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Guide

Help & Search Guide

Everything you need to know about using epstein.locker to search the released Epstein Files.

What is epstein.locker?

epstein.locker is a free, public-interest search tool that provides full-text search across the released Epstein Files hosted by the U.S. Department of Justice. These documents were released as part of legal proceedings and are a matter of public record.

Instead of manually downloading and scanning hundreds of PDF files from the DOJ archive, you can type a keyword here and instantly find every document that mentions it — complete with highlighted excerpts and page numbers.

How Search Works

epstein.locker offers two search modes: Single Term for quick keyword searches, and Cross-Reference for finding documents that contain two specific terms together.

When you enter a search term, epstein.locker queries an index of the full text content of every released document. Results show:

  • Document filename — the original DOJ file name, clickable to open the source PDF
  • Page count and file size — so you know what you're opening
  • Highlighted excerpts — matching text shown in context with the page number where it appears
  • Multiple matching sections — if a term appears on several pages, each occurrence is shown separately

Search Techniques

Basic Search

Type any word or phrase with at least 3 characters and press Enter or click Search. Results appear ranked by relevance.

Example maxwell

Cross-Reference Search

NEW

Use the Cross-Reference toggle on the search page to find documents that contain both of two specific terms. Select from the available terms in the dropdown to find connections between people, places, dates, and events across the archive.

The system indexes all results for each term and then finds the intersection — documents where both terms appear. For popular terms this is instant; for new terms, indexing takes a few seconds and you'll see a progress indicator.

Switching Search Modes

On the landing page, you'll see a toggle below the search bar with two options:

  • Single Term — search for one keyword (default). Results show every document containing that term, ranked by relevance.
  • Cross-Reference — enter two terms. Results show only documents containing both terms, with matching excerpts from each.

Each result card in cross-reference mode shows where each term was found in the document, making it easy to see the connection at a glance.

Minimum Length

3+

Each search term must be at least 3 characters long. Short words like "of", "to", or "an" are too common to produce useful results and are ignored by the search engine.

Spelling Variations

Documents were produced by different courts, offices, and agencies over many years. Names and locations may be spelled differently across files. If you're not finding what you expect, try alternate spellings or partial names.

Features

Open Source Documents

Click any filename to open the original PDF directly from the DOJ archive. No files are altered or hosted by epstein.locker.

Share Findings

Share any result to X, Facebook, WhatsApp, Bluesky, Reddit, or Telegram. The share text includes a quoted excerpt and a direct link back to the search result.

Cross-Reference Search

Find documents containing two specific terms together. Toggle to Cross-Reference mode, select both terms from the dropdown, and discover connections across the archive. Popular term combinations return results instantly.

Report Unredacted Victims

If you find a document containing unredacted victim information, use the Report button on any result card. Reports are submitted anonymously and reviewed promptly.

Copy Link

Copy a direct link to any search result. Links preserve your search query so anyone you share with sees the same results.

Dark & Light Mode

Toggle between dark and light themes using the button in the search bar. Your preference is saved across visits.

Search Stats

View the most popular search terms and trending queries on the Search Stats page. Stats are updated daily.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where do the documents come from?

All documents are sourced directly from the U.S. Department of Justice multimedia archive. epstein.locker does not host, modify, or redact any files. Every PDF you open comes straight from the DOJ.

Is this affiliated with the government?

No. epstein.locker is an independent, non-commercial tool built to make publicly available records easier to search. It is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or connected to any government agency.

How does cross-reference search work?

When you use cross-reference mode, the system indexes every page of results for each of your two terms, then finds documents that appear in both result sets. This means the results are comprehensive — if a document mentions both terms anywhere in its text, it will be found.

For frequently searched terms, the index is already built and results are instant. For less common terms, you'll see a progress bar while the system indexes the results. This typically takes 30–90 seconds depending on how many results each term has.

Why does cross-reference search sometimes take time?

Each search term may have hundreds of result pages. To ensure accuracy, the system indexes every page before computing the intersection. The progress indicator shows exactly how many pages are being processed and how long it should take. Once indexed, the same term combination will be instant on future searches.

Why can't I search for short words?

Terms under 3 characters (like "of", "to", "is") appear in virtually every document and would return thousands of unhelpful results. The 3-character minimum ensures your results are meaningful.

My search returned no results. What should I try?

  • Check your spelling — names in legal documents may use unusual spellings
  • Try a shorter or more general term
  • Use part of a name rather than the full name
  • If searching for multiple words, try each term individually first to confirm both appear in the archive

Can I link to a specific search?

Yes. Every search updates the URL in your browser's address bar. Copy it and share — anyone who opens the link will see the same search results. You can also use the Copy Link button on any result card.

How do I report a problem or give feedback?

Use the Contact link in the footer of the main page, or email contact@epstein.locker directly.