Level 1

23 points

Spotlight Search Not Working on iOS 12.1

Hi,

I’ve recently updated to iOS 12.1 on my iPhone 8 Plus, although this issue was also present in iOS 12 (I updated to try and solve the issue).

Basically, whenever I got to spotlight search and search for anything, I get no results - the same issue occurs in settings when I try to search for a setting. I've done some googling and can't seem to find anybody reporting the same issue as me.

I also have an iPhone 6, running on iOS 12, and spotlight search and search in settings works perfectly.

I have attached a screenshot of trying to use spotlight search to find the app Amazon, which I have downloaded on my device. After pressing search, the Siri suggestions stay, and nothing appears. After about 5 seconds, the Siri suggestions completely dissapear and the options to search web, app store, and maps appear about 5-10 seconds later.

I found some suggestions of changing the language region, restarting the device, and then switching it back again. This did not work.

Any help would be much appreciated,

Thanks,

Jake

iPhone 8 Plus, iOS 12.1

Posted on Nov 11, 2018 12:38 AM

Top-ranking reply

janericster

Level 1

69 points

Posted on May 6, 2019 9:10 AM

UPDATE (FIXED FOR ME):

So after talking with Apple Support, I tried one last thing: a FULL factory reset, then plug the phone into my Mac and restore by downloading the iOS 12 software through iTunes and THEN do a full restore from the backup.

After 4 days of use, the search is fully functional (which has never happened since I got the phone).

Note that doing a factory reset and restore using the iPhone by itself did NOT work. Rather, you have to restore from iTunes so that it downloads a fresh copy of the iOS software and reinstall it.

I can now finally swipe down and type one letter and the search immediately displays all apps on my phone beginning with that letter as it should have all along.

Search in Mail also finally works.

NOTE regarding backup: I did an encrypted backup to my MacBook Pro to make it go faster AND to save all of my passwords to save time. This also restored my MDM profile for work which eliminates the need to reinstall that. The entire process to backup, restore phone to factory preset, download iOS and restore from encrypted backup took about 2 hours. Well worth getting my full search back in my opinion.

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79 replies

slykalen

Level 1

4 points

Jul 1, 2019 10:17 AM in response to janericster

I have an iPhone 8 running iOS 12.3.1

I was unable to search for apps or contacts with spotlight.

The post from janericster was helpful in restoring this functionality although it did take some time.

However, search is still not working within the Settings app. I tried the tip on changing the language and changing it back to no avail

Thanks again to janericster for the help!

Cacrouch

Level 1

9 points

Nov 27, 2018 8:34 AM in response to Jeff Collier

It’s pretty irritating. Please let us know if a new install works. I may have to do that myself.

Alancito

Level 7

31,224 points

Dec 2, 2018 11:54 AM in response to robnguyen

robnguyen wrote: "Same problem!"

Rob ~ Let Apple know here:

Feedback - iPhone - Apple

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lietsche

Level 1

8 points

Jan 4, 2019 4:53 PM in response to makpurp

Same problem. Restarting the phone fixes it for a short time for me then it gets stuck again. 12.1.2, iPhone X.

Please fix that Apple!!!

graeyson

Level 1

4 points

Mar 11, 2019 11:29 PM in response to prodanny

I had the Spotlight Search and Settings Search not working at all issue. This fixed it for me. I also force closed all apps before reboot and after reboot.

Aug 3, 2019 2:49 AM in response to jakerussell1

iPhone language shall be from the list of set preferred languages. This may solve the problem. Worked for me...

Nov 30, 2018 6:24 AM in response to Jeff Collier

Unfortunately the fix was short lived. I am now back to the same state I was in before with no search results. I have since tried to turn everything off, location, background update etc with no luck. I also downloaded apps to see if the CPU and Ram were maxed out and that’s not the case they were only 17% utilized at the most.

So I bounce this back to apple, where do we go from here??? This is ridiculous that we have the “most powerful iPhone” and it can’t even handle a simple search.

brentgrab

Level 2

440 points

Dec 27, 2018 5:06 PM in response to Pipper99

Not me, I have 12.1.2 and this nonsense has been happening since 12.0. How is this not fixed OS wide yet? No one at tech support knows how to fix it and I don't have the time to go through doing a Factory Data Reset / backup / restore / etc.

Majd8

Level 1

4 points

Dec 29, 2018 10:19 PM in response to coldcube31

I have just updated to 12.1.2 and performed the language change with no results. I am not getting proper search results using search anywhere.

I received this iPhone 8 last week and set it up as new.

Dec 31, 2018 2:28 PM in response to One53

I'm also having this problem on my new iPhone XS Max. The search function in Calendar only brings up events from 2018 and 2019 when the events I'm searching for go back to 1997. A calendar is useless without the ability to search it for events. Searching in Spotlight produces only the the 2018 and 2019 events as well. What is going on?!

Lownote

Houston, TX

makpurp

Level 1

0 points

Jan 2, 2019 12:06 AM in response to jakerussell1

I have the same problem on an iPhone 6s. I’ve tried all of the suggestions so far, except for setting up the whole iPhone again, to no avail.

ive tried hard reset, settings reset, language change, Turnung Siri on and off.

I have 128 gb and setting up from a backup takes so much time to download everything that I’d rather not - any other suggestions?

lietsche

Level 1

8 points

Jan 22, 2019 11:44 PM in response to hingandling

12.1.3 did not fix it for me.

I almost only open apps via spotlight so this is highly annoying to me.

Can’t leave my phone unprotected by turning off passcode or Face ID too much sensitive data.

Apple, please!!!

Feb 2, 2019 9:11 AM in response to Jeff Collier

This is a ridiculous solution. Not ok for this bug to sit there and inhibit a primary way to use the iPhone. Apple should step up and fix. I have not the time or inclination to implement the above solution.

Feb 11, 2019 5:12 PM in response to Pepe909

I have the same issue. I have an Xs Max with IOS 12.1.4 installed. I wish had never upgraded from my 6+....this has been an issue ever since I did a few months back.

Has anyone taken their phone in to see what they say?

Lownote

Level 1

44 points

Feb 15, 2019 4:50 AM in response to S-Mu

My issue is slightly different. Search in Calendar stopped working with iOS 12 update. Now it only shows events from the last year. With 20+ years of calendars events this is a disaster. Suggestion to wipe and restore is too much of a PITA since I have a UK phone number on an e-Sim and a US number on a hard sim. The wipe would eliminate the e-Sim and the only way to fix it is to go back to a store in the UK to get another eSim. Simply not practical with the amount that I travel. Please fix this Apple.

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Spotlight Search Not Working on iOS 12.1