diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 90c8a6d..1aa8671 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@ A terminal ui for signal-cli, written in Go.
 * configurable contact [colors](config/README.md#configure-contact-colors)
 * can use [fzf](https://github.com/junegunn/fzf) to fuzzy-find files to attach
 * support for groups! (but not creating new groups)
+* quickly filter messages by providing a regex pattern
 
 ### Dependencies
 
@@ -61,6 +62,7 @@ If you are updating from a previous version, I recommend deleting your conversat
 * `K` - Previous Contact
 * `a` - Attach file (sent with next message)
 * `A` - Use fzf to attach a file
+* `/` - Filter conversation by providing a pattern
 * `i` - Insert Mode
   * `CTRL+L` - Clear input field (also clears staged attachments)
 * `I` - Compose (opens $EDITOR and lets you make a fancy message)
diff --git a/model/model.go b/model/model.go
index d14dee2..cdde553 100644
--- a/model/model.go
+++ b/model/model.go
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ import (
 	"fmt"
 	"os"
 	"path/filepath"
+	"regexp"
 	"sort"
 	"time"
 
@@ -252,6 +253,22 @@ func (c *Conversation) String() string {
 	return out
 }
 
+// Filter redners the conversation, but filters out any messages that don't have a regex match
+// TODO: eliminate code duplication with String()
+func (c *Conversation) Filter(pattern string) string {
+	if pattern == "" {
+		return c.String()
+	}
+	out := ""
+	for _, k := range c.MessageOrder {
+		s := c.Messages[k].String()
+		if found, err := regexp.MatchString(pattern, s); found == true || err != nil {
+			out += s
+		}
+	}
+	return out
+}
+
 // AddMessage appends a message to the conversation
 func (c *Conversation) AddMessage(message *Message) {
 	c.addMessage(message)
diff --git a/widgets/attach.go b/widgets/attach.go
index e310178..09537e9 100644
--- a/widgets/attach.go
+++ b/widgets/attach.go
@@ -72,7 +72,7 @@ func NewAttachInput(parent *ChatWindow) *CommandInput {
 
 // FZFFile opens up FZF and fuzzy-searches for a file
 func FZFFile() (string, error) {
-	cmd := exec.Command("fzf")
+	cmd := exec.Command("fzf", "--prompt=attach: ", "--margin=10%,10%,10%,10%", "--border")
 	cmd.Stdin = os.Stdin
 	cmd.Stderr = os.Stderr
 	buf := bytes.NewBuffer([]byte{})
diff --git a/widgets/chatwindow.go b/widgets/chatwindow.go
index c233846..9366d62 100644
--- a/widgets/chatwindow.go
+++ b/widgets/chatwindow.go
@@ -188,28 +188,22 @@ func (c *ChatWindow) FocusMe() {
 	c.app.SetFocus(c)
 }
 
-// ShowContactSearch opens a contact search panel
-func (c *ChatWindow) ShowContactSearch() {
-	log.Debug("SHOWING CONTACT SEARCH")
-	p := NewContactSearch(c)
-	c.searchPanel = p
-	c.SetRows(0, 3, p.maxHeight)
+// ShowAttachInput opens a commandPanel to choose a file to attach
+func (c *ChatWindow) ShowAttachInput() {
+	c.HideCommandInput() // only one at a time
+	log.Debug("SHOWING ATTACH INPUT")
+	p := NewAttachInput(c)
+	c.commandPanel = p
+	c.SetRows(0, 3, 1)
 	c.AddItem(p, 2, 0, 1, 2, 0, 0, false)
 	c.app.SetFocus(p)
 }
 
-// HideSearch hides any current search panel
-func (c *ChatWindow) HideSearch() {
-	log.Debug("HIDING SEARCH")
-	c.RemoveItem(c.searchPanel)
-	c.SetRows(0, 3)
-	c.FocusMe()
-}
-
-// ShowAttachInput opens a commandPanel to choose a file to attach
-func (c *ChatWindow) ShowAttachInput() {
-	log.Debug("SHOWING CONTACT SEARCH")
-	p := NewAttachInput(c)
+// ShowFilterInput opens a commandPanel to filter the conversation
+func (c *ChatWindow) ShowFilterInput() {
+	c.HideCommandInput() // only one at a time
+	log.Debug("SHOWING FILTER INPUT")
+	p := NewFilterInput(c)
 	c.commandPanel = p
 	c.SetRows(0, 3, 1)
 	c.AddItem(p, 2, 0, 1, 2, 0, 0, false)
@@ -220,7 +214,12 @@ func (c *ChatWindow) ShowAttachInput() {
 func (c *ChatWindow) HideCommandInput() {
 	log.Debug("HIDING COMMAND INPUT")
 	c.RemoveItem(c.commandPanel)
+	// TODO: this should happen automatically when i clear a FilterInput
+	// maybe command panel should be an interface with a "Close" method
+	// that does stuff like this
+	c.conversationPanel.Filter("")
 	c.SetRows(0, 3)
+	c.update()
 	c.FocusMe()
 }
 
@@ -232,7 +231,7 @@ func (c *ChatWindow) ShowStatusBar() {
 
 // HideStatusBar stops showing the status bar
 func (c *ChatWindow) HideStatusBar() {
-	c.RemoveItem(c.statusBar) // do we actually need to do this?
+	c.RemoveItem(c.statusBar)
 	c.SetRows(0, 3)
 }
 
