diff --git a/e2e/filtering.spec.ts b/e2e/filtering.spec.ts
index aa1fe65e..b80aeea5 100644
--- a/e2e/filtering.spec.ts
+++ b/e2e/filtering.spec.ts
@@ -54,3 +54,13 @@ test('clicking topic shows entries related to that topic', async ({ page }) => {
   await expect(page.locator('.note-list__title', { hasText: 'Build Laputa App' })).toBeVisible()
   await page.screenshot({ path: 'test-results/filter-topic.png' })
 })
+
+test('search bar filters by title substring', async ({ page }) => {
+  await page.fill('.note-list__search-input', 'budget')
+  await page.waitForTimeout(100)
+  const count = page.locator('.note-list__count')
+  await expect(count).toHaveText('1')
+  await expect(page.locator('.note-list__title', { hasText: 'Budget Allocation' })).toBeVisible()
+  await expect(page.locator('.note-list__title', { hasText: 'Build Laputa App' })).not.toBeVisible()
+  await page.screenshot({ path: 'test-results/search-budget.png' })
+})
diff --git a/src/components/NoteList.css b/src/components/NoteList.css
index 76102c8b..adb10c65 100644
--- a/src/components/NoteList.css
+++ b/src/components/NoteList.css
@@ -29,6 +29,32 @@
   border-radius: 10px;
 }
 
+/* Search */
+.note-list__search {
+  padding: 8px 12px;
+  border-bottom: 1px solid #2a2a4a;
+}
+
+.note-list__search-input {
+  width: 100%;
+  padding: 6px 10px;
+  background: #1e1e3a;
+  border: 1px solid #2a2a4a;
+  border-radius: 6px;
+  color: #e0e0e0;
+  font-size: 13px;
+  outline: none;
+  box-sizing: border-box;
+}
+
+.note-list__search-input::placeholder {
+  color: #666;
+}
+
+.note-list__search-input:focus {
+  border-color: #4a4a7a;
+}
+
 .note-list__items {
   flex: 1;
 }
diff --git a/src/components/NoteList.test.tsx b/src/components/NoteList.test.tsx
index b23ed01d..6584c057 100644
--- a/src/components/NoteList.test.tsx
+++ b/src/components/NoteList.test.tsx
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-import { render, screen } from '@testing-library/react'
+import { render, screen, fireEvent } from '@testing-library/react'
 import { describe, it, expect } from 'vitest'
 import { NoteList } from './NoteList'
 import type { VaultEntry, SidebarSelection } from '../types'
@@ -132,4 +132,32 @@ describe('NoteList', () => {
     expect(screen.getByText('Build Laputa App')).toBeInTheDocument()
     expect(screen.queryByText('Facebook Ads Strategy')).not.toBeInTheDocument()
   })
+
+  it('renders a search bar', () => {
+    render(<NoteList entries={mockEntries} selection={allSelection} />)
+    expect(screen.getByPlaceholderText('Search notes...')).toBeInTheDocument()
+  })
+
+  it('filters by search query (case-insensitive substring)', () => {
+    render(<NoteList entries={mockEntries} selection={allSelection} />)
+    const input = screen.getByPlaceholderText('Search notes...')
+    fireEvent.change(input, { target: { value: 'facebook' } })
+    expect(screen.getByText('Facebook Ads Strategy')).toBeInTheDocument()
+    expect(screen.queryByText('Build Laputa App')).not.toBeInTheDocument()
+    expect(screen.getByText('1')).toBeInTheDocument()
+  })
+
+  it('sorts entries by last modified descending', () => {
+    const entriesWithDifferentDates: VaultEntry[] = [
+      { ...mockEntries[0], modifiedAt: 1000, title: 'Oldest' },
+      { ...mockEntries[1], modifiedAt: 3000, title: 'Newest', path: '/p2' },
+      { ...mockEntries[2], modifiedAt: 2000, title: 'Middle', path: '/p3' },
+    ]
+    render(<NoteList entries={entriesWithDifferentDates} selection={allSelection} />)
+    const titles = screen.getAllByClassName
+      ? [] // fallback
+      : screen.getAllByText(/Oldest|Newest|Middle/)
+    const titleTexts = titles.map((el) => el.textContent)
+    expect(titleTexts).toEqual(['Newest', 'Middle', 'Oldest'])
+  })
 })
diff --git a/src/components/NoteList.tsx b/src/components/NoteList.tsx
index 6e168d0b..0038457e 100644
--- a/src/components/NoteList.tsx
+++ b/src/components/NoteList.tsx
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+import { useState } from 'react'
 import type { VaultEntry, SidebarSelection } from '../types'
 import './NoteList.css'
 
@@ -50,20 +51,50 @@ function filterEntries(entries: VaultEntry[], selection: SidebarSelection): Vaul
   }
 }
 
+function sortByModified(a: VaultEntry, b: VaultEntry): number {
+  return (b.modifiedAt ?? 0) - (a.modifiedAt ?? 0)
+}
+
 export function NoteList({ entries, selection }: NoteListProps) {
+  const [search, setSearch] = useState('')
+
   const filtered = filterEntries(entries, selection)
 
+  // Sort: for entity view, keep pinned first, sort children; otherwise sort all
+  let sorted: VaultEntry[]
+  if (selection.kind === 'entity' && filtered.length > 0) {
+    const [pinned, ...children] = filtered
+    sorted = [pinned, ...children.sort(sortByModified)]
+  } else {
+    sorted = [...filtered].sort(sortByModified)
+  }
+
+  // Search filter (title substring, case-insensitive)
+  const query = search.trim().toLowerCase()
+  const displayed = query
+    ? sorted.filter((e) => e.title.toLowerCase().includes(query))
+    : sorted
+
   return (
     <div className="note-list">
       <div className="note-list__header">
         <h3>Notes</h3>
-        <span className="note-list__count">{filtered.length}</span>
+        <span className="note-list__count">{displayed.length}</span>
+      </div>
+      <div className="note-list__search">
+        <input
+          type="text"
+          className="note-list__search-input"
+          placeholder="Search notes..."
+          value={search}
+          onChange={(e) => setSearch(e.target.value)}
+        />
       </div>
       <div className="note-list__items">
-        {filtered.length === 0 ? (
+        {displayed.length === 0 ? (
           <div className="note-list__empty">No notes found</div>
         ) : (
-          filtered.map((entry, i) => (
+          displayed.map((entry, i) => (
             <div
               key={entry.path}
               className={`note-list__item${