---
title: "How to find a dataset in the public portal"
description: "Search, sort, switch layout, and page through the public Data page to find a dataset an account has made public. No sign-in is needed."
seo:
  title: "Find a dataset in the public portal"
sidebar:
  label: "Find a dataset (public)"
---

The `Data` page lists every dataset that an account has made public. You can search, sort, switch between card and list layout, and page through the results. This guide explains each visitor control.

For a full catalog of every element on the page, see the [Data portal reference](/docs/portals/data-portal-reference). For the rules that decide which datasets appear, see [How portals work in MangoMap](/docs/portals/concepts-portals).

## Open the portal

The portal lives at `https://mangomap.com/<account-slug>/data` (or the equivalent path on a connected custom domain).

A connected custom domain redirects its root URL to the `Maps` page, not the `Data` page. To land on `Data` from a custom domain, use the `Maps` / `Data` toggle at the left end of the search bar to switch.

## Search by name

Type into the search box in the centre of the search bar. The list filters as you type.

A match is any case-insensitive substring in:

- The dataset's title.
- The dataset's description.
- The dataset creator's name.
- Any tag on the dataset.

The clear button (X) at the right of the search box empties the field.

## Sort the list

The sort dropdown sits on the right side of the search bar. The list starts in the order the account owner set, or `Title (A-Z)` if they didn't set one. You can sort by:
| Option                   | What it does                                |
| ------------------------ | ------------------------------------------- |
| `Title (A-Z)`            | Alphabetical                                |
| `Title (Z-A)`            | Reverse alphabetical                        |
| `Newest First`           | Most recently created first                 |
| `Oldest First`           | Oldest created first                        |
| `Recently Updated`       | Most recently updated first                 |
| `Size (smallest first)`  | File size, smallest first                   |
| `Size (biggest first)`   | File size, biggest first                    |

Your choice is remembered for the rest of the session.

## Switch between card and list view

The layout toggle (two icons — a grid for `Card` and rows for `List`) sits between the search box and the sort menu.

<img src="/_assets/portals/find-a-dataset-in-the-public-portal-card.png" alt="Public Data portal seen by a signed-out visitor in card view, with the search bar, card and list toggle, and sort menu above dataset cards" width="1600" height="960" />
<img src="/_assets/portals/find-a-dataset-in-the-public-portal-list.png" alt="Public Data portal seen by a signed-out visitor in list view, with one row per dataset: a square thumbnail, the title, and the description" width="1600" height="960" />

- **Card view** shows a 16:9 thumbnail above the title and description for each dataset. A small geometry icon (point, polygon, line, raster, or WMS) sits to the left of the title.
- **List view** stacks compact rows with a square thumbnail on the left. Useful when scanning many datasets at once.

The portal's default layout is set by the account owner under `Customisation`. Your switch overrides the default for the session.

## Page through the results

The grid shows 12 datasets per page. When there are more, a pagination control appears at the bottom of the page with previous, next, and direct page-number buttons.

## Open a dataset

Click anywhere on a card (or anywhere on a list row) to open the dataset's detail page in the same tab. The detail page keeps the portal header and footer.

## Related

- [Data portal reference](/docs/portals/data-portal-reference) — every element on the page, in order.
- [How portals work in MangoMap](/docs/portals/concepts-portals) — what the portal is, and the difference between visitor and signed-in modes.
- [How to find a map in the public portal](/docs/portals/find-a-map-in-the-public-portal) — the parallel page for browsing maps.