searchEntity: query

Article
2024-05-08

Namespace: microsoft.graph

Runs the query specified in the request body. Search results are provided in the response.

This API is available in the following national cloud deployments.

Global service	US Government L4	US Government L5 (DOD)	China operated by 21Vianet
✅	✅	✅	✅

Permissions

Choose the permission or permissions marked as least privileged for this API. Use a higher privileged permission or permissions only if your app requires it. For details about delegated and application permissions, see Permission types. To learn more about these permissions, see the permissions reference.

Permission type	Least privileged permissions	Higher privileged permissions
Delegated (work or school account)	Mail.Read	Acronym.Read.All, Bookmark.Read.All, Calendars.Read, Chat.Read, ExternalItem.Read.All, Files.Read.All, QnA.Read.All, Sites.Read.All
Delegated (personal Microsoft account)	Not supported.	Not supported.
Application	Files.Read.All	Sites.Read.All

HTTP request

POST /search/query

Request headers

Name	Description
Authorization	Bearer {token}. Required. Learn more about authentication and authorization.
Content-type	application/json. Required.

Request body

In the request body, provide a JSON object with the following parameters.

Parameter	Type	Description
requests	searchRequest collection	A collection of one or more search requests each formatted in a JSON blob. Each JSON blob contains the types of resources expected in the response, the underlying sources, paging parameters, requested fields, and actual search query. Be aware of known limitations on searching specific combinations of entity types, and sorting or aggregating search results.

Response

If successful, this method returns HTTP 200 OK response code and a searchResponse collection object in the response body.

Examples

Example 1: Basic call to perform a search request

The following example shows how to search for expected connector items.

Request

POST https://graph.microsoft.com/v1.0/search/query
Content-type: application/json

{
  "requests": [
    {
      "entityTypes": [
        "externalItem"
      ],
      "contentSources": [
        "/external/connections/connectionfriendlyname"
      ],
       "region": "US",
       "query": {
        "queryString": "contoso product"
      },
      "from": 0,
      "size": 25,
      "fields": [
        "title",
        "description"
      ]
    }
  ]
}


// Code snippets are only available for the latest version. Current version is 5.x

// Dependencies
using Microsoft.Graph.Search.Query;
using Microsoft.Graph.Models;

var requestBody = new QueryPostRequestBody
{
	Requests = new List<SearchRequest>
	{
		new SearchRequest
		{
			EntityTypes = new List<EntityType?>
			{
				EntityType.ExternalItem,
			},
			ContentSources = new List<string>
			{
				"/external/connections/connectionfriendlyname",
			},
			Region = "US",
			Query = new SearchQuery
			{
				QueryString = "contoso product",
			},
			From = 0,
			Size = 25,
			Fields = new List<string>
			{
				"title",
				"description",
			},
		},
	},
};

// To initialize your graphClient, see https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/graph/sdks/create-client?from=snippets&tabs=csharp
var result = await graphClient.Search.Query.PostAsQueryPostResponseAsync(requestBody);



mgc search query post --body '{\
  "requests": [\
    {\
      "entityTypes": [\
        "externalItem"\
      ],\
      "contentSources": [\
        "/external/connections/connectionfriendlyname"\
      ],\
       "region": "US",\
       "query": {\
        "queryString": "contoso product"\
      },\
      "from": 0,\
      "size": 25,\
      "fields": [\
        "title",\
        "description"\
      ]\
    }\
  ]\
}\
'



// Code snippets are only available for the latest major version. Current major version is $v1.*

// Dependencies
import (
	  "context"
	  msgraphsdk "github.com/microsoftgraph/msgraph-sdk-go"
	  graphsearch "github.com/microsoftgraph/msgraph-sdk-go/search"
	  graphmodels "github.com/microsoftgraph/msgraph-sdk-go/models"
	  //other-imports
)

requestBody := graphsearch.NewQueryPostRequestBody()


searchRequest := graphmodels.NewSearchRequest()
entityTypes := []graphmodels.EntityTypeable {
	entityType := graphmodels.EXTERNALITEM_ENTITYTYPE 
	searchRequest.SetEntityType(&entityType)
}
searchRequest.SetEntityTypes(entityTypes)
contentSources := []string {
	"/external/connections/connectionfriendlyname",
}
searchRequest.SetContentSources(contentSources)
region := "US"
searchRequest.SetRegion(&region) 
query := graphmodels.NewSearchQuery()
queryString := "contoso product"
query.SetQueryString(&queryString) 
searchRequest.SetQuery(query)
from := int32(0)
searchRequest.SetFrom(&from) 
size := int32(25)
searchRequest.SetSize(&size) 
fields := []string {
	"title",
	"description",
}
searchRequest.SetFields(fields)

requests := []graphmodels.SearchRequestable {
	searchRequest,
}
requestBody.SetRequests(requests)

