Mac User Guide
- Welcome
- What’s new in macOS Tahoe
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- Intro to Apple Intelligence
- Translate messages and calls
- Create original images with Image Playground
- Create your own emoji with Genmoji
- Use Apple Intelligence with Siri
- Find the right words with Writing Tools
- Summarize notifications and reduce interruptions
- Use ChatGPT with Apple Intelligence
- Apple Intelligence and privacy
- Block access to Apple Intelligence features
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- Intro to Continuity
- Use AirDrop to send items to nearby devices
- Hand off tasks between devices
- Control your iPhone from your Mac
- Copy and paste between devices
- Stream video and audio with AirPlay
- Make and receive calls and text messages on your Mac
- Use your iPhone internet connection with your Mac
- Share your Wi-Fi password with another device
- Use iPhone as a webcam
- Insert sketches, photos, and scans from iPhone or iPad
- Unlock your Mac with Apple Watch
- Use your iPad as a second display
- Use one keyboard and mouse to control Mac and iPad
- Sync music, books, and more between devices
- Resources for your Mac
- Resources for your Apple devices
- Copyright and trademarks
If searching your Mac returns unexpected results
If you search your Mac and get unexpected search results, try these suggestions.
Check the text you entered in the search field
Make sure the word or phrase is spelled correctly.
To search for an exact phrase, enclose it in quotation marks. For example, enter “trip to Paris” to find items that contain that exact phrase. If you don’t use quotation marks, the search results include items that contain those words in any order.
Check the location you’re searching
If you began your search in Spotlight, the search results can include email, calendar events, information from other apps, and more. If you began your search in a Finder window, the search results include only files and folders on the internal disk.
Check settings in Spotlight settings
You may have excluded items from Spotlight searches. To check, choose Apple menu
in the sidebar. (You may need to scroll down.) In “Search results,” items whose checkboxes are unselected aren’t included in search results. See Select result categories for Spotlight.You may have excluded certain folders or disks from Spotlight searches. To check, choose Apple menu
You may have turned off Location Services for Siri Suggestions. See Turn Siri Suggestions on or off.
For more information about Spotlight settings, see Spotlight settings.
Check archives and backups
To find a file in an archive, such as a disk image or a zip file, double-click the archive to open it, then search again.
If you’re using Time Machine to back up your Mac, use Spotlight with Time Machine to find and recover files in backups.