diff --git a/src/app/routes/ProjectDetailsPage.tsx b/src/app/routes/ProjectDetailsPage.tsx
index eeaf67a..da2e94a 100644
--- a/src/app/routes/ProjectDetailsPage.tsx
+++ b/src/app/routes/ProjectDetailsPage.tsx
@@ -25,8 +25,8 @@ export function ProjectDetailsPage() {
   }>();
   const [, navigate] = useLocation();
   const [searchParams] = useSearchParams();
-  const group = searchParams.get('group');
-  const projectsHref = `/years/${yearId}/projects${group ? `?group=${encodeURIComponent(group)}` : ''}`;
+  const projectsSearch = searchParams.toString();
+  const projectsHref = `/years/${yearId}/projects${projectsSearch ? `?${projectsSearch}` : ''}`;
   const project = useProject(projectId);
   const ballotYearId = project.data?.project.yearId ?? yearId;
   const ballot = useBallotStatus(ballotYearId, project.data?.project.kind === 'project');
diff --git a/src/app/routes/ProjectsPage.tsx b/src/app/routes/ProjectsPage.tsx
index 2c3f81e..436ff43 100644
--- a/src/app/routes/ProjectsPage.tsx
+++ b/src/app/routes/ProjectsPage.tsx
@@ -36,15 +36,21 @@ function saveProjectsView(view: ProjectsView) {
 export function ProjectsPage({isAdmin = false}: {isAdmin?: boolean}) {
   const {yearId} = useParams<{yearId: string}>();
   const [searchParams, setSearchParams] = useSearchParams();
-  const [kind, setKind] = useState<'project' | 'idea'>('project');
+  const [defaultView] = useState<ProjectsView>(getProjectsView);
+  const kind = searchParams.get('kind') === 'idea' ? 'idea' : 'project';
   const group = searchParams.get('group') ?? '';
-  const [category, setCategory] = useState('');
-  const [hasVideoOnly, setHasVideoOnly] = useState(false);
-  const [searchInput, setSearchInput] = useState('');
-  const [search, setSearch] = useState('');
+  const category = searchParams.get('category') ?? '';
+  const hasVideoOnly = searchParams.get('hasVideo') === 'true';
+  const searchParam = searchParams.get('q') ?? '';
+  const [searchInput, setSearchInput] = useState(searchParam);
+  const previousSearchParam = useRef(searchParam);
+  const pendingSearchParam = useRef<string | undefined>(undefined);
+  const search = searchParam.trim();
+  const viewParam = searchParams.get('view');
+  const view: ProjectsView =
+    viewParam === 'grid' || viewParam === 'list' ? viewParam : defaultView;
   const [cursor, setCursor] = useState<string | undefined>();
   const [cursorHistory, setCursorHistory] = useState<Array<string | undefined>>([]);
-  const [view, setView] = useState<ProjectsView>(getProjectsView);
   const resultStart = useRef<HTMLElement | null>(null);
   const paginationRequestPending = useRef(false);
   const year = useYear(yearId);
@@ -80,26 +86,40 @@ export function ProjectsPage({isAdmin = false}: {isAdmin?: boolean}) {
     setCursorHistory([]);
   };
 
-  const selectGroup = (groupId: string) => {
+  const setFilter = (
+    name: string,
+    value: string | undefined,
+    options?: {replace?: boolean},
+  ) => {
     setSearchParams((current) => {
       const next = new URLSearchParams(current);
-      if (groupId) next.set('group', groupId);
-      else next.delete('group');
+      if (value) next.set(name, value);
+      else next.delete(name);
       return next;
-    });
-    resetPagination();
+    }, options);
   };
 
   useEffect(() => {
+    if (previousSearchParam.current !== searchParam) {
+      previousSearchParam.current = searchParam;
+      const internalUpdate = pendingSearchParam.current === searchParam;
+      pendingSearchParam.current = undefined;
+      if (!internalUpdate) setSearchInput(searchParam);
+      return;
+    }
+    if (searchInput === searchParam) return;
+
     const timeout = window.setTimeout(() => {
-      setSearch(searchInput.trim());
+      const nextSearchParam = searchInput.trim();
+      pendingSearchParam.current = nextSearchParam;
+      setFilter('q', nextSearchParam || undefined, {replace: true});
     }, SEARCH_DEBOUNCE_MS);
     return () => window.clearTimeout(timeout);
-  }, [searchInput]);
+  }, [searchInput, searchParam]);
 
