> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.getomni.co/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Chat vs Search

> Two ways to find information in Omni

Omni offers two modes for finding information. Toggle between them using the icons below the search bar.

<Frame caption="Toggle between Chat and Search modes using the icons below the input">
  <img src="https://mintcdn.com/omni-32b875be/WWefJ9XvxUwFd6Dd/images/omni-ui-1.png?fit=max&auto=format&n=WWefJ9XvxUwFd6Dd&q=85&s=3d8ea9993484a567c7f8723bc42692d8" alt="Omni mode toggle" width="2559" height="1407" data-path="images/omni-ui-1.png" />
</Frame>

## Chat Mode

Use Chat mode when you want AI-synthesized answers with citations. The assistant searches your sources, reads relevant documents, and provides a coherent response.

<Frame caption="Chat mode shows the AI's reasoning and provides answers with citations">
  <img src="https://mintcdn.com/omni-32b875be/WWefJ9XvxUwFd6Dd/images/omni-ai-1.png?fit=max&auto=format&n=WWefJ9XvxUwFd6Dd&q=85&s=0f6832a7c2673858a4975361e1872e78" alt="Omni Chat Mode" width="2559" height="1408" data-path="images/omni-ai-1.png" />
</Frame>

**Best for:**

* Questions that span multiple documents
* Summarizing information
* Follow-up questions in a conversation

## Search Mode

Use Search mode when you want direct links to documents. Results are ranked by relevance and displayed as a traditional search results page.

**Best for:**

* Finding a specific document
* Quick document lookup
* Browsing available content

## When to Use Each

| Use Chat Mode                                           | Use Search Mode         |
| ------------------------------------------------------- | ----------------------- |
| "What were the key decisions from the product meeting?" | "Q3 sales report"       |
| "Summarize our refund policy"                           | "employee handbook"     |
| "How do I set up SSO?"                                  | "SSO configuration doc" |

## Filters and Operators

Both modes accept the same [search operators](/user-guide/search#search-operators) — `in:`, `type:`, `from:`, `before:`, `after:` — and filter panel (source, content type, author, date range). In chat mode, you can also ask the assistant to apply filters in natural language (e.g. "find recent engineering docs in Confluence"), and it will translate them into tool-level filters on your behalf.

## File Attachments (Chat Only)

Chat mode lets you attach a file to a message (up to 50 MB). The assistant reads it alongside any indexed documents it retrieves. See [AI Assistant → File Attachments](/user-guide/ai-assistant#file-attachments) for details. Search mode doesn't accept attachments — it only queries the index.