JEI Search Prefixes, Advanced Search Modes, and Sorting Options

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Search Prefixes and What They Do

JEI’s search bar accepts special prefixes to narrow results by specific criteria. Each prefix targets a different kind of searchable data, and you can combine them in a single query.

@ — Searches by mod name. For example, typing `@minecraft` filters results to items from the Minecraft mod.
# — Searches by tags. Tags are groups of ingredients that share a common label, such as item tags or block tags.
$ — Searches by tooltip text. This matches words that appear in an ingredient’s tooltip description.
^ — Searches by color. You can use this to find items that match a specific color value.
& — Searches by identifier. This refers to the internal resource location of an ingredient, like its registry name.

Configuring Search Modes

Each prefix has its own search mode setting. These modes control how strictly or loosely the prefix matches your typed text. You can adjust them in the JEI configuration options under the search-related section.

@Mod Name Search Mode — Controls how mod names are matched when using the `@` prefix.
Tag Search Mode — Controls matching for the `#` prefix.
$Tooltip Search Mode — Controls how tooltip text is matched with the `$` prefix.
^Color Search Mode — Controls how color values are matched with the `^` prefix.
&Identifier Search Mode — Controls how identifiers are matched with the `&` prefix.
Creative Tab Search Mode — Controls searching by creative mode tab names. The prefix for this mode is not shown in the list above, but it is available as a separate option.

Additional search-related options let you refine behavior further:

Search Advanced Tooltips — When enabled, the search also looks through advanced tooltip text that appears when you press F3 + H.
Search Mod Aliases — Includes alternative names for mods that plugins may add.
Search Short Mod Names — Matches the first letters of a mod’s name as a shorthand.
Search Ingredient Aliases — Includes alternative names for ingredients that plugins may add.
Search Mod IDs — Expands `@` searches to also match the mod’s internal ID, not just its display name.

Sorting the Ingredient List

The order of ingredients in the list is controlled by sorting stages. You can set these in the configuration under the sorting options.

Ingredient Sorting Stages — Determines the order of the main ingredient list on the right side of the screen.
Recipe Sorting Stages — Determines the order of recipes shown in the recipe GUI.

You can also enable two “first” options that affect sorting:

Show bookmarked recipes first — Puts any recipes you have bookmarked at the top of the recipe list.
Show craftable recipes first — Puts recipes you can currently craft ahead of others.

Using the Search Bar

To clear your current search, use the Clear Search Filter action. This resets the search bar to an empty state.

The search bar itself can be moved. One configuration option lets you place it at the bottom center of the screen instead of its default position.

Low-memory search mode — Reduces RAM usage during searches but makes them slower.
Lookup Fluid Contents — When you look up recipes for an item that holds fluids, this also searches for recipes involving those fluids.
Lookup ItemBlock Tags — When searching by tags, this includes tags for the default block form of an item.

Practical Tips

Combine prefixes to narrow results further, such as `@minecraft ^red` to find red items from the Minecraft mod.
Use the `#` prefix to find all items sharing a tag, which is useful for discovering related blocks or items.
If a search returns nothing, check that the prefix matches the correct search mode setting. Some modes may be set to exact matching, which requires full words rather than partial text.