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At WWDC 2025, Apple revealed a big update to Spotlight, the Mac’s built-in search tool, calling it one of the most significant changes ever made to the feature.
With the upcoming macOS Tahoe, Spotlight will go far beyond just helping users find files or apps — it can now perform hundreds of actions, like writing emails, setting reminders, or even playing podcasts, all without opening separate apps.
This upgrade comes as AI-powered tools like ChatGPT and Google Gemini grow in popularity.
People are using these assistants to complete tasks quickly, and Apple seems to be moving Spotlight in the same direction, turning it into a smart, fast, all-purpose command center for the Mac.
One of the most noticeable changes is a new visual design. Spotlight now combines search results for apps, files, and even your clipboard history, displaying everything in one cleaner view.
The results are also sorted intelligently based on what’s most relevant to what you’re doing.
Another big addition is quick keys, short codes you can type to instantly perform actions. For example, typing “SM” can start a new message, or “AR” can create a reminder.
You can also make your own custom quick keys, and app developers can use a new tool to make their apps work better with Spotlight.
Apple even showed a demo where someone composed and sent a full email directly from Spotlight, including filling in the recipient, subject, and message, without ever opening the Mail app.
Whether most people will actually use Spotlight this way remains to be seen. Thanks to Apple Intelligence, Spotlight will now be context-aware.
That means it will suggest actions based on what you’re working on or what you usually do, making your Mac feel smarter and more helpful.
This Spotlight update is just one of several features coming to macOS Tahoe, including a live-tracking feature for iPhone and the new “Liquid Glass” design that refreshes the look of the entire system.
Excited to try out Spotlight on the next macOS version? Do you see it improving the way you use your Mac? We want to hear your thoughts below in the comments, or via our Twitter or Facebook.
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