Spotlight

iOS 7: the ultimate Spotlight search guide

Jeff Benjamin ∙ Updated March 28, 2023

Spotlight is the search tool that allows you to search for local files on your iOS device quickly and efficiently. Along with local file searches, Spotlight can search web contents via your device's default search engine or via Wikipedia.

The great thing about Spotlight is that it is built right into the stock iOS 7 Home screen, and it's accessible from any Home screen page.While the Spotlight search tool isn't as robust as Spotlight on the Mac, or as robust as what you'll find on competing platforms (there is no delimiting for local content), its ease of use makes it a fairly efficient tool for locating content quickly on the iPhone. Have a look at our full Spotlight how-to post after the break.

Search+ shows Spotlight search from anywhere

Jeff Benjamin ∙ April 29, 2014

Search+ is a recently released jailbreak tweak that's available on the BigBoss repo. It allows you to invoke Spotlight search from anywhere on your iPhone by means of an Activator gesture.

With Search+, you can quickly search the contents of your device while at the Home screen, Lock screen, or while in an app. It's, by far, one of the easiest ways to search the contents your device. Check out our video review of Search+ after the break.

How to add custom text to Spotlight search

Jeff Benjamin ∙ March 15, 2014

Every now and then we are blessed with big-named tweaks and apps like Auxo or ProWidgets or biteSMS. While having releases like those are nice, we realize that they're more the exception than the norm. Far more often, we find ourselves reviewing smaller tweaks like CustomSpotlightText—a new release that makes it possible to change the default text found in the text box after invoking Spotlight.

But that's okay, because these are the type of tweaks that sustain the community and keep it fresh until the next big release. These are the type of tweaks that make jailbroken devices so varied and diverse. With that in mind, step inside, as we walkthrough CustomSpotlightText on video.

How to locate app icons from Spotlight search

Jeff Benjamin ∙ Updated April 16, 2018

Spotlight search is cool and all, but I've always found it a little frustrating that you can only launch applications from Spotlight and not open the location where the apps reside. I'm happy to report that this "oversight" has been solved with a new jailbreak tweak called Icon Finder.

Icon Finder is a brand new and free jailbreak tweak that allows you to use a simple tap and hold gesture on your Spotlight search results. The tap and hold gesture will quickly reveal the exact location of the app in question, which could be a folder, or another page on the Home screen.

Have a look at our full video walkthrough of Icon Finder inside to see how it works.

Weasel: a system-wide search and shortcut utility for iOS

Jeff Benjamin ∙ Updated April 16, 2018

One of my favorite OS X utilities is Alfred. Alfred is a search utility, launcher, and workflow executer rolled into a simple interface that's accessible from anywhere via a keyboard shortcut. It's a tool that has saved me countless hours of time, and it's among the first apps that I install on my Mac whenever I do a system restore.

Weasel is sort of like Alfred for iOS. Obviously, it's doesn't feature as wide of a scope as Alfred, but it does its best to mimic some of the features that makes Alfred, or any launcher utility, so nice to have. Have a look at our walkthrough inside for more details.

QuickContacts lets you quickly access your favorite contacts from Spotlight

Sébastien Page ∙ January 24, 2014

There are many ways you can quickly access your contacts from remotely everywhere on an iOS device thanks to clever jailbreak tweaks, but to my knowledge, QuickContacts is the first to add your favorite contacts to Spotlight Search.

Developed by Joshua Lee Tucker with help from Kyler Phillips, QuickContacts makes your favorites accessible with a quick pull down gesture from the Home screen. I took the tweak for a spin and will now share my experience with you...

How to quickly list every app on your iOS 7 device

Jeff Benjamin ∙ Updated April 13, 2018

So, you’ve got apps spread out everywhere throughout your device. Some are scattered about multiple pages, and some, courtesy of iOS 7’s lax folder restrictions, are scattered throughout multiple pages of folders. How’s a guy to keep tabs on all of this activity?

One easy way to do so is to simply use iOS’ built in Spotlight search. Obviously, you can use Spotlight to search for a number of different items on your device, including apps. Inside, I’ll show you how to quickly list every installed application on your device, along with the folders that they reside in.

iOS 7.0.3 brings back web and Wikipedia search from Spotlight

Sébastien Page ∙ October 23, 2013

A feature that could have easily gone unnoticed with yesterday's release of iOS 7.0.3 is the return of web and Wikipedia search directly from Spotlight. The feature had been missing since the first beta release of Apple's latest mobile operating system.

To access it, simply pull your Home screen down to reveal Spotlight Search. Then start typing whatever you're looking for. If necessary, scroll all the way down. In my experience, I've found that some common searches usually return tons of emails first, making the feature a little less convenient to use than I would want to...

‘SearchCollapse’ allows you to collapse results in Spotlight search

Jeff Benjamin ∙ Updated April 14, 2018

After reviewing SearchAmplius an hour or so ago, it was only appropriate to review its sister tweak, which is entitled: SearchCollapse. SearchCollapse is a tweak that can work in tandem with SearchAmplius, but it should also be noted that it can function on its own as a standalone tweak.

SearchCollapse, as its name not so subtly implies, allows users to collapse their Spotlight search results, either automatically, or by tapping on the app icon associated with the result. Have a look at our video walkthrough inside for more detailed information.

‘SearchAmplius’ brings advanced search features to Spotlight

Jeff Benjamin ∙ Updated April 14, 2018

SearchAmplius is a new jailbreak tweak that brings some really cool new features to the Spotlight search page. Normally, I've found that tweaks of this nature absolutely fail to impress me, but SearchAmplius is one of the rare exceptions to that rule.

The tweak, which is simple in design, allows you to configure additional search modules for use in Spotlight. For example, you can search YouTube videos directly from Spotlight, and play them via the official YouTube app with just a tap on the search result. You can also search Cydia releases in much the same way, tapping on the name of the release to be whisked away to the Cydia install page for the tweak in question. App Store apps are there, too, and work much the same.

Other tweaks have tried to do similar functions in the past, but SearchAmplius is definitely at the top of the list when it comes to supercharging Spotlight. Have a look at our full video walkthrough inside for more information regarding the tweak.

How to supercharge Spotlight with ‘TaskMaster’

Jeff Benjamin ∙ Updated April 14, 2018

TaskMaster is a new Spotlight based jailbreak tweak that adds a variety of new functions to the built in iOS search feature. Along with the ability to search the contents of your device, you'll find new toggles, quick compose shortcuts, now playing information for your music, and more. It's not a perfect jailbreak tweak, but you may find its variety appealing. Have a look inside as I take TaskMaster for a spin in our video walkthrough.

How to view a map via the Spotlight search page

Jeff Benjamin ∙ Updated April 12, 2018

Mappr is a recently released jailbreak tweak that replaces the traditional Spotlight search with that of a map. The map can be configured in the Settings app to track your location or to change the map type.

Although the idea of Mappr sounds interesting, its execution leaves a bit to be desired. Check out our video walkthrough to see what I mean.