   useEffect(() => {
     resetPagination();
-  }, [yearId, search, group]);
+  }, [yearId, kind, search, group, category, hasVideoOnly]);
 
   useEffect(() => {
     if (
@@ -135,7 +155,10 @@ export function ProjectsPage({isAdmin = false}: {isAdmin?: boolean}) {
                   ? 'browse the finished projects, teams, and award winners.'
                   : 'see what everyone is building, join a team, or share an idea.'}
               </p>
-              <MyProjectsStrip projects={year.data.myProjects} />
+              <MyProjectsStrip
+                projects={year.data.myProjects}
+                detailsSearch={searchParams.toString()}
+              />
             </div>
             <div className="heroActions">
               {(isAdmin || year.data.year.submissionsClosed) && (
@@ -161,6 +184,7 @@ export function ProjectsPage({isAdmin = false}: {isAdmin?: boolean}) {
               data={ballot.data}
               error={ballot.error}
               loading={ballot.isLoading}
+              detailsSearch={searchParams.toString()}
             />
           )}
           <div
@@ -187,8 +211,8 @@ export function ProjectsPage({isAdmin = false}: {isAdmin?: boolean}) {
                   className="textAction"
                   onClick={() => {
                     resetPagination();
+                    setFilter('q', undefined, {replace: true});
                     setSearchInput('');
-                    setSearch('');
                   }}
                 >
                   clear
@@ -209,7 +233,7 @@ export function ProjectsPage({isAdmin = false}: {isAdmin?: boolean}) {
               <button
                 className={kind === 'project' ? 'active' : ''}
                 onClick={() => {
-                  setKind('project');
+                  setFilter('kind', undefined);
                   resetPagination();
                 }}
               >
@@ -218,9 +242,7 @@ export function ProjectsPage({isAdmin = false}: {isAdmin?: boolean}) {
               <button
                 className={kind === 'idea' ? 'active' : ''}
                 onClick={() => {
-                  setKind('idea');
-                  setCategory('');
-                  setHasVideoOnly(false);
+                  setFilter('kind', 'idea');
                   resetPagination();
                 }}
               >
@@ -233,7 +255,10 @@ export function ProjectsPage({isAdmin = false}: {isAdmin?: boolean}) {
                   <span>Group</span>
                   <select
                     value={group}
-                    onChange={(event) => selectGroup(event.target.value)}
+                    onChange={(event) => {
+                      setFilter('group', event.target.value || undefined);
+                      resetPagination();
+                    }}
                   >
                     <option value="">All groups</option>
                     {year.data.groups.map((item) => (
@@ -250,7 +275,7 @@ export function ProjectsPage({isAdmin = false}: {isAdmin?: boolean}) {
                   <select
                     value={category}
                     onChange={(event) => {
-                      setCategory(event.target.value);
+                      setFilter('category', event.target.value || undefined);
                       resetPagination();
                     }}
                   >
@@ -269,7 +294,7 @@ export function ProjectsPage({isAdmin = false}: {isAdmin?: boolean}) {
                     type="checkbox"
                     checked={hasVideoOnly}
                     onChange={(event) => {
-                      setHasVideoOnly(event.target.checked);
+                      setFilter('hasVideo', event.target.checked ? 'true' : undefined);
                       resetPagination();
                     }}
                   />
@@ -284,7 +309,7 @@ export function ProjectsPage({isAdmin = false}: {isAdmin?: boolean}) {
                     aria-pressed={view === option}
                     key={option}
                     onClick={() => {
-                      setView(option);
+                      setFilter('view', option);
                       saveProjectsView(option);
                     }}
                   >
@@ -302,7 +327,7 @@ export function ProjectsPage({isAdmin = false}: {isAdmin?: boolean}) {
                 {year.data.awards.map((award) => (
                   <Link
                     key={award.id}
-                    href={`/years/${yearId}/projects/${award.projectId}${group ? `?group=${encodeURIComponent(group)}` : ''}`}
+                    href={`/years/${yearId}/projects/${award.projectId}${searchParams.size ? `?${searchParams}` : ''}`}
                   >
                     <span>{award.categoryName}</span>
                     <small>{getAwardCategoryDescription(award.categoryName)}</small>
@@ -340,11 +365,7 @@ export function ProjectsPage({isAdmin = false}: {isAdmin?: boolean}) {
                   view={view}
                   voteCategories={voteCategoriesByProject.get(project.id)}
                   showHelpLabel={!year.data.year.submissionsClosed}
-                  detailsSearch={
-                    kind === 'project' && group
-                      ? `group=${encodeURIComponent(group)}`
-                      : undefined
-                  }
+                  detailsSearch={searchParams.toString() || undefined}
                   key={project.id}
                 />
               ))}
@@ -389,7 +410,13 @@ export function ProjectsPage({isAdmin = false}: {isAdmin?: boolean}) {
   );
 }
 
