---
title: "Verify traces in Explore | Grafana Labs"
description: "Run a TraceQL query in Explore to verify traces flow through the new Tempo data source."
---

> For a curated documentation index, see [llms.txt](/llms.txt). For the complete documentation index, see [llms-full.txt](/llms-full.txt).

# Verify traces in Explore

Passing the Save & test check confirms connectivity, but it doesn’t confirm that traces are flowing. In this milestone, you run a TraceQL query against your new data source in Explore and see real trace data.

To verify traces in Explore, complete the following steps:

1. In the Grafana Cloud navigation menu, click **Explore**.
2. From the data source picker at the top-left, select your Tempo data source.
   
   For example, select **Production Tempo**.
3. The Tempo query editor defaults to the **TraceQL** query type. In the query editor, enter a TraceQL query to list some traces.
   
   Try one of the following examples:
   
   - **List recent traces** — enter `{}` to return every trace in the current time range.
   - **Filter by service name** — enter `{resource.service.name="your-service"}`, replacing `your-service` with a service that’s emitting traces.
   
   **Tip:** If your application isn’t producing traces yet, you can upload a sample trace JSON file using the **Search** or **Import trace** option in the query editor.
4. Click **Run query** to execute the TraceQL query.
   
   You should see a **Table** view of matching traces at the top of the results pane. Select any trace ID to open the full trace view with its spans, durations, and attributes.

## Verify successful trace access

After running your query, you should see:

- A table of traces in the Explore results panel
- No authentication or connection errors
- Trace IDs that you can click to drill into the full trace timeline
- Spans, services, and durations that match what you expect from your application

**Congratulations!** You’ve successfully connected a Tempo data source to Grafana Cloud and verified trace data.

* * *

### More to explore (optional)

- [Query tracing data](/docs/grafana/latest/datasources/tempo/query-editor/)
- [TraceQL query examples](/docs/grafana/latest/datasources/tempo/query-editor/traceql-query-examples/)
- [TraceQL query language reference](/docs/tempo/latest/traceql/)
- [Grafana Traces Drilldown](/docs/grafana/latest/explore/simplified-exploration/traces/)