diff --git a/TODO b/TODO
index 0361923dc..825aa0624 100644
--- a/TODO
+++ b/TODO
@@ -50,8 +50,8 @@ hints
 
 bindings for prev/next hint
 more intelligent clicking (end of textfields)
-filtering when typing part of name
 filter close hints when it's the same link
+ignore keypresses shortly after link following
 
 Qt Bugs
 ========
diff --git a/qutebrowser/app.py b/qutebrowser/app.py
index 531004a53..c22852963 100644
--- a/qutebrowser/app.py
+++ b/qutebrowser/app.py
@@ -284,6 +284,7 @@ class QuteBrowser(QApplication):
 
         # hints
         kp['hint'].fire_hint.connect(tabs.cur.fire_hint)
+        kp['hint'].filter_hints.connect(tabs.cur.filter_hints)
         kp['hint'].keystring_updated.connect(tabs.cur.handle_hint_key)
         tabs.hint_strings_updated.connect(kp['hint'].on_hint_strings_updated)
 
diff --git a/qutebrowser/browser/curcommand.py b/qutebrowser/browser/curcommand.py
index f68885bc4..ccbe08da4 100644
--- a/qutebrowser/browser/curcommand.py
+++ b/qutebrowser/browser/curcommand.py
@@ -245,6 +245,11 @@ class CurCommandDispatcher(QObject):
         """Fire a completed hint."""
         self._tabs.currentWidget().hintmanager.fire(keystr)
 
+    @pyqtSlot(str)
+    def filter_hints(self, filterstr):
+        """Filter displayed hints."""
+        self._tabs.currentWidget().hintmanager.filter_hints(filterstr)
+
     @cmdutils.register(instance='mainwindow.tabs.cur')
     def prevpage(self):
         """Open a "previous" link."""
diff --git a/qutebrowser/browser/hints.py b/qutebrowser/browser/hints.py
index 6d304c284..7cdda94ff 100644
--- a/qutebrowser/browser/hints.py
+++ b/qutebrowser/browser/hints.py
@@ -107,7 +107,10 @@ class HintManager(QObject):
         Return:
             A list of hint strings, in the same order as the elements.
         """
-        chars = config.get("hints", "chars")
+        if config.get('hints', 'mode') == 'number':
+            chars = '0123456789'
+        else:
+            chars = config.get('hints', 'chars')
         # Determine how many digits the link hints will require in the worst
         # case. Usually we do not need all of these digits for every link
         # single hint, so we can show shorter hints for a few of the links.
@@ -389,6 +392,22 @@ class HintManager(QObject):
         for key in delete:
             del self._elems[key]
 
+    def filter_hints(self, filterstr):
+        """Filter displayed hints according to a text."""
+        delete = []
+        for (string, elems) in self._elems.items():
+            if not elems.elem.toPlainText().lower().startswith(filterstr):
+                elems.label.removeFromDocument()
+                delete.append(string)
+        for key in delete:
+            del self._elems[key]
+        if not self._elems:
+            # Whoops, filtered all hints
+            modeman.leave('hint')
+        elif len(self._elems) == 1 and config.get('hints', 'auto-follow'):
+            # unpacking gets us the first (and only) key in the dict.
+            self.fire(*self._elems)
+
     def fire(self, keystr, force=False):
         """Fire a completed hint.
 
diff --git a/qutebrowser/config/_conftypes.py b/qutebrowser/config/_conftypes.py
index 711b7e6cd..51f9e22c3 100644
--- a/qutebrowser/config/_conftypes.py
+++ b/qutebrowser/config/_conftypes.py
@@ -200,6 +200,16 @@ class ShellCommand(String):
         return shlex.split(value)
 
 
+class HintMode(BaseType):
+
+    """Base class for the hints -> mode setting."""
+
+    typestr = 'hint-mode'
+
+    valid_values = ValidValues(('number', "Use numeric hints."),
+                               ('letter', "Use the chars in hints -> chars."))
+
+
 class Bool(BaseType):
 
     """Base class for a boolean setting.
diff --git a/qutebrowser/config/configdata.py b/qutebrowser/config/configdata.py
index 326553530..798232bd6 100644
--- a/qutebrowser/config/configdata.py
+++ b/qutebrowser/config/configdata.py
@@ -410,6 +410,10 @@ DATA = OrderedDict([
          SettingValue(types.Float(minval=0.0, maxval=1.0), '0.7'),
          "Opacity for hints."),
 
+        ('mode',
+         SettingValue(types.HintMode(), 'letter'),
+         "Mode to use for hints, 'number' or 'letter'."),
+
         ('chars',
          SettingValue(types.String(minlen=2), 'asdfghjkl'),
          "Chars used for hint strings."),
diff --git a/qutebrowser/keyinput/modeparsers.py b/qutebrowser/keyinput/modeparsers.py
index 542532f1b..19deacd38 100644
--- a/qutebrowser/keyinput/modeparsers.py
+++ b/qutebrowser/keyinput/modeparsers.py
@@ -21,9 +21,12 @@ Module attributes:
     STARTCHARS: Possible chars for starting a commandline input.
 """
 
-from PyQt5.QtCore import pyqtSignal
+import logging
+
+from PyQt5.QtCore import pyqtSignal, Qt
 
 import qutebrowser.utils.message as message
+import qutebrowser.config.config as config
 from qutebrowser.keyinput.keyparser import CommandKeyParser
 
 
@@ -61,14 +64,65 @@ class HintKeyParser(CommandKeyParser):
     Signals:
         fire_hint: When a hint keybinding was completed.
                    Arg: the keystring/hint string pressed.
+        filter_hints: When the filter text changed.
+                      Arg: the text to filter hints with.
+
+    Attributes:
+        _filtertext: The text to filter with.
     """
 
     fire_hint = pyqtSignal(str)
+    filter_hints = pyqtSignal(str)
 
     def __init__(self, parent=None):
         super().__init__(parent, supports_count=False, supports_chains=True)
+        self._filtertext = ''
         self.read_config('keybind.hint')
 
+    def _handle_special_key(self, e):
+        """Override _handle_special_key to handle string filtering.
+
+        Return True if the keypress has been handled, and False if not.
+
+        Args:
+            e: the KeyPressEvent from Qt.
+
+        Return:
+            True if event has been handled, False otherwise.
+
+        Emit:
+            filter_hints: Emitted when filter string has changed.
+        """
+        logging.debug("Got special key {} text {}".format(e.key(), e.text()))
+        if config.get('hints', 'mode') != 'number':
+            return super()._handle_special_key(e)
+        elif e.key() == Qt.Key_Backspace:
+            if self._filtertext:
+                self._filtertext = self._filtertext[:-1]
+                self.filter_hints.emit(self._filtertext)
+            return True
+        elif not e.text():
+            return super()._handle_special_key(e)
+        else:
+            self._filtertext += e.text()
+            self.filter_hints.emit(self._filtertext)
+            return True
+
+    def handle(self, e):
+        """Handle a new keypress and call the respective handlers.
+
+        Args:
+            e: the KeyPressEvent from Qt
+
+        Emit:
+            keystring_updated: If a new keystring should be set.
+        """
+        handled = self._handle_single_key(e)
+        if handled:
+            self.keystring_updated.emit(self._keystring)
+            return handled
+        return self._handle_special_key(e)
+
     def execute(self, cmdstr, keytype, count=None):
         """Handle a completed keychain.
 
@@ -88,3 +142,4 @@ class HintKeyParser(CommandKeyParser):
             strings: A list of hint strings.
         """
         self.bindings = {s: s for s in strings}
+        self._filtertext = ''