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How to Search Your iPad for Apps, Music, Movies, and More
Don't waste your time scrolling through screens
By Daniel Nations Daniel Nations Writer University of Texas at Arlington Daniel Nations has been a tech journalist since 1994. His work has appeared in Computer Currents, The Examiner, and other publications. He is a developer who has published apps in the Apple App Store, Google Play marketplace and Amazon Appstore; he also has worked as a data analyst and DB administrator. lifewire's editorial guidelines Updated on December 3, 2021 Tweet Share Email Tweet Share Email Apple iPad Macs What to Know
Using Spotlight Search, swipe down on Home screen, enter search terms in Search or dictate a search by tapping Microphone.Using Siri, hold Home until activation, then say. "Open [name of app]." This article explains how to search on an iPad for a variety of files. Instructions apply to devices with iOS 9 or later. How to Use Spotlight Search to Open Apps
Sometimes, searching for an app using iOS is faster than trying to remember which folder or screen you stashed it in. Spotlight Search can pull up any app installed on your iPad. If you haven't installed the program, it sends you to the App Store to download it. Here's how. Swipe down from anywhere on the Home screen. Don't swipe from the top edge of the screen, or you'll open the Notification Center or Control Center. Spotlight Search contains a search bar and a keyboard. It also shows the last five apps you opened. Type a search term. As you type, suggestions appear. To dictate a search, tap the Microphone icon in the search bar. Tap the icon of the app you want to open. How to Open Apps with Siri
To open apps with the Apple digital assistant, hold the Home button until it activates, and then say "Open [name of app]." The iPad opens the app automatically. Siri can't open apps that you offloaded to save space. You'll need to reinstall those apps first. Search for More Than Apps with Spotlight Search
The Spotlight Search feature does more than launch apps. It searches your iPad for content. You can search for a song name, an album, or a movie you stored. Your search results also include text messages you sent and received, Settings options, files, emails, and other apps. Spotlight Search also searches outside your iPad. If you type an app name that isn't on your iPad, it searches the App Store for that app and presents a link for you to download it. If you search for pizza, for example, it checks the Maps app for nearby pizza places. You can also do web searches without opening the Safari browser. You can also activate a version of Spotlight Search by swiping from left to right on the Home screen. This version has the same search field at the top of the screen and includes widgets that you can customize to see your calendar quickly, check the weather, monitor screen time, and more. How to Control F on iPad Was this page helpful? Thanks for letting us know! Get the Latest Tech News Delivered Every Day Subscribe Tell us why! Other Not enough details Hard to understand Submit More from Lifewire How to Use Spotlight Search on Your iPhone or iPad How to Use Spotlight, the Finder Search Window How to Open the iPad's Settings How to Search Mail in iPhone Mail How to Use the iPad Calendar How to Find an App on Your iPhone/iPad Quickly How to Search Your iPhone Using Spotlight How to Change the Instagram Icon in iOS and Android How to Change the Color of Apps on iOS 14 How to Organize Your Life With Your iPad Should You Buy an iPad Keyboard? 3 Reasons Why You Might Want To How to Unhide Apps on an iPhone How to Show Battery Percentage on an iPhone XR How to Find Files Faster Using Spotlight Keyword Searches How to Move Apps From the App Library to the Home Screen on Your iPhone Downloading Music to Your iPad is Easy Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. Cookies Settings Accept All Cookies