Set Finder default search pattern

I'd like to set the Finder Search so that its default is "name contains [pattern]". "pattern" will vary. The folder to search will most often not vary. Saving the search as a smart folder doesn't seem to be what I want. Perhaps I am misunderstanding how that works.


I any case, here's what I want:

1. Open Finder window.

2. Enter text in the Finder's Search window.

3. Not have to click the Plus sign for the search to be "Name Contains"; that is, have that search done unless I specify otherwise.


Any way to do this?

I could write a Finder command for terminal that would do it, but that isn't my preference.

iMac (21.5-inch, Late 2015), macOS High Sierra (10.13.4)

Posted on May 22, 2018 8:47 AM

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2 replies

May 23, 2018 6:02 PM in response to Bruce Smith2

There is no way to change the default search. You can set where it searches in Finder's Preferences.

If your Patterns are always the same, you could do it with a Search Folder. However, if you want to type in a random pattern and get it to use name contains instead of name matches, I don't think that is possible.


That said, inside the Finder app bundle in /System/Library/CoreServices, there is default_smart.plist which appears to be what you see if you type cmd-F in Finder (i.e. "kind is Any"). However, I don't know how to edit that to get "name contains" as the criteria.

If you can figure that out, you might be able to have Cmd-F bring up a window with the only criteria being name contains and then you type in the pattern.

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Set Finder default search pattern

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