Spotlight is the built‑in search engine on your Mac. You can use it to find and open files on your computer, or to quickly look up information like mathematical conversions for a science experiment or definitions for a vocabulary lesson.
Start a search. In the upper‑right corner of the menu bar, click the Spotlight icon if available or press Command‑Space bar. A Spotlight Search field appears.
Find and open an app. In the Spotlight Search field, type the word “Pages.” Search results appear as you type.
Click the Pages app icon that appears at the top of the results list. The app launches and Spotlight closes automatically.
Get a calculation. Open Spotlight and type in a mathematical expression, such as “929*4.15.” Spotlight displays the result.
Get a definition. In Spotlight, type the word “photosynthesis,” then double-click the result under Dictionary to see it in the Dictionary app.
Convert measurements. Enter a measurement such as “5 km” or “3 miles.” Spotlight converts the value and displays the result using a variety of units.
Look up contact information for a colleague or parent in your address book by typing a few letters of the person’s name in Spotlight.
Quickly check the time anywhere in the world. Enter a phrase about a time in a location, such as “time in Paris” or “Japan local time” to get World clock conversions.
Speed up your web searches using Spotlight. Type a search term and Spotlight uses Siri Suggestions to deliver a list of recommended search results — even before you’ve opened a web browser.
Learn more about Siri Suggestions for SpotlightShare what you learned and help others discover the Apple Teacher Program.
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