> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://support.vlex.com/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://support.vlex.com/vincent-by-vlex/vincent/getting-started-with-vincent/searching-the-web-with-vincent-how-to-find-supporting-legal-materials-online.md).

# Searching the Web with Vincent: How to Find Supporting Legal Materials Online

Vincent's web search lets you find law firm briefings, research papers, and commentary online, alongside your vLex Library results, in one conversation.

### Summary

Vincent's web search feature lets you go beyond vLex Library to find online materials, including law firm briefings, research papers, news articles, and commentary, directly within your conversation. Web sources appear alongside your library results in the Cited Sources Tray, keeping your research in one place.

### Why This is Important

Legal research rarely relies on primary authority alone. Practitioners often need to consult agency guidance, academic commentary, industry briefings, or news coverage to build a complete picture of a legal issue. Previously, finding these materials meant leaving Vincent and searching separately. With web search, you can retrieve this supporting context as part of your existing research conversation, without breaking your workflow.

### How to Use Web Search in Vincent

#### Enabling Web Search

1. Open a conversation in the **Default Workflow**.
2. Locate the **web search toggle** in the Vincent interface and switch it **on**.
3. When prompted during the conversation, confirm that you would like web sources included in your results.

<figure><img src="https://1556743161-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2F-MS8Dq_iqEIflAmbaOkI-887967055%2Fuploads%2Ff5DpFwvdbOd0GKEfaL1H%2FWeb%20Search%2C%20activated.%20Two%20steps%20to%20bring%20the%20entire%20web%20into%20your%20Vincent%20research%20flow..gif?alt=media&amp;token=7a251be9-8759-4fce-91f4-7076e49fb614" alt=""><figcaption><p>Web Search, activated. Two steps to bring the entire web into your Vincent research flow.</p></figcaption></figure>

{% hint style="info" %}
Web search is opt-in. If you do not enable the toggle, Vincent will retrieve results exclusively from vLex Library.
{% endhint %}

#### Running a Search That Includes Web Sources

1. With the web search toggle enabled, type your research question as normal, for example: *"Find SEC guidance on material nonpublic information and insider trading obligations"* or *"What is the latest commentary on non-compete enforceability after the FTC rule?"*
2. Vincent will search vLex Library **first**, then supplement results with relevant web sources.
3. Once Vincent responds, look for the **Cited Sources** indicator beneath the response. This will show source type pills such as **Web Sources** and **Secondary**.
4. Click the **Cited Sources** button or the **Cited Sources margin flag** on the right of the page to open the tray.

#### Reviewing Web Sources in the Cited Sources Tray

1. Open the **Cited Sources Tray** from the button at the end of the response or the margin flag.
2. Select the **Web Sources** pill to filter and view only web results.
3. Click on any web source to open it directly via its link.
4. Use the **Search within results** field to find a specific source by name.
5. Sources can be sorted alphabetically using the sort control in the tray.

<figure><img src="https://1556743161-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2F-MS8Dq_iqEIflAmbaOkI-887967055%2Fuploads%2FAzvnAd8cDJbYPDn6oYy3%2FOpen%20it.%20Filter%20it.%20Click%20through.%20The%20Cited%20Sources%20Tray%20puts%20every%20web%20source%20Vincent%20found%20one%20tap%20away%2C%20searchable%2C%20sortable%2C%20yours..gif?alt=media&amp;token=109197d9-da26-4bc2-a1b9-1f904695bf02" alt=""><figcaption><p>Open it. Filter it. Click through. The Cited Sources Tray puts every web source Vincent found one tap away, searchable, sortable, yours.</p></figcaption></figure>

#### Switching Web Search Off

1. Use the **web search toggle** at any point during your conversation to turn web search off.
2. Subsequent questions in the same conversation will then retrieve only library materials.

{% hint style="info" %}
You can toggle web search on and off at any point to tailor results to the nature of your query and the intended use of your output.
{% endhint %}

### Best Practices & Pro Tips

**Use web search for supporting materials, not primary authority.** Web search is most valuable when you need contextual or explanatory materials, federal agency guidance, academic papers, law firm client alerts, or news items, to complement the primary cases and statutes you have already found in vLex Library. For example, after researching the statutory framework of the Americans with Disabilities Act, you might use web search to find recent EEOC guidance or law firm commentary on emerging enforcement trends. For client-facing work, always ground your primary legal analysis in Library sources.

**Use specific, topic-focused queries to surface relevant commentary.** When researching an area with active regulatory or legislative development, such as data privacy, AI liability, or antitrust enforcement, include the agency name or statutory reference in your prompt. For example: *"Find commentary on CFPB rulemaking on open banking and consumer data rights"* or *"What are law firm perspectives on FTC merger review changes in 2025?"*. This helps Vincent return the most relevant web materials rather than generic results.

### Related Articles

* [Understanding Data Protection](/vincent-by-vlex/vincent/security-privacy-and-compliance/understanding-data-protection.md)
* [Requesting a Demo or Trial of Vincent](/vincent-by-vlex/vincent/support-and-account-administration/requesting-a-demo-or-trial-of-vincent.md)

**What's Your Next Step?**

| **New to Vincent?**                                                                                                                                                                                        | **Already a Vincent Customer?**                                                                                                                            |
| ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| [See how Vincent can transform your practice. **Request a personalized demo**.](https://vlex.com/book-a-demo?utm_source=website\&utm_medium=organic\&utm_campaign=web_trial_homepage\&campaign_id=4270741) | [If you still have questions or need help with a specific feature, our team is here to assist. **Contact our Support team**.](https://vlex.com/contact-us) |