Answers.Body: <ol>
  <li>Create a group that DOES match the criteria.</li>
  <li>Go to Search - Custom Search - Include/Exclude search.</li>
  <li>Search for contacts excluding your group from (1).</li>
  </ol>
  
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 4.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2021-07-02T03:50:43.990Z
Answers.LastActivityDate: 2021-07-02T03:50:43.990Z
Answers.UserDisplayName: Demerit
Answers.Body: <p>you can also use the <a href="https://docs.civicrm.org/user/en/latest/the-user-interface/searching/#search-builder" rel="nofollow noreferrer">search builder</a></p>
  
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 4.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2021-07-07T11:25:37.393Z
Answers.Text: For some search criteria that would work, but for example you could not find those who did not attend a specific event. It would only include those who did attended another event and not those who didn't attend any events. So Demerit's suggestion is more widely applicable and what I regularly use.
Answers.UserDisplayName: Mick Kahn
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 4.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2021-07-07T15:03:01.083Z
Answers.Text: I agree for Event it's not adapted ;-)
Answers.UserDisplayName: Guillaume Sorel
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 4.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2021-07-07T19:57:00.683Z
Answers.Text: agree Search Builder can be v helpful. i  think Tags and Groups is another area it won't help
Answers.UserDisplayName: petednz - fuzion
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 4.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2021-07-09T11:29:01.283Z
Answers.Text: Might be helpful for others if you could update your answer to provide a reference to Search Builder - https://docs.civicrm.org/user/en/latest/the-user-interface/searching/#search-builder
Answers.UserDisplayName: William Mortada
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 4.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2021-07-12T08:09:26.963Z
Answers.Text: thanks Pete for the edit
Answers.UserDisplayName: Guillaume Sorel
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 4.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2021-07-07T07:10:53.310Z
Answers.LastActivityDate: 2021-07-10T21:03:48.347Z
Answers.LastEditDate: 2021-07-10T21:03:48.347Z
Answers.UserDisplayName: Guillaume Sorel
Answers.Body: <p>If you have an up-to-date version of CiviCRM you may want to check out <a href="https://civicrm.org/searchkit" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Search Kit</a> which is a new development that provides very powerful searching capabilities through the user interface.</p>
  <p>There is some <a href="https://docs.civicrm.org/user/en/latest/the-user-interface/search-kit/" rel="nofollow noreferrer">limited documentation in the User Guide</a> but note that this is still evolving.</p>
  
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 4.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2021-07-09T11:34:27.107Z
Answers.LastActivityDate: 2021-07-09T11:34:27.107Z
Answers.UserDisplayName: William Mortada
Body: <p>I need to create a group of contacts who do NOT match a certain search criteria.  Is there some way to do so using the browser interface?</p>
  <p>Thanks.
  -- Hugh</p>
  
Tags: <civicrm-entity>
Title: create a group of contacts NOT matching search criteria
ThreadText: # create a group of contacts NOT matching search criteria
  
  (Asked by: username_0 on 2021-07-02)
  
  I need to create a group of contacts who do NOT match a certain search criteria. Is there some way to do so using the browser interface?
  
  Thanks.
  -- Hugh
  
  **Tags:** civicrm-entity
  
  
  ---
  
  ## 3 answers
  
  ### Answer by username_1 on 2021-07-02. Score: 6
  
  1. Create a group that DOES match the criteria.
  2. Go to Search - Custom Search - Include/Exclude search.
  3. Search for contacts excluding your group from (1).
  
  
  ---
  
  ### Answer by username_2 on 2021-07-07. Score: 1
  
  you can also use the [search builder](https://docs.civicrm.org/user/en/latest/the-user-interface/searching/#search-builder)
  
  > **Comments:**
  > **username_3**: For some search criteria that would work, but for example you could not find those who did not attend a specific event. It would only include those who did attended another event and not those who didn't attend any events. So username_1's suggestion is more widely applicable and what I regularly use.  
  > **username_2**: I agree for Event it's not adapted ;-)  
  > **username_4**: agree Search Builder can be v helpful. i  think Tags and Groups is another area it won't help  
  > **username_5**: Might be helpful for others if you could update your answer to provide a reference to Search Builder - https://docs.civicrm.org/user/en/latest/the-user-interface/searching/#search-builder  
  > **username_2**: thanks Pete for the edit  
  
  ---
  
  ### Answer by username_5 on 2021-07-09. Score: 1
  
  If you have an up-to-date version of CiviCRM you may want to check out [Search Kit](https://civicrm.org/searchkit) which is a new development that provides very powerful searching capabilities through the user interface.
  
  There is some [limited documentation in the User Guide](https://docs.civicrm.org/user/en/latest/the-user-interface/search-kit/) but note that this is still evolving.
  
  
  ---
  
  