-function MyProjectsStrip({projects}: {projects: ProjectSummary[]}) {
+function MyProjectsStrip({
+  projects,
+  detailsSearch,
+}: {
+  projects: ProjectSummary[];
+  detailsSearch: string;
+}) {
   if (!projects.length) return null;
   return (
     <section className="myProjects" aria-label="your projects">
@@ -398,7 +425,7 @@ function MyProjectsStrip({projects}: {projects: ProjectSummary[]}) {
         {projects.map((project) => (
           <Link
             className={`myProjectTile myProjectTile--${project.kind}`}
-            href={`/years/${project.yearId}/projects/${project.id}`}
+            href={`/years/${project.yearId}/projects/${project.id}${detailsSearch ? `?${detailsSearch}` : ''}`}
             key={project.id}
           >
             <span className="tag tag--group">
@@ -436,11 +463,13 @@ function BallotOverview({
   data,
   error,
   loading,
+  detailsSearch,
 }: {
   yearId: string;
   data?: BallotStatusResponse;
   error: Error | null;
   loading: boolean;
+  detailsSearch: string;
 }) {
   if (loading) {
     return (
@@ -535,7 +564,9 @@ function BallotOverview({
                   <small>{getAwardCategoryDescription(category.name)}</small>
                 </span>
                 {vote.projectActive && vote.nominationEligible ? (
-                  <Link href={`/years/${yearId}/projects/${vote.projectId}`}>
+                  <Link
+                    href={`/years/${yearId}/projects/${vote.projectId}${detailsSearch ? `?${detailsSearch}` : ''}`}
+                  >
                     {vote.projectName} <span aria-hidden="true">→</span>
                   </Link>
                 ) : (
diff --git a/test/app/routes.test.tsx b/test/app/routes.test.tsx
index 19f9368..47130cc 100644
--- a/test/app/routes.test.tsx
+++ b/test/app/routes.test.tsx
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 import {QueryClient, QueryClientProvider} from '@tanstack/react-query';
 import type {ReactNode} from 'react';
-import {render, screen, waitFor, within} from '@testing-library/react';
+import {act, render, screen, waitFor, within} from '@testing-library/react';
 import userEvent from '@testing-library/user-event';
 import {Route, Router} from 'wouter';
 import {memoryLocation} from 'wouter/memory-location';
@@ -525,7 +525,7 @@ describe('clickable project routes', () => {
     expect(screen.queryByRole('region', {name: 'your projects'})).toBeNull();
   });
 
-  it('marks playable videos in both views and filters projects by video', async () => {
+  it('marks playable videos in both views and preserves the video filter', async () => {
     const readyProject = {...projectFixture, hasVideo: true};
     const projectWithoutVideo = {
       ...projectFixture,
@@ -587,16 +587,16 @@ describe('clickable project routes', () => {
     expect(screen.queryByRole('checkbox', {name: 'Has video'})).toBeNull();
 
     await userEvent.click(screen.getByRole('button', {name: /Projects/}));
-    const resetFilter = screen.getByRole('checkbox', {name: 'Has video'});
-    expect(resetFilter).toBeInstanceOf(HTMLInputElement);
-    if (!(resetFilter instanceof HTMLInputElement)) throw new Error();
-    expect(resetFilter.checked).toBe(false);
+    const preservedFilter = screen.getByRole('checkbox', {name: 'Has video'});
+    expect(preservedFilter).toBeInstanceOf(HTMLInputElement);
+    if (!(preservedFilter instanceof HTMLInputElement)) throw new Error();
+    expect(preservedFilter.checked).toBe(true);
     await waitFor(() => {
       const projectRequest = fetchMock.mock.calls
         .map(([input]) => requestUrl(input))
         .filter((url) => url.includes('/api/projects?'))
         .at(-1);
-      expect(projectRequest).not.toContain('hasVideo=');
+      expect(projectRequest).toContain('hasVideo=true');
     });
   });
 
