6 Ways to Fix Spotlight Search Not Working On iPhone and iPad

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Before you begin, try restarting your iPhone or updating it to the latest version to get rid of any bugs that are affecting Spotlight Search.

Fix 1: Remove Shortcut Widgets

Some bugs are fixed in mysterious ways – and as per several community forums, removing the Shortcuts widget on your home screen is one way to fix the problem.

Swipe rightfrom the first page of your home screen. Long-press on theShortcuts widget, tap onRemove Widgetand confirm your action.

Also Read:How to fix Spotlight Search not working on Mac.

Fix 2: Disable ‘Show Home Controls’

Here’s another fix that may not be directly related to Spotlight Search, but several community forums suggest that it may help.

Step 1:Open theSettingsapp. SelectControl Centre.

Step 2:Turn off the toggle forShow Home Controls.

Fix 3: Check Storage Space

Spotlight Search has to index every single file or folder and the process might get sluggish, or may not work at all if you are running out of storage space. Go toSettings > General > iPhone Storageand check the remaining storage space.

If your iPhone is running low on storage, you can uninstall apps, delete redundant photos, orclear the ‘Other’ storage.

Fix 4: Change Default Language

At times, Spotlight Search may have some trouble working with the set default language. Therefore, you can try and change the default language.

Step 1:Open theSettingsapp and selectGeneral>Language and Region.

Step 2:Tap onAdd Language. Select a language that you are familiar with. If you prefer English, you can always select an alternate version.

Step 3:Now, you can confirm using the selected language as a primary language for your iPhone.

Fix 5: Remove Third-Party Keyboards

I also faced the issue of the keyboard not loading up while we used the search bar. This mainly occurred when using a third-party keyboard.

Step 1:Open theSettingsapp selectGeneraland go toKeyboard.

Step 2:SelectKeyboardsand open thethird-party keyboard. Turn off the toggle forAllow Full Access.

Fix 6: Disable and Enable Search for Apps

When you turn off and turn on Spotlight Search in the Settings app, you refresh the feature which may clear the bug affecting it.

Step 1:Open theSettingsapp and selectSiri & Search.

Step 2:There is no toggle to disable Spotlight Search entirely. However, you can disable it on a per-app basis. Hence, select anappfrom the list,turn offthe toggle forShow App in Search, and turn it back on.

If none of the above methods work, you can tryresetting your iPhone.

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Last updated on 16 May, 2024

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