If you are an Apple device user who has ever tried and failed to find an email message that you know you’ve received, or a photo you know you’ve taken, has Apple got news for you. The company said Monday at its WWDC 2026 event that it realized Search didn’t work well. So, it has completely rebuilt it.
“We’ve all had that moment where you search for something you know is there, but it just won’t show up,” Stacey Ford, vice president of OS Program Management, said during the WWDC opening keynote. “So on iOS, iPadOS and macOS, we’ve rebuilt the foundation of search that powers Spotlight, Photos, and Mail. At its core is the Search Index, a rich catalog your device builds of all your content, so it can understand what you have and where to find it.”