diff --git a/src/components/modals/ShareSummaryModal.tsx b/src/components/modals/ShareSummaryModal.tsx
index 0c838fc..eb1e419 100644
--- a/src/components/modals/ShareSummaryModal.tsx
+++ b/src/components/modals/ShareSummaryModal.tsx
@@ -24,17 +24,25 @@ export function ShareSummaryModal({ isOpen, onClose, summaryId, requestTitle, on
   const [searching, setSearching] = useState(false);
   const [sharing, setSharing] = useState(false);
 
-  // Search users
+  // Search users - only when input starts with @
   useEffect(() => {
-    if (!isOpen || !searchTerm.trim()) {
+    if (!isOpen) {
       setUsers([]);
       return;
     }
 
+    // Only trigger search when using @ sign
+    if (!searchTerm || !searchTerm.startsWith('@') || searchTerm.length < 2) {
+      setUsers([]);
+      setSearching(false);
+      return;
+    }
+
     const searchTimeout = setTimeout(async () => {
       try {
         setSearching(true);
-        const response = await searchUsers(searchTerm);
+        const term = searchTerm.slice(1); // Remove @ prefix
+        const response = await searchUsers(term, 10);
         const results = response?.data?.data || response?.data || [];
         setUsers(Array.isArray(results) ? results : []);
       } catch (error) {
@@ -111,12 +119,17 @@ export function ShareSummaryModal({ isOpen, onClose, summaryId, requestTitle, on
               <Search className="absolute left-3 top-1/2 transform -translate-y-1/2 h-4 w-4 text-gray-400" />
               <Input
                 id="user-search"
-                placeholder="Search by name or email..."
+                placeholder="Type @ to search users..."
                 value={searchTerm}
                 onChange={(e) => setSearchTerm(e.target.value)}
                 className="pl-10"
               />
             </div>
+            {searchTerm && !searchTerm.startsWith('@') && (
+              <p className="text-xs text-gray-500 mt-1 ml-1">
+                Start with @ to search users (e.g., @john)
+              </p>
+            )}
           </div>
 
           {searching && (
@@ -163,11 +176,17 @@ export function ShareSummaryModal({ isOpen, onClose, summaryId, requestTitle, on
             </div>
           )}
 
-          {!searching && searchTerm && users.length === 0 && (
+          {!searching && searchTerm && searchTerm.startsWith('@') && users.length === 0 && (
             <div className="text-center py-8 text-gray-500 text-sm">
               No users found
             </div>
           )}
+          
+          {!searching && searchTerm && !searchTerm.startsWith('@') && (
+            <div className="text-center py-8 text-gray-500 text-sm">
+              Start typing with @ to search users
+            </div>
+          )}
 
           {selectedUserIds.size > 0 && (
             <div className="border rounded-lg p-3 bg-blue-50">