To search on an iPhone, swipe down on the Home Screen or the Lock Screen, type what you need, and tap the app, website, or quick action you want. To control which apps, content, and suggestions appear, open Settings > Search. Menu names shift between iOS versions and languages, so if a label below does not match your screen, use the search field at the top of Settings to find the setting by name.
Open Spotlight and run a search
Apple’s iPhone guide for iOS 27 describes two ways to open Search. On models with Face ID, tap the Search button on the Home Screen. On any iPhone, swipe down on the Home Screen or the Lock Screen.
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- Open Search by swiping down on the Home Screen or Lock Screen, or by tapping the Search button on the Home Screen (Face ID models).
- Type your query. Results update as you type.
- Tap a suggested app or website, use a suggested quick action, or open a result to see more about it.
- To start over, clear the query and type something new.
Apple’s guidance on Search on iPhone adds that a results list may offer Show More or Search in App when there is more to see or when you want to search inside a single app.
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What Spotlight can return
Spotlight is not limited to apps. According to Apple’s documentation, a single search can return:
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- Vibrant 6.1-inch Super Retina XDR display with OLED technology. Action mode for smooth, steady, handheld videos.
- Apps and contacts
- Content from apps such as Mail and Messages
- Text inside photos, through Live Text
- Web results and system results
- Quick actions, such as starting a timer, turning on a Focus, using Shazam, or running a shortcut
Since iOS 17, some results can also do more than open. Apple lists creating a note, toggling a setting, calling or messaging a contact, and starting FaceTime. Which actions appear depends on your software version, so an action you see in a guide may be missing on an older iOS release.
Choose what appears
Spotlight offers several separate controls: per-app visibility, web-related results, suggestion notifications, and location-based suggestions. They do different jobs, so change only the one that matches the result you want to remove.
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- This phone is unlocked and compatible with any carrier of choice on GSM and CDMA networks (e.g. AT&T, T-Mobile, Sprint, Verizon, US Cellular, Cricket, Metro, Tracfone, Mint Mobile, etc.).
- Please check with your carrier to verify compatibility.
- The device does not come with headphones or a SIM card. It does include a generic (Mfi certified) charging cable.
- Tested for battery health and guaranteed to have a minimum battery capacity of 80%.
Per-app controls in Settings > Search
- Open Settings and tap Search.
- Scroll down the list of apps and tap the app you want to change.
- Adjust the controls shown for that app.
Apple’s iPhone guide names Show App in Search. Apple’s Search support article also lists these controls:
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- Show Content in Search: whether content from the app, such as messages or notes, appears.
- Show on Home Screen: whether the app is suggested on the Home Screen.
- Suggest App: whether the app is offered as a suggestion.
- Suggest Notifications: whether the app’s notifications appear as suggestions.
The list you see can differ by iOS version and by app. An app that does not offer a given control simply will not show it.
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- This pre-owned product is not Apple certified, but has been professionally inspected, tested and cleaned by Amazon-qualified suppliers.
- There will be no visible cosmetic imperfections when held at an arm’s length.
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- Product may come in generic Box.
Web-related results
Apple’s support article describes two controls in Settings > Search that limit web-related results. Turn off Show Related Content to stop related web content from appearing, and turn off Show Recent Searches to stop your earlier searches from being offered.
Suggestion notifications
To manage suggestions that come as notifications, go to Settings > Notifications > Suggestion Notifications. You can switch them off for all apps or adjust them one app at a time.
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- 6.1" Super Retina XDR OLED, HDR10, 800 nits (HBM), 1200 nits (peak), 2532x1170px at 460ppi, 4005mAh Battery
- 8GB RAM, Apple A18 6-core CPU (2 performance + 4 efficiency cores), Apple GPU 4-core, 16‑core Neural Engine
- Rear camera: 48MP, f/1.6, wide, Front Camera: 12MP, f/1.9, wide, iOS 18.3.1, upgradable to iOS 18.5
- Connectivity: Global 4G LTE, Sub-6 GHz 5G, LTE, Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.3, NFC, USB-C, Wireless Charging (7.5W). (does not have mmWave 5G or MagSafe or physical SIM card) - Dual eSIM Only
- Unlocked for freedom to choose your carrier. Compatible with both GSM & CDMA networks. The phone is unlocked to work with all GSM Carriers & CDMA Carriers Including AT&T, T-Mobile, Verizon, Straight Talk., Etc.
Location-based suggestions
Apple’s iPhone guide says Spotlight can use your location to refine suggestions when Location Services is on. To stop that, go to Settings > Privacy & Security > Location Services > System Services and turn off Suggestions & Search.
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Pick the setting based on the outcome you want, because some changes also affect Siri AI.
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- 6.1inch Super Retina XDR display. Aluminum with color-infused glass back. Ring/Silent switch
- Dynamic Island. A magical way to interact with iPhone. A16 Bionic chip with 5-core GPU
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- Emergency SOS via satellite. Crash Detection. Roadside Assistance via satellite
- Up to 26 hours video playback. USB C, Supports USB 2. Face ID
| Goal | Setting to change | Trade-off |
|---|---|---|
| Hide an app from Search entirely | Show App in Search, turned off | Siri AI cannot find personal context from that app on supported versions |
| Keep the app searchable but hide its content | Show Content in Search, turned off (where supported) | Siri AI cannot find personal context from that app on supported versions |
| Fewer app suggestions | Suggest App, turned off | The app is no longer offered as a suggestion |
| Fewer suggestion prompts | Settings > Notifications > Suggestion Notifications | Suggestion notifications stop for all apps or the ones you turn off |
| No location-based refinements | Location Services > System Services > Suggestions & Search, turned off | Suggestions are no longer refined using location |
| Fewer web results | Show Related Content and Show Recent Searches, both turned off | Related web content and recent searches no longer appear in Search |
What hiding an app does to Siri AI
Apple’s September 2026 support article says that turning off Show App in Search or Show Content in Search for an app prevents Siri AI from finding personal context from that app. Siri AI is described in Apple’s iPhone guide as a beta feature for supported iOS 27 devices and languages, and its availability is limited by region. If you turn off visibility for an app and then notice Siri AI no longer draws on it, this is the expected result, not a fault.
When a result is missing
Missing results usually have one of a few causes. Check them in this order:
- The app does not support Spotlight indexing. Content from third-party apps appears only when the app supports it. Check the app’s own Search settings.
- The app is hidden. Apple says a hidden app does not appear in Search until you unhide it.
- Visibility is turned off. Open Settings > Search, tap the app, and confirm that Show App in Search and Show Content in Search are on, if you want that content to appear.
- iCloud sync range. Apple notes that results can be limited by how far back an app has synced with iCloud.
- Indexing is still in progress. Recently set-up or updated devices may need time before results appear.
How long indexing takes
Spotlight relies on an index of device data that is updated regularly. Apple’s article on Spotlight indexing says indexing happens during initial setup, after a software update or upgrade, and as indexed data changes. Initial indexing can take hours or even days, depending on how much data is on the device. Later updates are faster.
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Apple notes that indexing finishes sooner when the iPhone is not in use, is connected to power, and has Wi-Fi or Ethernet available so that data such as email can download. If results are missing right after setup or an update, give the device time before changing settings.
Apple also describes the index itself in its support article: “This is a local, private index that stays on your device and isn’t shared with Apple or your other devices.” (Apple Support, “About Spotlight indexing and search results on Apple devices,” published August 28, 2026.)
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