diff --git a/src/utils/__tests__/fuzzyMatch.spec.ts b/src/utils/__tests__/fuzzyMatch.spec.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..be87435
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/utils/__tests__/fuzzyMatch.spec.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,24 @@
+import { describe, it, expect } from 'vitest'
+import { fuzzyMatch } from '../fuzzyMatch'
+
+describe('fuzzyMatch', () => {
+  it('matches an empty query against anything', () => {
+    expect(fuzzyMatch('', 'Groceries')).toBe(true)
+    expect(fuzzyMatch('   ', 'Groceries')).toBe(true)
+  })
+
+  it('matches an exact substring, case-insensitively', () => {
+    expect(fuzzyMatch('milk', 'Buy milk and eggs')).toBe(true)
+    expect(fuzzyMatch('MILK', 'buy milk and eggs')).toBe(true)
+  })
+
+  it('tolerates a couple of off characters', () => {
+    expect(fuzzyMatch('mikl', 'Buy milk and eggs')).toBe(true)
+    expect(fuzzyMatch('grocries', 'Groceries')).toBe(true)
+  })
+
+  it('does not match unrelated text', () => {
+    expect(fuzzyMatch('xyz', 'Groceries')).toBe(false)
+    expect(fuzzyMatch('banana', 'Groceries')).toBe(false)
+  })
+})
diff --git a/src/utils/fuzzyMatch.ts b/src/utils/fuzzyMatch.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..0015370
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/utils/fuzzyMatch.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,45 @@
+function levenshtein(a: string, b: string): number {
+  const rows = a.length + 1
+  const cols = b.length + 1
+  let prev: number[] = Array.from({ length: cols }, (_, j) => j)
+
+  for (let i = 1; i < rows; i++) {
+    const curr: number[] = [i]
+    for (let j = 1; j < cols; j++) {
+      const cost = a[i - 1] === b[j - 1] ? 0 : 1
+      curr.push(Math.min((curr[j - 1] ?? 0) + 1, (prev[j] ?? 0) + 1, (prev[j - 1] ?? 0) + cost))
+    }
+    prev = curr
+  }
+
+  return prev[cols - 1] ?? 0
+}
+
+function maxDistanceFor(queryLength: number): number {
+  if (queryLength <= 4) return 1
+  return 2
+}
+
+/**
+ * Cheap, local fuzzy substring match: true if `text` contains a run of
+ * characters within edit-distance of `query` (tolerating ~1-2 typos).
+ */
+export function fuzzyMatch(query: string, text: string): boolean {
+  const q = query.trim().toLowerCase()
+  if (!q) return true
+
+  const t = text.toLowerCase()
+  if (t.includes(q)) return true
+
+  const maxDistance = maxDistanceFor(q.length)
+  const minLen = Math.max(1, q.length - maxDistance)
+  const maxLen = q.length + maxDistance
+
+  for (let len = minLen; len <= maxLen; len++) {
+    for (let start = 0; start + len <= t.length; start++) {
+      if (levenshtein(q, t.substring(start, start + len)) <= maxDistance) return true
+    }
+  }
+
+  return false
+}
diff --git a/src/views/ListDetailView.vue b/src/views/ListDetailView.vue
index edfd859..f7f8b05 100644
--- a/src/views/ListDetailView.vue
+++ b/src/views/ListDetailView.vue
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ import { ref, computed, onMounted, watch } from 'vue'
 import { useRouter } from 'vue-router'
 import { useListsStore } from '@/stores/lists'
 import type { LocalListItem } from '@/database/db'
+import { fuzzyMatch } from '@/utils/fuzzyMatch'
 import ListItemRow from '@/components/ListItemRow.vue'
 import DeleteListModal from '@/components/DeleteListModal.vue'
 import { useDismissableMenu } from '@/composables/useDismissableMenu'
@@ -12,7 +13,8 @@ const props = defineProps<{ id: string }>()
 const router = useRouter()
 const listsStore = useListsStore()
 
-const newItemTitle = ref('')
+// Doubles as the "add item" text box and the live filter query on the list below.
+const itemInput = ref('')
 const isAddingItem = ref(false)
 const itemError = ref('')
 const showDeleteModal = ref(false)
@@ -44,11 +46,21 @@ function byModifiedDesc(a: LocalListItem, b: LocalListItem) {
   return (b.modified_at ?? '').localeCompare(a.modified_at ?? '')
 }
 
+// Filtering is local and fuzzy only, for display purposes — it never touches
+// the server or the sync queue.
+const filterQuery = computed(() => itemInput.value.trim())
+
+const filteredItems = computed(() => {
+  const query = filterQuery.value
+  if (!query) return items.value
+  return items.value.filter((item) => fuzzyMatch(query, item.title))
+})
+
 const pendingItems = computed(() =>
-  items.value.filter((item) => !item.is_completed).sort(byModifiedDesc),
+  filteredItems.value.filter((item) => !item.is_completed).sort(byModifiedDesc),
 )
 const completedItems = computed(() =>
-  items.value.filter((item) => item.is_completed).sort(byModifiedDesc),
+  filteredItems.value.filter((item) => item.is_completed).sort(byModifiedDesc),
 )
 
 function handleOpenDelete() {
@@ -72,14 +84,14 @@ async function handleConfirmDelete() {
 }
 
 async function handleAddItem() {
-  const title = newItemTitle.value.trim()
+  const title = filterQuery.value
   if (!title) return
 
   itemError.value = ''
   isAddingItem.value = true
   try {
     await listsStore.createListItem(props.id, title)
-    newItemTitle.value = ''
+    itemInput.value = ''
   } catch (err) {
     itemError.value = err instanceof Error ? err.message : 'Failed to add item'
   } finally {
@@ -146,7 +158,7 @@ async function handleAddItem() {
       <form class="new-item-form" @submit.prevent="handleAddItem">
         <div class="field">
           <input
-            v-model="newItemTitle"
+            v-model="itemInput"
             type="text"
             placeholder="Add an item…"
             :disabled="isAddingItem"
@@ -155,7 +167,7 @@ async function handleAddItem() {
         <button
           type="submit"
           class="btn btn-primary add-btn"
-          :disabled="isAddingItem || !newItemTitle.trim()"
+          :disabled="isAddingItem || !filterQuery"
         >
           +
         </button>
@@ -177,6 +189,7 @@ async function handleAddItem() {
       </section>
 
       <p v-if="items.length === 0" class="empty-hint">No items yet — add your first one above.</p>
+      <p v-else-if="filteredItems.length === 0" class="empty-hint">No items match "{{ filterQuery }}".</p>
 
       <DeleteListModal
         v-if="showDeleteModal && list"