Ever wonder about the Spotlight application on your Mac? Do you know how to use it? If not, then we are going to show you in this article how to use Spotlight search on Mac.
The Spotlight application on your Mac actually came out in 2005 and it functions as a revamp. This means that you can use this for you to search for your files on your Mac. And as time goes on, the features of Spotlight on Mac also expanded and there are some features that you are not actually aware of.
There are actually two kinds of Mac users in this world. One is those who use the Spotlight search and the other one are those people who ignore it or do not know how to use it. So, if you are one of those people who actually does not use the Spotlight search on your Mac, then you are missing too much.
The Spotlight is actually similar to one that you have on an iPhone called the Siri feature. The only difference is that Siri is voice-activated while the Spotlight search feature on Mac is not. All you need to do is for you to enter a few keystrokes and then you will be able to launch or look up anything that you want on your Mac.
Here, we are going to show you several ways on how you can use the Spotlight search and show you that it can make your life easier.
Part 1: Getting Started With Spotlight SearchPart 2: Different Ways How to Use Spotlight On MacPart 3: A List Of Complete Spotlight Keyboard ShortcutsPart 4: Maintaining Your Mac’s PerformancePart 5: Conclusion
Part 1: Getting Started With Spotlight Search
Here is a very quick starter on how you can basically use Spotlight on your Mac. As they say, you can never go in advance if you do not know the basics.
So here, all you have to do is to Click on the Spotlight icon that is located on the menu bar of your screen. Or you can also use the shortcut method by pressing the Command + Space key for you to launch the Spotlight search.
Then from there, you can go ahead and start typing and you will be able to see some matching results that will appear on your screen. Then, you can go ahead and choose one result or you can use the arrow keys on your keyboard for you to navigate the results shown on your screen. These categories that are shown on your screen can also be managed when you try to go to your System Preferences and then click on Spotlight.
So basically, that is it. You will be able to search for anything on your Mac just by using the Spotlight feature.
Part 2: Different Ways How to Use Spotlight On Mac
Now that you have known the basic of Spotlight, then it is time for you to know the different ways on how you can use this application on your Mac. Here are lists of ways to use the Spotlight search.
Way #1: Use it to Launch Applications
This is the most common thing wherein some Mac users use their Spotlight search. And it is also considered the first thing that Spotlight displays. So, for you to be able to open a certain application on your Mac, all you have to do is the steps below. Let us take Safari as an example to launch on your Mac.
Step 1: Go ahead and launch Spotlight or press the Command + Space key on your Mac.
Step 2: And then, go ahead and type in SA in the search field.
Step 3: After that, go ahead and hit the Return button.
Using Spotlight to launch the application will help you speed up the process of doing so.
Way #2: Use It To Search by Keywords
Anything that you have on your Mac can actually be easier and can quickly be found using Spotlight. And this can also make this for any cluttered results. You can also simply focus on the specifics by using the keywords such as “kind:” and “date:” when you are searching for something using Spotlight.
Way #3: Search Using Natural Language
If you would like to have computing a bit normal to humans, experiment using the natural language search. Keep in mind that the Spotlight search feature actually understands the likes of “presentation from last week”, “Emails from Derek”, or even “Apps from last month”. You can also drag a certain file from Spotlight going to another app. Also, as an alternative to this, you can also hold the Command key for you to see the current location of the file.
Way #4: Viewing Your Contacts Details
Now, if you need to of checking on someone’s contact number or address that you have on your Mac, then all you have to do is to use Spotlight search instead of going through your Contacts. All you need to do is to type in the name of the person that you have on your contacts list and it will show you their information including their phone number, email address, and more.
Way #5: Looking For Calendar Events
Same through with viewing your contacts on your Mac if you are going to search for an event that you have booked on your calendar. All you need to do is to use the Spotlight search and type in the name of the event or the reminder. From there, you can select it and all the information you included about the event will be shown on your screen.
Way #6: Access to Dictionary Definitions
Well, the Spotlight search will not be able to help you with one thing and that is your spelling error, unlike the Dictionary feature which allows you to correct any misspelled words. But what it can help you with is you can go ahead and type in the search field “define” followed by the word that you want to know its meaning. And then, you can simply go ahead and use the shortcut Cmd + L and then you will be able to see its definition without the need of opening app your Dictionary app.
