Mac User Guide
- Welcome
- What’s new in macOS Sequoia
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- Get started with Apple Intelligence
- Use Writing Tools
- Use Apple Intelligence in Mail
- Use Apple Intelligence in Messages
- Use Apple Intelligence with Siri
- Get webpage summaries
- Summarize an audio recording
- Use Apple Intelligence in Photos
- Summarize notifications and reduce interruptions
- Apple Intelligence and privacy
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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
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- Control what you share
- Set up your Mac to be secure
- Allow apps to see the location of your Mac
- Use Private Browsing
- Keep your data safe
- Understand passwords
- Change weak or compromised passwords
- Keep your Apple Account secure
- Use Mail Privacy Protection
- Use Sign in with Apple for apps and websites
- Find a missing device
- Resources for your Mac
- Resources for your Apple devices
- Copyright
Spotlight settings on Mac
On your Mac, use Spotlight settings to change the categories that appear in Spotlight search results.
Popular topics
Browse through the options below for details about customizing your settings.
To open these settings, choose Apple menu > System Settings, then click Spotlight in the sidebar. (You may need to scroll down.)
Open Spotlight settings for me
Spotlight settings
Option | Description | ||||||||||
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Search results | Select the categories that Spotlight includes or excludes when it searches. See Choose suggestion categories for Spotlight. By default, Spotlight results include Siri Suggestions. | ||||||||||
Improve Search | Allow Apple to store certain information to improve search results. See the Apple Privacy website. | ||||||||||
Search Privacy | Exclude specific files and folders from Spotlight searches. See Prevent Spotlight searches in files. | ||||||||||
About Siri Suggestions, Search & Privacy (available when you click Search Privacy) | Learn how Siri and Spotlight searches may send certain data to Apple to process and help respond to your requests and how you can control what data is stored. |