Hey Reader,! 👋

😖 The issue

With so many apps and bits of data on our iPhone, it can be hard to find what we’re looking for.

Unfortunately, many of us end up poking around in apps. We are trying to find that PDF we saved or that email with our hotel reservation.

This is inefficient and frustrating.

But there’s a better way to find what you’re looking for.

👇 Give it a try

To search in Spotlight, tap Search on the Home Screen. It's above the bottom row of app icons (on an iPhone with Face ID).

You can also access Spotlight by swiping down on the Home Screen or Lock Screen.

Next, type what you’re looking for in the search field.

As you type, you’ll see suggested search results across your iPhone apps and services.

To open a search result, tap on it.

You can also swipe left or right on some results. This reveals more options, like calling a contact, playing a song, or deleting an app.

In some cases, you can tap and hold on some results to see a preview or access more actions.

Here's a quick video (0:11) showing how to access Spotlight from the Home Screen...

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If you’re like me, you probably have a LOT of apps on your iPhone. That also means there may be a LOT of search results when you search for something.

Thankfully, you can even choose which apps to include in Search.

Open the Settings app and then choose the Siri & Search category.

From there, scroll down, select an app, and then turn Show App in Search ON or OFF.

✨ One more thing

I use Spotlight all the time for launching apps. I find it WAY faster than swiping left and right between my home screens to find it.

By learning how to use and customize Spotlight, you can find what you’re looking for more quickly and easily.

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Until next time, see ya! 👋