@@ -878,7 +878,7 @@ describe('clickable project routes', () => {
     });
   });
 
-  it('omits the group filter from idea detail links', async () => {
+  it('preserves project filters when viewing ideas', async () => {
     fetchMock.mockImplementation(async (input) => {
       const url = requestUrl(input);
       if (url.includes('/api/years/2026')) {
@@ -920,17 +920,18 @@ describe('clickable project routes', () => {
     await userEvent.click(await screen.findByRole('button', {name: /Ideas/}));
     expect(
       (await screen.findByRole('link', {name: 'Open idea'})).getAttribute('href'),
-    ).toBe('/years/2026/projects/idea');
+    ).toBe('/years/2026/projects/idea?group=group&kind=idea');
   });
 
-  it('keeps the selected group when viewing a project and returning', async () => {
+  it('restores every URL filter and keeps them when viewing a project', async () => {
+    const filters = 'group=group&q=small&hasVideo=true&view=list&category=delight';
     fetchMock.mockImplementation(async (input) => {
       const url = requestUrl(input);
       if (url.includes('/api/years/2026')) {
         return json({
           year: {
             id: '2026',
-            votingEnabled: false,
+            votingEnabled: true,
             submissionsClosed: false,
             projectCount: 1,
             ideaCount: 0,
@@ -942,15 +943,26 @@ describe('clickable project routes', () => {
           myProjects: [],
         });
       }
-      expect(new URL(url, 'https://hackweek.test').searchParams.get('group')).toBe(
-        'group',
-      );
+      if (url.includes('/api/votes?')) {
+        return json({
+          year: {id: '2026', votingEnabled: true},
+          categories: [{id: 'delight', yearId: '2026', name: 'Delight'}],
+          votes: [],
+        });
+      }
+      const params = new URL(url, 'https://hackweek.test').searchParams;
+      expect(Object.fromEntries(params)).toMatchObject({
+        group: 'group',
+        q: 'small',
+        hasVideo: 'true',
+        category: 'delight',
+      });
       return json({projects: [projectFixture], nextCursor: null});
     });
 
     const projects = renderRoute(
       <ProjectsPage />,
-      '/years/2026/projects?group=group',
+      `/years/2026/projects?${filters}`,
       '/years/:yearId/projects',
     );
 
@@ -958,21 +970,85 @@ describe('clickable project routes', () => {
     expect(groupSelect).toBeInstanceOf(HTMLSelectElement);
     if (!(groupSelect instanceof HTMLSelectElement)) throw new Error();
     expect(groupSelect.value).toBe('group');
+    expect(screen.getByRole('searchbox').getAttribute('value')).toBe('small');
+    const hasVideo = screen.getByRole('checkbox', {name: 'Has video'});
+    expect(hasVideo).toBeInstanceOf(HTMLInputElement);
+    if (!(hasVideo instanceof HTMLInputElement)) throw new Error();
+    expect(hasVideo.checked).toBe(true);
+    const category = await screen.findByRole('combobox', {name: 'Award category'});
+    expect(category).toBeInstanceOf(HTMLSelectElement);
+    if (!(category instanceof HTMLSelectElement)) throw new Error();
+    expect(category.value).toBe('delight');
+    expect(
+      screen.getByRole('button', {name: 'list view'}).getAttribute('aria-pressed'),
+    ).toBe('true');
     expect(screen.getByRole('link', {name: 'A small machine'}).getAttribute('href')).toBe(
-      '/years/2026/projects/project?group=group',
+      `/years/2026/projects/project?${filters}`,
     );
 
     projects.unmount();
     mockProjectDetails({detail: projectFixture});
     renderRoute(
       <ProjectDetailsPage />,
-      '/years/2026/projects/project?group=group',
+      `/years/2026/projects/project?${filters}`,
       '/years/:yearId/projects/:projectId',
     );
 
