Spotlight has been the central search location on your Mac for years. With MacOS Tahoe, Apple drastically expands their search function on the Mac. This way you will find what you are looking for via Spotlight than ever and you can perform actions in new ways.
During the search all results, such as files, folders, events, apps and messages, are now together. With the new filter options you can search more specifically, even in third -party cloud services. With the new leaf views you can quickly view your apps, files and clipboard history.
Spotlight in Macos Tahoe
Spotlight is the built-in search function of macOS with which you can quickly find files, apps, e-mails and more on your Mac. You easily open Spotlight with the shortcut test command⌘ + Space bar Or by clicking on the magnifying glass in the menu bar.
In addition to searching, Spotlight can also perform fast calculations, show definitions and retrieve information from the internet. From MacOS Tahoe you can get even more directly from Spotlight, we list all the new possibilities for you.
More than searching
From macOS 26 you can not only search using Spotlight, but also view parts. As soon as you open Spotlight, you can of course use the search bar to search for parts. In addition, with the help of the new browse display you can quickly view all installed apps or you (recently opened) files. That way you can not only search, but also through your content.
Spotlight can also immediately perform assignment tasks from this display and display your clipboard history.
Apps in Spotlight
From macOS 26 you can no longer use Launchpad and you can find all your installed applications in Finder or Spotlight. Via the browse display for apps you can view and open all apps that are present on your Mac.
All apps are also cleverly sorted on the basis of the relevance for you and the smart suggestions ensure that the right apps are available when you need them. In addition, apps are now sorted in categories for quick access.
Files in search function
Just like with the apps, Spotlight On-Device Intelligence uses the most relevant files immediately based on your context, such as recent activities and daily routines. Files can also be arranged and grouped towards relevance and apps, so you can immediately find all the files that you have edited in preview. This way you will find what you are looking for faster and you can immediately filter the results on file type.
Perform actions with order tasks
Spotlight is not only a search function, but also an action center. You can perform hundreds of actions directly, such as sending e-mails, creating notes, sending messages or automating tasks, without having to open the corresponding app. Examples of promotions can be found at ‘Tasks’ in the browse display. All these tasks are linked to actions from assignments, which means that Spotlight has now become a powerful tool to start actions and simplify tasks.
Immediately from Spotlight you can perform hundreds of actions-for example, send an e-mail, create a note or play a podcast-without changing app.
Fast tests for tasks
Use of a task often in spotlight? Then it is best to add a quick key combination. When you fill in these fast tests in Spotlight, the linked task is added immediately. For example, you can link SE to ‘Send e-mail’, then fill sequence In Spotlight, this task will be filled if desired and you can perform it. You connect the fast keys directly from Spotlight when you see the actions appear in the overview.
Use Spotlight in Apps
From now on you can also use Spotlight when you are working in an app. Open spotlight and look for the option you want to use in the app. This way you can immediately search for a part in the menu from the search function. Apple opens this function for developers, so you can also search in the menu options of Apps from third parties with the help of Spotlight.
App Intents
App Intents is a technical framework with which developers can make the functions of their own apps available in Spotlight. This means that not only Apple apps, but also third-party apps can integrate their actions and possibilities into the Spotlight menu, so that users can perform them directly from Spotlight without opening the app itself.
With App Intents, for example, developers can send functionalities such as files, apply filters or start meetings available in spotlight. This allows users to perform tasks quickly and efficiently via a central interface, regardless of which app the action originally belongs to.
Clipboard history
With access to the clipboard history in Spotlight you can not only see the current clipboard item, but also a timeline of recently copied or cut texts and other clippings. You open this history via a button next to the search bar in Spotlight or with the shortcut test command⌘ + Space followed by command⌘ + 4.
For example, you can quickly find and use a text that you copied half an hour ago. The function only works after you have given your own permission, so that your privacy is guaranteed.
The clipboard history mainly supports text, files and images and also works with universal clipboard between Apple devices.