Guide

How to search words inside files on Mac.

Find Text helps when you remember what a document says, but not what the file was named.

Start with the folder you trust

Add the project folder, archive, client folder, research folder, or cloud-synced Finder folder that contains the documents you want to search. This keeps results focused and easier to review.

Use the fields together

Use File Name when you remember part of the title, Extension when you know the format, Content when you remember words inside the file, and Exclude when you want to remove drafts or unrelated copies.

Preview before opening

Select a result to inspect the matching passage first. Previewing saves time when many files mention similar names, dates, or topics.

Good use cases