diff --git a/app/src/main/AndroidManifest.xml b/app/src/main/AndroidManifest.xml
index 25f4250ff..a95a3ba3b 100644
--- a/app/src/main/AndroidManifest.xml
+++ b/app/src/main/AndroidManifest.xml
@@ -36,6 +36,14 @@
             android:name=".activities.MainActivity"
             android:resizeableActivity="true">
 
+            <meta-data
+                android:name="android.app.default_searchable"
+                android:resource="@xml/searchable"/>
+
+            <intent-filter>
+                <action android:name="android.intent.action.SEARCH"/>
+            </intent-filter>
+
             <intent-filter>
                 <action android:name="android.intent.action.PICK"/>
                 <category android:name="android.intent.category.DEFAULT"/>
diff --git a/app/src/main/kotlin/com/simplemobiletools/gallery/pro/activities/MainActivity.kt b/app/src/main/kotlin/com/simplemobiletools/gallery/pro/activities/MainActivity.kt
index fb3de0bde..5fff99950 100644
--- a/app/src/main/kotlin/com/simplemobiletools/gallery/pro/activities/MainActivity.kt
+++ b/app/src/main/kotlin/com/simplemobiletools/gallery/pro/activities/MainActivity.kt
@@ -1,7 +1,9 @@
 package com.simplemobiletools.gallery.pro.activities
 
 import android.app.Activity
+import android.app.SearchManager
 import android.content.ClipData
+import android.content.Context
 import android.content.Intent
 import android.net.Uri
 import android.os.Bundle
@@ -12,6 +14,8 @@ import android.view.MenuItem
 import android.view.ViewGroup
 import android.widget.FrameLayout
 import android.widget.Toast
+import androidx.appcompat.widget.SearchView
+import androidx.core.view.MenuItemCompat
 import androidx.recyclerview.widget.RecyclerView
 import com.simplemobiletools.commons.dialogs.ConfirmationDialog
 import com.simplemobiletools.commons.dialogs.CreateNewFolderDialog
@@ -61,6 +65,7 @@ class MainActivity : SimpleActivity(), DirectoryOperationsListener {
     private var mIsPasswordProtectionPending = false
     private var mWasProtectionHandled = false
     private var mShouldStopFetching = false
+    private var mIsSearchOpen = false
     private var mLatestMediaId = 0L
     private var mLatestMediaDateId = 0L
     private var mCurrentPathPrefix = ""                 // used at "Group direct subfolders" for navigation
@@ -68,6 +73,7 @@ class MainActivity : SimpleActivity(), DirectoryOperationsListener {
     private var mLastMediaHandler = Handler()
     private var mTempShowHiddenHandler = Handler()
     private var mZoomListener: MyRecyclerView.MyZoomListener? = null
+    private var mSearchMenuItem: MenuItem? = null
     private var mDirs = ArrayList<Directory>()
 
     private var mStoredAnimateGifs = true
@@ -218,6 +224,8 @@ class MainActivity : SimpleActivity(), DirectoryOperationsListener {
 
     override fun onStop() {
         super.onStop()
+        mSearchMenuItem?.collapseActionView()
+
         if (config.temporarilyShowHidden || config.tempSkipDeleteConfirmation) {
             mTempShowHiddenHandler.postDelayed({
                 config.temporarilyShowHidden = false
@@ -268,6 +276,7 @@ class MainActivity : SimpleActivity(), DirectoryOperationsListener {
                 findItem(R.id.reduce_column_count).isVisible = config.viewTypeFolders == VIEW_TYPE_GRID && config.dirColumnCnt > 1
                 findItem(R.id.hide_the_recycle_bin).isVisible = useBin && config.showRecycleBinAtFolders
                 findItem(R.id.show_the_recycle_bin).isVisible = useBin && !config.showRecycleBinAtFolders
+                setupSearch(this)
             }
         }
 
@@ -279,7 +288,6 @@ class MainActivity : SimpleActivity(), DirectoryOperationsListener {
 
     override fun onOptionsItemSelected(item: MenuItem): Boolean {
         when (item.itemId) {
-            R.id.search -> launchSearchActivity()
             R.id.sort -> showSortingDialog()
             R.id.filter -> showFilterMediaDialog()
             R.id.open_camera -> launchCamera()
@@ -323,6 +331,43 @@ class MainActivity : SimpleActivity(), DirectoryOperationsListener {
         }
     }
 
+    private fun setupSearch(menu: Menu) {
+        val searchManager = getSystemService(Context.SEARCH_SERVICE) as SearchManager
+        mSearchMenuItem = menu.findItem(R.id.search)
+        (mSearchMenuItem?.actionView as? SearchView)?.apply {
+            setSearchableInfo(searchManager.getSearchableInfo(componentName))
+            isSubmitButtonEnabled = false
+            setOnQueryTextListener(object : SearchView.OnQueryTextListener {
+                override fun onQueryTextSubmit(query: String) = false
+
+                override fun onQueryTextChange(newText: String): Boolean {
+                    if (mIsSearchOpen) {
+                        setupAdapter(mDirs, newText)
+                    }
+                    return true
+                }
+            })
+        }
+
+        MenuItemCompat.setOnActionExpandListener(mSearchMenuItem, object : MenuItemCompat.OnActionExpandListener {
+            override fun onMenuItemActionExpand(item: MenuItem?): Boolean {
+                mIsSearchOpen = true
+                directories_refresh_layout.isEnabled = false
+                return true
+            }
+
+            // this triggers on device rotation too, avoid doing anything
+            override fun onMenuItemActionCollapse(item: MenuItem?): Boolean {
+                if (mIsSearchOpen) {
+                    mIsSearchOpen = false
+                    directories_refresh_layout.isEnabled = config.enablePullToRefresh
+                    setupAdapter(mDirs, "")
+                }
+                return true
+            }
+        })
+    }
+
     private fun startNewPhotoFetcher() {
         if (isNougatPlus()) {
             val photoFetcher = NewPhotoFetcher()
diff --git a/app/src/main/res/menu/menu_main.xml b/app/src/main/res/menu/menu_main.xml
index 0d9b32e12..a7a56c606 100644
--- a/app/src/main/res/menu/menu_main.xml
+++ b/app/src/main/res/menu/menu_main.xml
@@ -5,7 +5,8 @@
         android:id="@+id/search"
         android:icon="@drawable/ic_search"
         android:title="@string/search"
-        app:showAsAction="always"/>
+        app:actionViewClass="androidx.appcompat.widget.SearchView"
+        app:showAsAction="collapseActionView|always"/>
     <item
         android:id="@+id/open_camera"
         android:icon="@drawable/ic_camera"