     expect(
       (await screen.findByRole('link', {name: '← 2026 projects'})).getAttribute('href'),
-    ).toBe('/years/2026/projects?group=group');
+    ).toBe(`/years/2026/projects?${filters}`);
+  });
+
+  it('applies search changes from URL navigation without a debounce delay', async () => {
+    fetchMock.mockImplementation(async (input) => {
+      const url = requestUrl(input);
+      if (url.includes('/api/years/2026')) {
+        return json({
+          year: {
+            id: '2026',
+            votingEnabled: false,
+            submissionsClosed: false,
+            projectCount: 2,
+            ideaCount: 0,
+            groupCount: 0,
+            participantCount: 2,
+          },
+          groups: [],
+          awards: [],
+          myProjects: [],
+        });
+      }
+      const search = new URL(url, 'https://hackweek.test').searchParams.get('q');
+      return json({
+        projects: [
+          {
+            ...projectFixture,
+            id: search ? 'search-match' : 'all-projects',
+            name: search ? 'Search match' : 'All projects',
+          },
+        ],
+        nextCursor: null,
+      });
+    });
+
+    const route = renderRoute(
+      <ProjectsPage />,
+      '/years/2026/projects?q=small',
+      '/years/:yearId/projects',
+    );
+    expect(await screen.findByRole('heading', {name: 'Search match'})).toBeTruthy();
+
+    await act(async () => route.navigate('/years/2026/projects'));
+
+    const projectRequest = fetchMock.mock.calls
+      .map(([input]) => requestUrl(input))
+      .filter((url) => url.includes('/api/projects?'))
+      .at(-1);
+    expect(new URL(projectRequest!, 'https://hackweek.test').searchParams.get('q')).toBe(
+      null,
+    );
+    expect(screen.getByRole('searchbox').getAttribute('value')).toBe('');
+    expect(await screen.findByRole('heading', {name: 'All projects'})).toBeTruthy();
   });
 
   it('requests a 250-item page and focuses and announces loaded pages', async () => {
@@ -1294,7 +1370,7 @@ describe('clickable project routes', () => {
     const categorySelect = await screen.findByLabelText('Award category');
     expect(categorySelect).toBeInstanceOf(HTMLSelectElement);
     if (!(categorySelect instanceof HTMLSelectElement)) throw new Error();
-    expect(categorySelect.value).toBe('');
+    expect(categorySelect.value).toBe('delight');
   });
 
   it('live-updates server search without replacing the current list', async () => {
@@ -1347,10 +1423,21 @@ describe('clickable project routes', () => {
     const activeSearch = screen.getByRole('search', {
       name: 'Search projects and ideas',
     });
-    await userEvent.type(
-      within(activeSearch).getByLabelText('Search projects and ideas'),
-      'useful experiment',
+    const activeSearchInput = within(activeSearch).getByLabelText(
+      'Search projects and ideas',
+    );
+    await userEvent.type(activeSearchInput, 'useful ');
+    await waitFor(() =>
+      expect(fetchMock).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
+        expect.stringMatching(
+          /\/api\/projects\?(?=.*year=2026)(?=.*kind=project)(?=.*group=group)(?=.*q=useful(?:&|$))/,
+        ),
+        undefined,
+      ),
     );
+    expect(activeSearchInput.getAttribute('value')).toBe('useful ');
+
+    await userEvent.type(activeSearchInput, 'experiment');
     await waitFor(() =>
       expect(fetchMock).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
         expect.stringMatching(
@@ -2016,14 +2103,15 @@ describe('clickable project routes', () => {
 
 function renderRoute(element: ReactNode, path: string, pattern = path) {
   const client = new QueryClient({defaultOptions: {queries: {retry: false}}});
-  const {hook} = memoryLocation({path});
-  return render(
-    <Router hook={hook}>
+  const location = memoryLocation({path});
+  const rendered = render(
+    <Router hook={location.hook}>
       <QueryClientProvider client={client}>
         <Route path={pattern}>{element}</Route>
       </QueryClientProvider>
     </Router>,
   );
+  return {...rendered, navigate: location.navigate};
 }
 
 function json<T>(value: T, status = 200) {