Way #7: Calculate Anything
The Spotlight can also help you in terms of calculating things. You can use this instead of opening up your Calculator app on your Mac. Once the result appears on your screen, you can go ahead and press the Cmd + C if you want to copy it to your clipboard. Also, the Spotlight application can also do conversions such as weight, temperature, and more.
Way #8: Know The Weather
Another helpful feature of the Spotlight search is that you can actually know the weather in your area. All you have to do is to open Spotlight and type in “weather”. Then, Spotlight will be able to show you a prediction of the weather in your area and as well as for the next six hours and the next day.
Way #9: You Can Check for Your Sports Score
Now, if you are actually into sports and you are following a certain team and you missed the game, then you can actually make use of the Spotlight and search for your team’s score. This will be easier rather than searching it on the web.
Way #10: Listening to Music
If you love on listening to music, then you can also use Spotlight for you to look for a song that you have on your Mac. You can type in there the album of the song as well and you can listen to your iTunes preview.
So there you have it. There are still a lot of ways how you can use the spotlight search on your Mac aside from the things that we have already mentioned above and you will be amazed that it can actually do all that things.
Part 3: A List Of Complete Spotlight Keyboard Shortcuts
Now, for you to be able to get the most out of Spotlight, then you should also learn the different keyboard shortcuts that you can use. This way, you will be able to make it easier for you to browse all the results shown on your screen. So here, we have indicated all the keyboard shortcuts that you can use when you are using Spotlight.
1. Command + Space – this will launch the Spotlight application on your Mac.
2. The Right Arrow – this will help you complete the search that you are using which will turn your query into its full name.
3. The Up and Down Arrow – this will allow you to browse the list shown on your screen.
4. Command-Up and Command-Down – this will allow you to jump between categories of the result.
5. Enter – this will let you open the chosen result.
6. Command + R or Command + Enter – will show the result in Finder.
7. Option + Command + Space – will then open the current search on Finder. This way, you will be able to drill down on more tools.
8. Command + L – will allow you to jump the definition for any search term.
9. Command + B – this will look up your search term by making use of the default search engine in your default browser.
10. Command + I – This will launch the “Get Info window for your result.
11. Command + C – this will copy the result just like in Finder.
Part 4: Maintaining Your Mac’s Performance
Now, as we all know, Spotlight also uses up some space on your Mac, and that can affect its performance. That is why we have made it possible for you to maintain your Mac from those Settings on your Mac that you seldom use. And you can easily do this by using the all-new TechyCub Mac Cleaner tool.
TechyCub Mac Cleaner is one of the greatest apps that we have for you to clean up all the junk files that you have on your Mac. And not only that, but it also has a lot of several features that you can use. This is because the TechyCub Mac Cleaner is made as an all-in-one Mac application.
You will be able to do anything with TechyCub Mac Cleaner. It can be a Mac Cleaner, an App Uninstaller, Performance Monitor, a Secret Keeper, File Unarchive, and Wi-Fi spite.
Now here is how you can have the maintenance for your Spotlight on your Mac using the Mac Cleaner by TechyCub.
Step 1: Download, Install and Run
Have Mac Cleaner downloaded from our official website and have it installed on your Mac. After that, run the program.
Mac Cleaner
Scan your Mac quickly and clean junk files easily.
Check the primary status of your Mac including the disk usage, CPU status, memory usage, etc.
Speed up your Mac with simple clicks.
Free Download
Step 2: Choose A Module
On the main interface, you will be able to see the functions it has, like Junk Cleaner, App Installer, Shredder, Privacy and more. To clean up your Mac, you can choose one of the modules or just simply click Junk Cleaner and Scan.
Step 3: Clean Up Your Mac
Choose the files you don't want or simply click Delete All. After that, click Clean to confirm your choice. Then the software will start cleaning up your Mac, and your Mac will run faster after cleanup.
People Also Read How to Fix my Mac Running Slow? How Do You Speed Up Your Mac?
Part 5: Conclusion
As you can see, there are a lot of ways how to use the Spotlight search on your Mac. However, you still have to make sure that you actually keep it well-maintained. This way, your Mac will still be running at its finest or even better. And for you to do this, you can have TechyCub Mac Cleaner and this will be a piece of cake.
