# Highlight nodes in search results list

**URL:** <https://discourse.nodered.org/t/highlight-nodes-in-search-results-list/99747>\
**Category:** Core Development\
**Tags:** search\
**Created:** [22 November 2025 06:53 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/highlight-nodes-in-search-results-list/99747 "2025-11-22T06:53:14Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 10\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![dceejay](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/dceejay/32/38_2.png) [@dceejay](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/dceejay)\
**Post date:** [6 December 2025 09:19 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/highlight-nodes-in-search-results-list/99747/21 "2025-12-06T09:19:34Z")

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I can't disagree with that - we don't want lots of special cases or variations to indicate the same thing. But I do think highlighting something then hiding it behind grey screen does seem counter-intuitive - so yes maybe a touch less dark/more transparent.

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**Author:** ![Colin](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/colin/32/17040_2.png) [@Colin](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/Colin)\
**Post date:** [6 December 2025 09:41 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/highlight-nodes-in-search-results-list/99747/22 "2025-12-06T09:41:08Z")

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I often have difficulty seeing which node is being highlighted, I would like a much brighter highlighting of some sort, that lasts longer.

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**Author:** ![gregorius](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/gregorius/32/73816_2.png) [@gregorius](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/gregorius)\
**Post date:** [6 December 2025 09:49 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/highlight-nodes-in-search-results-list/99747/23 "2025-12-06T09:49:13Z")

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> [@Colin](#):
>
> brighter highlighting of some sort,

> [@gregorius](#):
>
> A single node versus many hundreds, colour: function nodes (orange) or comment node (white).

Zooming out showing the entire workspace, then search. Zoom in and do a search.

So that's another use attribute to consider: zoom level.

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**Author:** ![system](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/uploads/nodered/original/1X/d073cd938eafa2e558d7c2cd59003b3ef4963033.png) [@system](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/system)\
**Post date:** [4 February 2026 09:49 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/highlight-nodes-in-search-results-list/99747/24 "2026-02-04T09:49:22Z")

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This topic was automatically closed 60 days after the last reply. New replies are no longer allowed.

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**Author:** ![knolleary](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/knolleary/32/3_2.png) [@knolleary](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/knolleary)\
**Post date:** [29 April 2026 13:05 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/highlight-nodes-in-search-results-list/99747/25 "2026-04-29T13:05:28Z")

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**Author:** ![knolleary](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/knolleary/32/3_2.png) [@knolleary](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/knolleary)\
**Post date:** [29 April 2026 13:13 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/highlight-nodes-in-search-results-list/99747/26 "2026-04-29T13:13:11Z")

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Coming back to this discussion, having lived with the change for a while there's an aspect I'm not enjoying - and have had feedback along similar lines from others.

By 'revealing' the node in the background of the search dialog when I simply move my mouse over the search result, it causes a lot of background scrolling. When there are lots of results and I'm scrolling through the list looking for the one I want, the scrolling of the workspace background is actually quite distracting. It also means I lose my place in the workspace - I can't get back to where I was.

I do wonder if there is a better solution that meets both needs. For example - what if clicking on the search result would do the reveal - but keep the dialog open (the reveal would need to take into account the search dialog position so it wouldn't obscure the node...). A second click, either on the selected entry, or outside the dialog, would then close the dialog. That allows the user to be more selective over when to move the current view.

Any thoughts? @gregorius the original proposal and PR came from you on this; I know the current behaviour fits your workflow, but I do feel like we need to tweak it.

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**Author:** ![gregorius](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/gregorius/32/73816_2.png) [@gregorius](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/gregorius)\
**Post date:** [29 April 2026 13:50 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/highlight-nodes-in-search-results-list/99747/27 "2026-04-29T13:50:10Z")

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Totally agree, it can be overwhelming is the current solution is definitely not the best, especially when nodes are far apart.

Some ideas (off-the-top of my head) I would throw in:

- having a delay before the refocusing happens
- slowing the animation that moves the node into focus - the speed of the animation adds to confusion.
- having an extra "locate" icon next to the result - something like re-centre on me icon over at google maps. Making this a two click feature.  
 ![Screenshot 2026-04-29 at 15.35.23](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/uploads/nodered/original/3X/2/8/287de8398fa2036752a2c602a37d7263777b830b.png)
- add the icon and move the workspace if the mouse moves over the icon, i.e., on mouse over not mouse click (this speeds up the access to the feature and avoids accidently clicking next to the result and moving the focus to the node).
- toggle in the settings to turn on the behaviour - so that the user is aware of what is happening.
- could also have a arrow indicating the general direction, i.e. if the node is left, then have an arrow appear pointing in that direction or arrow to the right, below or above. This makes sense if one things of the flow tab as being a map with directions - think of a compass.

these are all non-trivial and just ideas, non-thought out in other words. Strangely I find the map idea analogy appealing - add a compass to the workspace and being able to rotate a workspace, much like google/apple maps! 😉

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**Author:** ![knolleary](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/knolleary/32/3_2.png) [@knolleary](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/knolleary)\
**Post date:** [29 April 2026 14:10 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/highlight-nodes-in-search-results-list/99747/28 "2026-04-29T14:10:48Z")

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> [@gregorius](#):
>
> having an extra "locate" icon next to the result - something like re-centre on me icon over at google maps. Making this a two click feature.

This is probably the easiest option and most accessible. To be honest, I wanted to get your blessing to do _something_ here before I mucked around with it, given it was your proposal originally 🙂

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**Author:** ![gregorius](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/gregorius/32/73816_2.png) [@gregorius](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/gregorius)\
**Post date:** [29 April 2026 15:46 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/highlight-nodes-in-search-results-list/99747/29 "2026-04-29T15:46:10Z")

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> [@knolleary](#):
>
> your blessing to do _something_ here before

Thank you Nick, I appreciate that even if I don't expect it - i.e. it's not "my feature" once it hits main branch, I think we all can pivot and discuss changes from there.

Btw I think using mouse-over on the icon would be more suitable than a click considering the search box disappears when a search result is clicked on. So a click on the locate icon would be inconsistent with the existing expectation (plus avoids click-miss-close annoyance).

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**Author:** ![knolleary](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/knolleary/32/3_2.png) [@knolleary](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/knolleary)\
**Post date:** [30 April 2026 10:14 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/highlight-nodes-in-search-results-list/99747/30 "2026-04-30T10:14:24Z")

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Have raised [Remove reveal on hover in search results and provide button by knolleary · Pull Request #5684 · node-red/node-red · GitHub](https://github.com/node-red/node-red/pull/5684) to remove the auto-reveal and add a button to do it.

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