@@ -441,59 +440,6 @@ func (c *ChatWindow) update() {
 	}
 }
 
-type SearchPanel struct {
-	*tview.Grid
-	list      *tview.TextView
-	input     *SearchInput
-	parent    *ChatWindow
-	maxHeight int
-}
-
-func (p *SearchPanel) Close() {
-	p.parent.HideSearch()
-}
-
-func NewContactSearch(parent *ChatWindow) *SearchPanel {
-	maxHeight := 10
-	p := &SearchPanel{
-		Grid:      tview.NewGrid().SetRows(maxHeight-3, 1),
-		list:      tview.NewTextView(),
-		parent:    parent,
-		maxHeight: maxHeight,
-	}
-	//contactList := parent.siggo.Contacts().SortedByName()
-	p.input = NewSearchInput(p)
-	p.AddItem(p.list, 0, 0, 1, 1, 0, 0, false)
-	p.AddItem(p.input, 1, 0, 1, 1, 0, 0, true)
-	p.SetBorder(true)
-	p.SetTitle("search contacts...")
-	return p
-}
-
-type SearchInput struct {
-	*tview.InputField
-	parent *SearchPanel
-}
-
-func NewSearchInput(parent *SearchPanel) *SearchInput {
-	si := &SearchInput{
-		InputField: tview.NewInputField(),
-		parent:     parent,
-	}
-	si.SetLabel("> ")
-	si.SetInputCapture(func(event *tcell.EventKey) *tcell.EventKey {
-		// Setup keys
-		log.Debugf("Key Event <SEARCH>: %v mods: %v rune: %v", event.Key(), event.Modifiers(), event.Rune())
-		switch event.Key() {
-		case tcell.KeyESC:
-			si.parent.Close()
-			return nil
-		}
-		return event
-	})
-	return si
-}
-
 type StatusBar struct {
 	*tview.TextView
 	parent *ChatWindow
@@ -558,6 +504,9 @@ func NewChatWindow(siggo *model.Siggo, app *tview.Application) *ChatWindow {
 			case 97: // a
 				w.ShowAttachInput()
 				return nil
+			case 47: // /
+				w.ShowFilterInput()
+				return nil
 			case 65: // a
 				w.FancyAttach()
 				return nil
@@ -589,10 +538,11 @@ func NewChatWindow(siggo *model.Siggo, app *tview.Application) *ChatWindow {
 		case tcell.KeyESC:
 			w.NormalMode()
 			w.HideStatusBar()
+			w.HideCommandInput()
 			return nil
-		case tcell.KeyCtrlT:
-			w.ShowContactSearch()
-			return nil
+		//case tcell.KeyCtrlT:
+		//w.ShowContactSearch()
+		//return nil
 		case tcell.KeyCtrlN:
 			w.NextUnreadMessage()
 			return nil
diff --git a/widgets/conversation.go b/widgets/conversation.go
index 12eeaec..01656c0 100644
--- a/widgets/conversation.go
+++ b/widgets/conversation.go
@@ -3,19 +3,23 @@ package widgets
 import (
 	"fmt"
 
-	"github.com/derricw/siggo/model"
 	"github.com/rivo/tview"
+	log "github.com/sirupsen/logrus"
+
+	"github.com/derricw/siggo/model"
 )
 
 type ConversationPanel struct {
 	*tview.TextView
 	hideTitle       bool
 	hidePhoneNumber bool
+	// only show messages matching a filter
+	filter string
 }
 
 func (p *ConversationPanel) Update(conv *model.Conversation) {
 	p.Clear()
-	p.SetText(conv.String())
+	p.SetText(conv.Filter(p.filter))
 	if !p.hideTitle {
 		if !p.hidePhoneNumber {
 			p.SetTitle(fmt.Sprintf("%s <%s>", conv.Contact.String(), conv.Contact.Number))
@@ -30,6 +34,11 @@ func (p *ConversationPanel) Clear() {
 	p.SetText("")
 }
 
+func (p *ConversationPanel) Filter(s string) {
+	log.Debugf("filtering converstaion: %s", s)
+	p.filter = s
+}
+
 func NewConversationPanel(siggo *model.Siggo) *ConversationPanel {
 	c := &ConversationPanel{
 		TextView: tview.NewTextView(),
diff --git a/widgets/filter.go b/widgets/filter.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..5d65b32
--- /dev/null
+++ b/widgets/filter.go
@@ -0,0 +1,38 @@
+package widgets
+
+import (
+	"github.com/gdamore/tcell"
+	"github.com/rivo/tview"
+	log "github.com/sirupsen/logrus"
+)
+
+// NewFilterInput is a command input that lets you filter the current conversation
+func NewFilterInput(parent *ChatWindow) *CommandInput {
+	ci := &CommandInput{
+		InputField: tview.NewInputField(),
+		parent:     parent,
+	}
+	ci.SetLabel("/")
+	//ci.SetText("")
+	ci.SetFieldBackgroundColor(tview.Styles.PrimitiveBackgroundColor)
+	ci.SetInputCapture(func(event *tcell.EventKey) *tcell.EventKey {
+		// Setup keys
+		log.Debugf("Key Event <FILTER>: %v mods: %v rune: %v", event.Key(), event.Modifiers(), event.Rune())
+		switch event.Key() {
+		case tcell.KeyESC:
+			ci.parent.conversationPanel.Filter("")
+			ci.parent.HideCommandInput()
+			return nil
+		case tcell.KeyEnter:
+			s := ci.GetText()
+			if s != "" {
+				ci.parent.conversationPanel.Filter(s)
+			}
+			ci.parent.NormalMode()
+			ci.parent.update()
+			return nil
+		}
+		return event
+	})
+	return ci
+}