Level 1

43 points

Why can't Spotlight Search find my apps in IOS 11 anymore?

In IOS 10, I used the Spotlight Search ability (pull screen down) to quickly locate applications installed on my iPhone. By only having to type the first few letters of an application, it was intuitive and saved a lot of time especially when you have lots of apps installed. Now with IOS11 I'm finding that only some of my apps are being located. Having researched why, it seems that in order for all my apps to be 'found' and listed in the Applications search bar, I now have to go into the Search settings and manually enable ALL my applications in order for Spotlight to find them. What the heck! Why would you deliberately remove a perfectly sensible ability to quickly locate and run an application with a system that now requires me to have to manually update the Search settings each and every time I install an application?

I understand the need to be able to switch off application data from being searched (which was how it worked in IOS 10), but the names of installed applications should always be available for Spotlight. Am I missing something?

iPhone 6, iOS 11.0.1

Posted on Sep 28, 2017 9:08 AM

41 replies

nasredin

Level 1

15 points

Dec 27, 2017 1:29 AM in response to businesshappy

Hello,

i really appreciate u have written it. i think, sometime, it's only me or i have no idea why poeople are scared write about it, maybe people think they will look like stupid, when they write apple is not good as before.

I agree i really don't need smiling poo emoticon as main feature of new OS, i would like to use my phone for work and not to search how to "workaround new problems".

I really like apple products, but i really wish to apple woke before it will be too late.

BobZiggy

Level 1

4 points

Dec 27, 2017 7:03 AM in response to Sandbox Wizard

I’m not going to spend 3 hours turning on search for every single one of my 300+ apps individually. That @Apple designed this in is a for sure sign that they broke the search functionality deliberately to create more search ability for suggested apps and such, rather than finding apps already on the phone like before. I launched two of the very first 200 apps that went live on the App Store in 2008 and know a lot about apps and functionality. This was a horrible mistake by Apple. You broke my search ability for ever! Please fix! #WhereIsSteveWhenYouNeedHim?

Jan 31, 2018 7:35 AM in response to Annemartine

At last I understood.I have now enabled all apps one by one in "Siri and Search". See the two screenshots.

Sep 28, 2017 1:40 PM in response to Storrm68

Please try enabling Suggestions in Search. It will help somewhat. You can tell Apple of their error by posting at this link: Feedback - iPad - Apple.

ikkyu13

Level 1

4 points

Oct 15, 2017 12:26 PM in response to Thamesway

I agree. I can’t believe this isn’t a bug. Surly Apple realizes that Spotlight is how many people access their apps. It’s an indefensible redesign flaw.

Oct 30, 2017 9:32 PM in response to ikkyu13

Completely agree. I don’t think I use any feature more than search on my phone and now it is useless. Extremely frustrating!!!

Nov 28, 2017 4:56 PM in response to Storrm68

I'm experiencing similar issues where Spotlight no longer suggest certain apps, and I'm still on IOS 10.3.3.

Not all, just some. If there was only a way to reindex everything.....

nasredin

Level 1

15 points

Dec 21, 2017 6:46 AM in response to BobZiggy

u are not alone, i guess u read macobserver and so, they noticed int in beta, everybody complain for this behaviour and apple just ignoring it... i'm really sad with my apple devices 😟 so many bugs!

nasredin

Level 1

15 points

Jan 19, 2018 10:55 AM in response to BobZiggy

no they will not fix it = it was my last product from apple, i just cant use my devices synce upgrade, i really don't want pay for something what stop work after upgrade...

Jan 31, 2018 7:17 AM in response to Diana.McCall

This doesnot make a difference for me. I donot understand. My problem is also, that I cannot even find " mail" or " notities".

Jan 31, 2018 7:19 AM in response to Sandbox Wizard

I donot understand how I can enable " show app" . Where can I finf this. Can you send a screenshot?

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Why can't Spotlight Search find my apps in IOS 11 anymore?