **File type**, and **Modified date**.
   
   ![Refine results panel on the Search tab with the Access list highlighted above File type and Modified date](https://help.hoastart.app/hubfs/empower-kb-how-do-i-filter-and-refine-document-center-results-2-refine-results.png)
3. Choose the values you want and click **Apply**. The results update to match.
4. Click **Refine results** and then **Reset** to clear the refinements, or click **Clear search** to start a new search.

If no result matches your refinements, the page shows "No documents matched your search." and "Try a different search term or clear your filters." The Access choices correspond to a folder's permission level, and files take the access level of the folder they are in. For what each level means, see [How Do I Set Permissions on a Document Center Folder](https://help.hoastart.app/how-do-i-set-permissions-on-a-document-center-folder?hsLang=en).

##### **Sort the List**

<iframe height="500" src="https://empower-guides.pages.dev/#DOC-19-embed" style="border: 0; max-width: 100%;" width="100%" allowfullscreen loading="lazy"></iframe>

1. Click **Sort** above the list.
2. Choose an option and then **Ascending** or **Descending**. At the top level the options are **Name** and **Last modified**. Inside a folder and in search results the options are **Name**, **Last modified**, **Size**, and **Type**.

For example, choosing **Size** and then **Descending** puts the largest files first.

##### **Good to Know**

- At the top level of Document Center the Filter button is **Filter folders** and narrows folders by Access only. See [How Do I Set Permissions on a Document Center Folder](https://help.hoastart.app/how-do-i-set-permissions-on-a-document-center-folder?hsLang=en).

##### **Related articles**

- [How Do I Search for Files and Folders in Document Center](https://help.hoastart.app/how-do-i-search-for-files-and-folders-in-document-center?hsLang=en)
- [How Do I Set Permissions on a Document Center Folder](https://help.hoastart.app/how-do-i-set-permissions-on-a-document-center-folder?hsLang=en)
- [How Do I Create and Organize Folders in Document Center](https://help.hoastart.app/how-do-i-create-and-organize-folders-in-document-center?hsLang=en)

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