diff --git a/frontend/src/components/ui/Sidebar/Sidebar.tsx b/frontend/src/components/ui/Sidebar/Sidebar.tsx
index 9a4879aa..db5b67f2 100644
--- a/frontend/src/components/ui/Sidebar/Sidebar.tsx
+++ b/frontend/src/components/ui/Sidebar/Sidebar.tsx
@@ -14,7 +14,8 @@ export default function Sidebar() {
     filteredZonesMap,
     filteredZoneFavorites,
     filteredFileSharePathFavorites,
-    filteredFolderFavorites
+    filteredFolderFavorites,
+    hasResultsOutsideGroups
   } = useFilteredZonesAndFavorites();
 
   return (
@@ -54,6 +55,7 @@ export default function Sidebar() {
         />
         <ZonesBrowser
           filteredZonesMap={filteredZonesMap}
+          hasResultsOutsideGroups={hasResultsOutsideGroups}
           searchQuery={searchQuery}
         />
       </div>
diff --git a/frontend/src/components/ui/Sidebar/ZonesBrowser.tsx b/frontend/src/components/ui/Sidebar/ZonesBrowser.tsx
index 34ce2d7e..a214fdda 100644
--- a/frontend/src/components/ui/Sidebar/ZonesBrowser.tsx
+++ b/frontend/src/components/ui/Sidebar/ZonesBrowser.tsx
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 import { Collapse, Typography, List } from '@material-tailwind/react';
 import { HiChevronRight } from 'react-icons/hi';
 import { HiSquares2X2 } from 'react-icons/hi2';
+import toast from 'react-hot-toast';
 
 import { ZonesAndFileSharePathsMap } from '@/shared.types';
 import { useZoneAndFspMapContext } from '@/contexts/ZonesAndFspMapContext';
@@ -12,13 +13,15 @@ import { Link } from 'react-router';
 
 export default function ZonesBrowser({
   searchQuery,
-  filteredZonesMap
+  filteredZonesMap,
+  hasResultsOutsideGroups
 }: {
   readonly searchQuery: string;
   readonly filteredZonesMap: ZonesAndFileSharePathsMap;
+  readonly hasResultsOutsideGroups: boolean;
 }) {
   const { zonesAndFspQuery } = useZoneAndFspMapContext();
-  const { isFilteredByGroups } = usePreferencesContext();
+  const { isFilteredByGroups, toggleFilterByGroups } = usePreferencesContext();
   const { openZones, toggleOpenZones } = useOpenZones();
 
   const displayZones: ZonesAndFileSharePathsMap =
@@ -65,11 +68,45 @@ export default function ZonesBrowser({
             Object.keys(displayZones).length === 0 ? (
               <div className="px-4 py-6 text-center">
                 <Typography className="text-sm text-foreground/60">
-                  No zones match your filter '{searchQuery}'
-                </Typography>
-                <Typography className="text-xs text-foreground/60 mt-1">
-                  Try broadening your search to see more results
+                  No zones match your filter &apos;{searchQuery}&apos;
                 </Typography>
+                {hasResultsOutsideGroups ? (
+                  <div className="mt-3 px-2 py-3 bg-surface rounded-md text-left">
+                    <Typography className="text-xs text-foreground/70">
+                      Results exist in Zones outside your groups.
+                    </Typography>
+                    <Typography className="text-xs text-foreground mt-2">
+                      Change your zone display preferences to view:
+                    </Typography>
+                    <div className="flex items-center gap-2 mt-2">
+                      <input
+                        checked={isFilteredByGroups}
+                        className="icon-small checked:accent-secondary-light dark:checked:accent-secondary"
+                        id="sidebar_is_filtered_by_groups"
+                        onChange={async () => {
+                          const result = await toggleFilterByGroups();
+                          if (result.success) {
+                            toast.success('All Zones are now visible');
+                          } else {
+                            toast.error(result.error);
+                          }
+                        }}
+                        type="checkbox"
+                      />
+                      <Typography
+                        as="label"
+                        className="text-xs text-foreground"
+                        htmlFor="sidebar_is_filtered_by_groups"
+                      >
+                        Display Zones for your groups only
+                      </Typography>
+                    </div>
+                  </div>
+                ) : (
+                  <Typography className="text-xs text-foreground/60 mt-1">
+                    Try broadening your search to see more results
+                  </Typography>
+                )}
               </div>
             ) : (
               Object.entries(displayZones).map(([key, value]) => {
diff --git a/frontend/src/hooks/useFilteredZonesAndFavorites.ts b/frontend/src/hooks/useFilteredZonesAndFavorites.ts
index 32d45f38..f9a10d51 100644
--- a/frontend/src/hooks/useFilteredZonesAndFavorites.ts
+++ b/frontend/src/hooks/useFilteredZonesAndFavorites.ts
@@ -35,11 +35,14 @@ export default function useSearchFilter() {
   const [filteredFolderFavorites, setFilteredFolderFavorites] = useState<
     FolderFavorite[]
   >([]);
+  const [hasResultsOutsideGroups, setHasResultsOutsideGroups] =
+    useState<boolean>(false);
 
   const filterZonesMap = useCallback(
     (query: string) => {
       if (!zonesAndFspQuery.isSuccess) {
         setFilteredZonesMap({});
+        setHasResultsOutsideGroups(false);
         return;
       }
 
@@ -92,7 +95,28 @@ export default function useSearchFilter() {
         })
         .filter(Boolean); // Remove null entries
 
-      setFilteredZonesMap(Object.fromEntries(matches as [string, Zone][]));
+      const filteredResult = Object.fromEntries(matches as [string, Zone][]);
+      setFilteredZonesMap(filteredResult);
+
+      // Check if there would be results without group filtering
+      if (isFilteredByGroups && Object.keys(filteredResult).length === 0) {
+        const unfilteredMatches = Object.entries(zonesAndFspQuery.data).some(
+          ([key, value]) => {
+            if (key.startsWith('zone')) {
+              const zone = value as Zone;
+              const zoneNameMatches = zone.name.toLowerCase().includes(query);
+              const hasMatchingFsps = zone.fileSharePaths.some(fsp =>
+                fsp.name.toLowerCase().includes(query)
+              );
+              return zoneNameMatches || hasMatchingFsps;
+            }
+            return false;
+          }
+        );
+        setHasResultsOutsideGroups(unfilteredMatches);
+      } else {
+        setHasResultsOutsideGroups(false);
+      }
     },
     [zonesAndFspQuery, isFilteredByGroups, profile]
   );
@@ -147,6 +171,7 @@ export default function useSearchFilter() {
       filterAllFavorites(searchQuery);
     } else if (searchQuery === '' && isFilteredByGroups && profile?.groups) {
       // When search query is empty but group filtering is enabled, apply group filter
+      setHasResultsOutsideGroups(false);
       if (!zonesAndFspQuery.isSuccess) {
         setFilteredZonesMap({});
         setFilteredZoneFavorites([]);
@@ -189,6 +214,7 @@ export default function useSearchFilter() {
       setFilteredZoneFavorites([]);
       setFilteredFileSharePathFavorites([]);
       setFilteredFolderFavorites([]);
+      setHasResultsOutsideGroups(false);
     }
   }, [
     searchQuery,
@@ -208,6 +234,7 @@ export default function useSearchFilter() {
     filteredZoneFavorites,
     filteredFileSharePathFavorites,
     filteredFolderFavorites,
+    hasResultsOutsideGroups,
     handleSearchChange,
     clearSearch
   };