We may earn a commission from links on this page.
Spotlight search is one of the most useful features in macOS. You can access it by pressing Command-Space, and it allows you to find anything on your Mac. And there’s so much more Spotlight search can do than you might realize. From performing currency conversions to running complex automation routines, here are 10 Spotlight search hacks that you’ll find useful.
$1,299.00
at Apple
$1,299.00
at Apple
$699.00
at Apple
$699.00
at Apple
$1,999.00
at Apple
$1,999.00
at Apple
Enable clipboard history to keep track of everything you copy
Since the release of macOS 26 Tahoe, Spotlight search has been able to store your clipboard history. This means that Spotlight keeps a record of every item you copy on your Mac. This feature is disabled by default. You can enable it by clicking the Apple logo in the top-left corner of your Mac’s screen, and going to System Settings > Spotlight. Scroll down, and enable Results from Clipboard. You can use the drop-down menu below this option to set an auto-delete timer for clipboard history, and your choices are 30 minutes, 8 hours, or 7 days.
To access clipboard history, press Command-Space to open Spotlight search, and then, press Command-4.
Use the built-in converter for instant currency and unit conversions
Credit: Pranay Parab
I stopped using online searches for currency and unit conversions ever since I discovered this Spotlight feature. To convert currency in Spotlight search, you can type “USD 100 to INR.” The result appears in Spotlight, which is a lot faster than opening a browser and performing a web search. Feel free to replace the currency abbreviations with the ones you need, as Spotlight search supports almost all countries’ currencies (but not cryptocurrencies). You can use similar syntax to convert units. For example, try something like: “100lbs to kg,” or “3L to oz.”
You should also try Spotlight’s built-in calculator, which can handle arithmetic quite well. Ask it to add, subtract, divide, or multiply numbers, and Spotlight will show you the results instantly.
Try Spotlight search filters to find any file on your Mac
Once you have the search bar open, you can type any file name or app name, and Spotlight will search your Mac to locate it—that part is pretty clear. The fun begins when you start using search filters for advanced queries. You can ask Spotlight to restrict search results to PDF files by typing “/pdf” ahead of your query. This works for other file types such as jpeg, png, and tiff. To use it correctly, you’ll have to select the filter from the search results. When you type “/pdf,” the first search result will be “PDF” with the word Kind written under it. Select this, and type your query to restrict queries to that file type.
You can also use this format to search specific folders, such as “/downloads” to look for files in the Downloads folder in your Mac.
Send messages to any contact directly from Spotlight
Credit: Pranay Parab
Whenever I open any chat app with the intention of messaging someone, I get distracted by other unread messages. To avoid this on my Mac, I’ve started messaging people directly from Spotlight, which lets me avoid looking at unrelated messages. To use this feature, open Spotlight, and type “Send Message.” You can select the Send Message action from the results to start composing the text. You can then pick a recipient and hit the Return key to send the message.
Use Spotlight’s built-in timer to bypass the Clock app
Your Mac’s built-in Clock app lets you set alarms, timers, or use a stopwatch. This works fine, but when I’m setting timers, I usually want to do it fast. That’s where Spotlight comes in. Type “Start Timer” and select the action in Spotlight. You can then add a duration for the timer, and it’ll alert you when time’s up.
Use this Spotlight shortcut to open files in Finder
When I see search results in Spotlight, sometimes I want to open the file or app, but more often than not, I want to open the folder that contains those results. I recently discovered a keyboard shortcut that opens the folder containing any search result directly from Spotlight. To use it, look for something in Spotlight search, and use the arrow keys to reach the correct result. Then press Command-Enter to open the file or app in Finder.
Translate languages directly from Spotlight
Credit: Pranay Parab
I had no idea that Spotlight could also be your personal translator, until Lifehacker’s Senior Technology Editor Jake Peterson told me about it. Now that I’ve used the feature, I don’t think I’ll be opening Google Translate by default when I need translations. To set up this feature on your Mac, go to System Settings > Language & Region, and select Translation Languages. Download the languages you need to translate, and enable On-Device Mode on the same page if you want offline translations. Click Done when all downloads are complete.
Once this is done, type “Translate” in Spotlight, and select the Translate Text action from the results. Type or paste some text into the “Text” field, and Spotlight will show you the translation shortly.
Use Spotlight to locate and open hidden system settings
Ever since macOS switched away from the old System Preferences menu, I’ve had trouble locating many settings on my MacBook. The new System Settings menu is less confusing for iOS users, but that doesn’t help those of us who were used to the old layout. To get around this, I’ve started using Spotlight search to find system settings. You can type the name of the settings page, or even specific features such as Reduce Motion. Spotlight’s results will show you two types of results: One where you can open the System Settings app, and the other where you can toggle the preference directly from search results. The latter is especially handy for features you want to toggle more than once, such as Bluetooth.
Assign dedicated keyboard shortcuts to your favorite actions
Now that Spotlight search lets you run actions such as creating notes, calendar events, and sending messages, it’s worth considering ways to speed up this process. Typing the full name of each action isn’t a good solution for actions you use frequently, which is why it’s a good idea to assign keyboard shortcuts to your favorite actions. Instead of typing “Send Message” each time, you could trigger the action by typing “sm.” To set this up, open Spotlight and press Command-3. This will load the list of actions supported by all installed apps on your Mac, and you can click the “Add quick keys” button next to any action to assign a keyboard shortcut.
Change Spotlight settings to exclude certain apps from search results
If you don’t want to see results from certain apps in Spotlight search, you can exclude those apps easily. On your Mac, go to System Settings > Spotlight, and scroll down to the “Results from Apps” section. You can click the button next to any app to remove it from Spotlight results. Scroll down further till you reach the “Results from System” section. Here, you can click the i button next to “Files” and exclude certain folders from Spotlight search results.
Â
This articles is written by : Nermeen Nabil Khear Abdelmalak
All rights reserved to : USAGOLDMIES . www.usagoldmines.com
You can Enjoy surfing our website categories and read more content in many fields you may like .
Why USAGoldMines ?
USAGoldMines is a comprehensive website offering the latest in financial, crypto, and technical news. With specialized sections for each category, it provides readers with up-to-date market insights, investment trends, and technological advancements, making it a valuable resource for investors and enthusiasts in the fast-paced financial world.