// To initialize your graphClient, see https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/graph/sdks/create-client?from=snippets&tabs=go
query, err := graphClient.Search().Query().PostAsQueryPostResponse(context.Background(), requestBody, nil)


// Code snippets are only available for the latest version. Current version is 6.x

GraphServiceClient graphClient = new GraphServiceClient(requestAdapter);

com.microsoft.graph.search.query.QueryPostRequestBody queryPostRequestBody = new com.microsoft.graph.search.query.QueryPostRequestBody();
LinkedList<SearchRequest> requests = new LinkedList<SearchRequest>();
SearchRequest searchRequest = new SearchRequest();
LinkedList<EntityType> entityTypes = new LinkedList<EntityType>();
entityTypes.add(EntityType.ExternalItem);
searchRequest.setEntityTypes(entityTypes);
LinkedList<String> contentSources = new LinkedList<String>();
contentSources.add("/external/connections/connectionfriendlyname");
searchRequest.setContentSources(contentSources);
searchRequest.setRegion("US");
SearchQuery query = new SearchQuery();
query.setQueryString("contoso product");
searchRequest.setQuery(query);
searchRequest.setFrom(0);
searchRequest.setSize(25);
LinkedList<String> fields = new LinkedList<String>();
fields.add("title");
fields.add("description");
searchRequest.setFields(fields);
requests.add(searchRequest);
queryPostRequestBody.setRequests(requests);
var result = graphClient.search().query().post(queryPostRequestBody);


const options = {
	authProvider,
};

const client = Client.init(options);

const searchResponse = {
  requests: [
    {
      entityTypes: [
        'externalItem'
      ],
      contentSources: [
        '/external/connections/connectionfriendlyname'
      ],
       region: 'US',
       query: {
        queryString: 'contoso product'
      },
      from: 0,
      size: 25,
      fields: [
        'title',
        'description'
      ]
    }
  ]
};

await client.api('/search/query')
	.post(searchResponse);


<?php
use Microsoft\Graph\GraphServiceClient;
use Microsoft\Graph\Generated\Search\Query\QueryPostRequestBody;
use Microsoft\Graph\Generated\Models\SearchRequest;
use Microsoft\Graph\Generated\Models\EntityType;
use Microsoft\Graph\Generated\Models\SearchQuery;


$graphServiceClient = new GraphServiceClient($tokenRequestContext, $scopes);

$requestBody = new QueryPostRequestBody();
$requestsSearchRequest1 = new SearchRequest();
$requestsSearchRequest1->setEntityTypes([new EntityType('externalItem'),	]);
$requestsSearchRequest1->setContentSources(['/external/connections/connectionfriendlyname', 	]);
$requestsSearchRequest1->setRegion('US');
$requestsSearchRequest1Query = new SearchQuery();
$requestsSearchRequest1Query->setQueryString('contoso product');
$requestsSearchRequest1->setQuery($requestsSearchRequest1Query);
$requestsSearchRequest1->setFrom(0);
$requestsSearchRequest1->setSize(25);
$requestsSearchRequest1->setFields(['title', 'description', 	]);
$requestsArray []= $requestsSearchRequest1;
$requestBody->setRequests($requestsArray);


$result = $graphServiceClient->search()->query()->post($requestBody)->wait();


Import-Module Microsoft.Graph.Search

$params = @{
	requests = @(
		@{
			entityTypes = @(
			"externalItem"
		)
		contentSources = @(
		"/external/connections/connectionfriendlyname"
	)
	region = "US"
	query = @{
		queryString = "contoso product"
	}
	from = 0
	size = 25
	fields = @(
	"title"
"description"
)
}
)
}

Invoke-MgQuerySearch -BodyParameter $params


# Code snippets are only available for the latest version. Current version is 1.x
from msgraph import GraphServiceClient
from msgraph.generated.search.query.query_post_request_body import QueryPostRequestBody
from msgraph.generated.models.search_request import SearchRequest
from msgraph.generated.models.entity_type import EntityType
from msgraph.generated.models.search_query import SearchQuery
# To initialize your graph_client, see https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/graph/sdks/create-client?from=snippets&tabs=python
request_body = QueryPostRequestBody(
	requests = [
		SearchRequest(
			entity_types = [
				EntityType.ExternalItem,
			],
			content_sources = [
				"/external/connections/connectionfriendlyname",
			],
			region = "US",
			query = SearchQuery(
				query_string = "contoso product",
			),
			from = 0,
			size = 25,
			fields = [
				"title",
				"description",
			],
		),
	],
)

result = await graph_client.search.query.post(request_body)

Response

The following example shows the response.

