# Error when searching okta attributes containing double quotes

**URL:** <https://devforum.okta.com/t/error-when-searching-okta-attributes-containing-double-quotes/14869>\
**Category:** Questions\
**Created:** [June 23, 2021, 12:30pm UTC](https://devforum.okta.com/t/error-when-searching-okta-attributes-containing-double-quotes/14869 "2021-06-23T12:30:05Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![sripriya](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/82dd89/32.png) [@sripriya](https://devforum.okta.com/u/sripriya)\
**Post date:** [June 23, 2021, 12:30pm UTC](https://devforum.okta.com/t/error-when-searching-okta-attributes-containing-double-quotes/14869/1 "2021-06-23T12:30:05Z")

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Hi,  
I have created a new user whose first name contains a double quotes in it . I am trying to search the user with a postman API list user with search criteria .  
The API url looks like {{okta\_url}}/api/v1/users?search=profile.firstName+sw+%22%22Test%22%22  
When tested okta gives a "Invalid seach syntax " error . I have encoded the quotes as its a special character . I see when we edit it manually in okta profile we are able to add double quotes to firstname . Can we perform a okta search for a text with double quotes in it ? I see ,when searched with search textbox in okta console returns result , but when searched with API it doesn’t work .

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**Author:** ![okra-okta](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/oktadev/user_avatar/devforum.okta.com/okra-okta/32/2838_2.png) [@okra-okta](https://devforum.okta.com/u/okra-okta)\
**Post date:** [June 23, 2021, 3:59pm UTC](https://devforum.okta.com/t/error-when-searching-okta-attributes-containing-double-quotes/14869/2 "2021-06-23T15:59:06Z")

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You are correct that %22 is the url-encoding for double quotes.

You are using `profile.firstName+sw+%22%22Test%22%22` which means it looks like this url-decoded `profile.firstName sw ""Test""`. You have an extra set of double quotes.

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**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/oktadev/original/1X/589c4c5f80de422d01f47cee7185a7fb8227835c.png) [@system](https://devforum.okta.com/u/system)\
**Post date:** [February 8, 2024, 6:35pm UTC](https://devforum.okta.com/t/error-when-searching-okta-attributes-containing-double-quotes/14869/3 "2024-02-08T18:35:12Z")

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