Spotlight is a great tool for searching for documents and files on your Mac, but did you know that Spotlight can also be used to quickly find and launch applications with only a few keyboard shortcuts? It's true, and in this how to, we'll show you exactly how it's done.
To begin, you just need to have a Mac with OS X 10.4 (Tiger) or newer. Let's start by opening up System Preferences > Spotlight.
Once you've opened Spotlight's preferences, click on the Search Results tab. This will open a view that shows all of the categories that Spotlight can currently search for and display. Ensure that the Applications item is checked and dragged to position 1. This will ensure that the application search results comes up at the top of the list.
Underneath that view, ensure that the checkbox for "Spotlight menu keyboard shortcut" is checked. Also, make note of the keyboard shortcut that is listed in the drop-down box beside of this checkbox. This is the keyboard shortcut that you will press to open the Spotlight menu bar search. By default it will be Command + Spacebar.
To use Spotlight as an app launcher, simply press Command + Spacebar (or the other keyboard shortcut you may have set in the Spotlight preferences) no matter where you're at on your Mac. When you do, the Spotlight menu bar will open up and allow you to type in anything, but in this instance we will type the name of the application we're searching for. For instance, I'll type "Microsoft Word."
Spotlight will automatically highlight the Top Hit, which should be the application you're searching for. If it's not, the Applications section directly below it should list all of the matching Application search results. Once the Top Hit result has been highlighted, you can simply hit the Enter key to launch the application.
So, to recap, the steps to launch an app in Spotlight is:
1. Open Spotlight with Command + Spacebar (or another keyboard shortcut you've set)
2. Type in an app name
3. Press enter when the search result shows in the Top Hit
This method of launching applications can greatly improve your computing experience on the Mac. Try it, and you'll soon wonder how you ever lived without it.
Follow this article's author, Cory Bohon on Twitter.
Howard Brazee
December 03, 2010 at 10:08am
My big problem with this is when I'm not remembering the name of an application.
But with Apple wanting all of our applications in the same folder, it doesn't get much better searching around for, say Front Row, going down to "M" for "movie". I'd rather create a sub folder for my media playing applications, so I don't have to do as much searching.
Which I do on my iPad now.
Admittedly, once I discover this problem, I can create an alias and name it "Movie player", so next time I get the application started easier. But that's next time.
@Roosch
December 03, 2010 at 1:48am
I rarely use Spotlight, I have to say, even though I think it works beautifully. I have folders with aliasses in my dock (for Adobe, other apps, utilities, communication and sound/movie/pictures) and find my way to every app in just two clicks.
Not saying the spotlight solution is not useful, but this works far better for me.
mrplow
December 03, 2010 at 1:35am
Spotlight is brilliant. Far too many apps to wade though to just have the folder on the dock.
To take it one further try Alfred. It's as simple as spotlight but does so much more.
ggarthe
December 02, 2010 at 8:45pm
I have my Applications folder in the dock. Two mouse clicks and I have my app launched. I think this is easier than dealing with Spotlight.
J Keirn-Swanson
December 02, 2010 at 6:57pm
I live by this shortcut and can't for the life of me figure out why anyone (read, my wife) wants to click the Finder, click on Applications, scroll through the list to find what she wants, click on what she wants, to get what she wants. Ridiculous.