HTTP/1.1 200 OK
Content-type: application/json

{
  "value": [
    {
      "searchTerms": [
        "searchTerms-value"
      ],
      "hitsContainers": [
        {
          "hits": [
            {
              "hitId": "1",
              "rank": 1,
              "summary": "_summary-value",
              "resource": "The source field will contain the underlying graph entity part of the response"
            }
          ],
          "total": 47,
          "moreResultsAvailable": true
        }
      ]
    }
  ]
}

Example 2: Basic call to use queryTemplate

The following example shows how to use the queryable property createdBy to retrieve all files created by a user.

Request

POST https://graph.microsoft.com/v1.0/search/query
Content-type: application/json

{
  "requests": [
    {
      "entityTypes": [
        "listItem"
      ],
        "region": "US",
        "query": {
        "queryString": "contoso",
        "queryTemplate":"{searchTerms} CreatedBy:Bob"
      },
      "from": 0,
      "size": 25
    }
  ]
}


// Code snippets are only available for the latest version. Current version is 5.x

// Dependencies
using Microsoft.Graph.Search.Query;
using Microsoft.Graph.Models;

var requestBody = new QueryPostRequestBody
{
	Requests = new List<SearchRequest>
	{
		new SearchRequest
		{
			EntityTypes = new List<EntityType?>
			{
				EntityType.ListItem,
			},
			Region = "US",
			Query = new SearchQuery
			{
				QueryString = "contoso",
				QueryTemplate = "{searchTerms} CreatedBy:Bob",
			},
			From = 0,
			Size = 25,
		},
	},
};

// To initialize your graphClient, see https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/graph/sdks/create-client?from=snippets&tabs=csharp
var result = await graphClient.Search.Query.PostAsQueryPostResponseAsync(requestBody);



mgc search query post --body '{\
  "requests": [\
    {\
      "entityTypes": [\
        "listItem"\
      ],\
        "region": "US",\
        "query": {\
        "queryString": "contoso",\
        "queryTemplate":"{searchTerms} CreatedBy:Bob"\
      },\
      "from": 0,\
      "size": 25\
    }\
  ]\
}\
'



// Code snippets are only available for the latest major version. Current major version is $v1.*

// Dependencies
import (
	  "context"
	  msgraphsdk "github.com/microsoftgraph/msgraph-sdk-go"
	  graphsearch "github.com/microsoftgraph/msgraph-sdk-go/search"
	  graphmodels "github.com/microsoftgraph/msgraph-sdk-go/models"
	  //other-imports
)

requestBody := graphsearch.NewQueryPostRequestBody()


searchRequest := graphmodels.NewSearchRequest()
entityTypes := []graphmodels.EntityTypeable {
	entityType := graphmodels.LISTITEM_ENTITYTYPE 
	searchRequest.SetEntityType(&entityType)
}
searchRequest.SetEntityTypes(entityTypes)
region := "US"
searchRequest.SetRegion(&region) 
query := graphmodels.NewSearchQuery()
queryString := "contoso"
query.SetQueryString(&queryString) 
queryTemplate := "{searchTerms} CreatedBy:Bob"
query.SetQueryTemplate(&queryTemplate) 
searchRequest.SetQuery(query)
from := int32(0)
searchRequest.SetFrom(&from) 
size := int32(25)
searchRequest.SetSize(&size) 

requests := []graphmodels.SearchRequestable {
	searchRequest,
}
requestBody.SetRequests(requests)

// To initialize your graphClient, see https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/graph/sdks/create-client?from=snippets&tabs=go
query, err := graphClient.Search().Query().PostAsQueryPostResponse(context.Background(), requestBody, nil)


// Code snippets are only available for the latest version. Current version is 6.x

