Spotlight in macOS 26 Tahoe: Everything You Can Do With It

Spotlight has always been a quick way to find things on your Mac. With macOS 26 (Tahoe), Spotlight is no longer just a search tool. It’s now your all-in-one command center that helps you get things done faster, smarter, and without switching apps all the time.

Here’s everything that’s new, what you can do with it, and why Spotlight in macOS 26 Tahoe might become your favorite Mac feature.

1. Browse, Not Just Search

If you don’t remember the exact name of the app or file you’re searching for, no problem. Spotlight in macOS 26 now has a browse mode that shows everything in a single, scrollable interface.

After opening Spotlight, press Command (⌘) + 1 or click the Apps icon to browse your apps. Press Command (⌘) + 2 or click the Files icon to browse files. You can also filter by file types like PDFs or JPEGs. It even pulls documents from iCloud.

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At the top of browse mode, Spotlight also offers suggestions based on your routine, current activity, and even the time of day. For example, if you typically send a report to your manager on Fridays, Spotlight will automatically surface that file and the contact.

2. Find iPhone Apps from Your Mac

Thanks to iPhone Mirroring, Spotlight can now find and suggest apps installed on your iPhone. So if you need something from your phone while you’re at your desk, you don’t have to get up or switch devices.

Just search in Spotlight on your Mac, and when you select the iPhone app. It will open directly inside the iPhone Mirroring app on your Mac. Ensure both devices have Wi-Fi and Bluetooth enabled, are signed in with the same Apple ID, and are positioned close to each other. 

3. Run Actions Without Opening Any App

Spotlight is no longer just about finding apps and files—you can now perform hundreds of tasks instantly, without opening any app. Simply type a command and press Return. For instance, typing “start timer,” entering the duration, and pressing Return will start the timer in the Clock app, all without needing to launch it.

Here are just a few things Spotlight can now handle directly:

• Send an email or message to someone
• Create a new calendar event
• Record a voice note or create a new note
• Set a reminder
• Start a FaceTime call
• Play a podcast
• Move, rename, or delete files
• Eject external drives
• Get directions in Apple Maps
• Run custom Shortcuts
• Generate AI images or text summaries via Apple Intelligence

These are just examples—Spotlight can handle system-level actions, app-specific tasks, and personalized workflows—and support will keep growing as more apps integrate with it. 

However, as of now, Spotlight cannot directly change system settings, such as adjusting brightness, toggling Wi-Fi, or enabling features. You can still use it to launch specific sections of the System Settings app, where you can make those adjustments manually. 

4. It Works Inside Apps Too

If you’re editing a photo and can’t remember where the tone adjustment tool is. Just open Spotlight and type “adjust tone.” If the app supports it, Spotlight will take you straight there. You can even search the menu bar commands.

Here’s the best part—Spotlight is getting smarter as more apps get on board. Apple now lets developers plug their app features into Spotlight using something called App Intents. That means you’ll soon be able to do things like send files, apply filters, or start meetings from Spotlight using third-party apps too.

5. Smarter Shortcuts + Apple Intelligence

Spotlight is now tightly integrated with Shortcuts. Since Shortcuts now support intelligent actions using Apple Intelligence, you can trigger these smart Shortcuts directly from Spotlight.

For example, you can create a Shortcut that collects text from an open webpage, uses Apple Intelligence to summarize it, and then returns the summary instantly. You can also translate selected text and paste it back automatically.

Other useful Shortcuts you might consider:

• Resize or convert an image with one command
• Turn any web article into a PDF
• Create a task in your to-do app based on the copied text
• Schedule a quick meeting with pre-filled details

Spotlight also learns which Shortcuts you use frequently and suggests them based on your current activity.

6. Quick Keys to Save Time

Yes, you can now run actions and even custom shortcuts directly from Spotlight. But you can make it even faster by assigning custom quick keys to your most-used actions.

For example, if you frequently add reminders, you can assign ‘ar’ as a quick key. Then, whenever you type ‘ar’ in Spotlight, it will instantly suggest adding a reminder. Similarly, you can:

• Type sm to send a message
• Type st to start a timer
• Type se to send an email

You can also customize these, so your most frequent actions are just two letters away.

7. Clipboard History Is Finally Built In

Until now, macOS didn’t have a built-in clipboard history—you could only copy one item at a time or rely on third-party apps. That changes with this Spotlight update. macOS 26 introduces a native clipboard history built right into Spotlight.

Just open Spotlight and press Command (⌘) + 4, or click the clipboard icon to view your clipboard history. It’s easy to access and works with everything: text, images, web links, and even files from Finder. You can also delete individual copied items or clear the entire history. Just copy multiple items, access the history, and paste whatever you want.

Spotlight Can Now Finally Replace Alfred or Raycast

This year, Liquid Glass has taken over the internet as the headline feature. However, if you’re an advanced macOS user or rely on tools like Raycast or Alfred, Spotlight might be the real highlight of macOS 26. It’s faster, smarter, more capable—and genuinely more helpful in day-to-day work.

It replaces many third-party features, including clipboard history, file search, quick actions, and in-app control execution.

And maybe, just maybe this is the foundation for the smarter Siri Apple has been promising.

Related articles worth reading:

• macOS 26 Tahoe Brings Phone App to Mac: How to Use It and Why It Matters
• macOS 26 Tahoe: How to Change Folder Icons Using Emojis, Symbols, or Colors
• How to Use Live Activities on iPad and Mac
• Everything New in macOS 26 Beta 2: Features and Changes