GraphServiceClient graphClient = new GraphServiceClient(requestAdapter);

com.microsoft.graph.search.query.QueryPostRequestBody queryPostRequestBody = new com.microsoft.graph.search.query.QueryPostRequestBody();
LinkedList<SearchRequest> requests = new LinkedList<SearchRequest>();
SearchRequest searchRequest = new SearchRequest();
LinkedList<EntityType> entityTypes = new LinkedList<EntityType>();
entityTypes.add(EntityType.ListItem);
searchRequest.setEntityTypes(entityTypes);
searchRequest.setRegion("US");
SearchQuery query = new SearchQuery();
query.setQueryString("contoso");
query.setQueryTemplate("{searchTerms} CreatedBy:Bob");
searchRequest.setQuery(query);
searchRequest.setFrom(0);
searchRequest.setSize(25);
requests.add(searchRequest);
queryPostRequestBody.setRequests(requests);
var result = graphClient.search().query().post(queryPostRequestBody);


const options = {
	authProvider,
};

const client = Client.init(options);

const searchResponse = {
  requests: [
    {
      entityTypes: [
        'listItem'
      ],
        region: 'US',
        query: {
        queryString: 'contoso',
        queryTemplate: '{searchTerms} CreatedBy:Bob'
      },
      from: 0,
      size: 25
    }
  ]
};

await client.api('/search/query')
	.post(searchResponse);


<?php
use Microsoft\Graph\GraphServiceClient;
use Microsoft\Graph\Generated\Search\Query\QueryPostRequestBody;
use Microsoft\Graph\Generated\Models\SearchRequest;
use Microsoft\Graph\Generated\Models\EntityType;
use Microsoft\Graph\Generated\Models\SearchQuery;


$graphServiceClient = new GraphServiceClient($tokenRequestContext, $scopes);

$requestBody = new QueryPostRequestBody();
$requestsSearchRequest1 = new SearchRequest();
$requestsSearchRequest1->setEntityTypes([new EntityType('listItem'),	]);
$requestsSearchRequest1->setRegion('US');
$requestsSearchRequest1Query = new SearchQuery();
$requestsSearchRequest1Query->setQueryString('contoso');
$requestsSearchRequest1Query->setQueryTemplate('{searchTerms} CreatedBy:Bob');
$requestsSearchRequest1->setQuery($requestsSearchRequest1Query);
$requestsSearchRequest1->setFrom(0);
$requestsSearchRequest1->setSize(25);
$requestsArray []= $requestsSearchRequest1;
$requestBody->setRequests($requestsArray);


$result = $graphServiceClient->search()->query()->post($requestBody)->wait();


Import-Module Microsoft.Graph.Search

$params = @{
	requests = @(
		@{
			entityTypes = @(
			"listItem"
		)
		region = "US"
		query = @{
			queryString = "contoso"
			queryTemplate = '{searchTerms} CreatedBy:Bob"
		}
		from = 0
		size = 25
	}
)
}

Invoke-MgQuerySearch -BodyParameter $params


# Code snippets are only available for the latest version. Current version is 1.x
from msgraph import GraphServiceClient
from msgraph.generated.search.query.query_post_request_body import QueryPostRequestBody
from msgraph.generated.models.search_request import SearchRequest
from msgraph.generated.models.entity_type import EntityType
from msgraph.generated.models.search_query import SearchQuery
# To initialize your graph_client, see https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/graph/sdks/create-client?from=snippets&tabs=python
request_body = QueryPostRequestBody(
	requests = [
		SearchRequest(
			entity_types = [
				EntityType.ListItem,
			],
			region = "US",
			query = SearchQuery(
				query_string = "contoso",
				query_template = "{searchTerms} CreatedBy:Bob",
			),
			from = 0,
			size = 25,
		),
	],
)

result = await graph_client.search.query.post(request_body)

Response

The following example shows the response.

HTTP/1.1 200 OK
Content-type: application/json

{
    "value": [
        {
            "searchTerms": [
                "contoso"
            ],
            "hitsContainers": [
                {
                    "hits": [
                        {
                            "hitId": "1",
                            "rank": 1,
                            "summary": "_summary-value",
                            "resource": {
                                "@odata.type": "#microsoft.graph.listItem",
                                "id": "c23c7035-73d6-4bad-8901-9e2930d4be8e",
                                "createdBy": {
                                    "user": {
                                        "displayName": "Bob",
                                        "email": "[email protected]"
                                    }
                                },
                                "createdDateTime": "2021-11-19T17:04:18Z",
                                "lastModifiedDateTime": "2023-03-09T18:52:26Z"
                            }
                        }
                    ],
                    "total": 1,
                    "moreResultsAvailable": false
                }
            ]
        }
    ]
}

Search mail messages
Search calendar events
Search content in SharePoint and OneDrive (files, lists and sites)
Search custom types (Graph Connectors) data
Search with queryTemplate
Sort search results
Use aggregations to refine search results

Share via

searchEntity: query

Permissions

HTTP request

Request headers

Request body

Response

Examples

Example 1: Basic call to perform a search request

Request

Response

Example 2: Basic call to use queryTemplate

Request

Response

Related content

Feedback

Additional resources