When should I update the Mac index?

Quick Search watches your indexed folders. When files change, Update Index becomes available; with Pro and automatic updates on, the index updates by itself. Changes made by other computers on network drives are not reported to your Mac, so use Update Index or Command-R for those folders.

Can the Mac app and command line interface (CLI) share the same index?

Yes. With Pro, the macOS app and the qs command line tool use the same shared local index after Command Line Tool is turned on in Settings. Add folders and build the index in the Mac app, then use the CLI for update, search, and status.

macOS guide

How to search large folders on Mac with Quick Search

Q: How do I search without opening the main window?

Press Option-Command-S in any app, or choose Quick Search from the menu bar icon, to open the quick search panel. It is available in Basic and Pro.

When a folder has thousands of PDFs, invoices, contracts, images, and archived files, filename search is often the fastest path to the right document.

1. Add the folders you work with most

Start with folders that contain documents you search repeatedly: project archives, Downloads, invoices, contracts, client folders, and cloud-synced work folders that are available locally in Finder. Folder authorization is handled in the Mac app through macOS permissions. Basic can use up to 3 folders inside your disk or home folder, such as Documents or Downloads; it can't add a whole disk (Macintosh HD), the Users folder, or the home folder. External and network drives can be added from their top folder. Pro can use more folders.

2. Use Finder-authorized cloud-synced folders

On macOS, Quick Search indexes folders that you add from Finder, including OneDrive, Dropbox, iCloud Drive, or other provider folders when they are synced and available on your Mac. The Mac app does not use OneDrive or Dropbox OAuth APIs; it follows Finder and macOS folder permissions.

3. Build the local index in the app

After adding folders, build the local index in Quick Search. This keeps folder access aligned with macOS permissions and lets both the app and the CLI use the same shared index. With Pro, the index is built automatically after you add folders.

4. Search with terms and extensions

Use a filename term to describe the document, then add an extension filter when you know the format. Basic searches one keyword, optionally with an extension. Pro adds multiple keywords with default AND matching, OR mode, and extension-only searches, so a multi-term search plus a PDF filter narrows a large folder set quickly.

5. Narrow results by folder name

Enter a folder name to keep only files inside folders whose names match, at any depth. For example, report with the folder name finance finds reports filed under any Finance folder. Folder Name Search Mode in Settings chooses whether one folder must match every folder word (AND) or any word is enough (OR).

6. Search from any app with ⌥⌘S

Press ⌥⌘S in any app, or choose Quick Search from the menu bar icon, to open the quick search panel. Type to search as you type, use ↑ and ↓ to choose a file, Return to open it, ⌘Return to show it in Finder, and ⌘C to copy its path. The panel accepts the same options as qs search, such as report .pdf or review --folder medical --ext pdf. Change the shortcut, the menu bar icon, and Open at login in Settings › Quick Search Panel; with Open at login on, Quick Search starts quietly with only the menu bar icon and the shortcut. The panel is available in Basic and Pro.

7. Let the index keep up with changes

Quick Search does not need to scan folders before every search. It watches your indexed folders, and when files are added, deleted, renamed, or changed, Update Index becomes available. With Pro and automatic updates on, the index updates by itself a few seconds after files stop changing. Changes made by other computers on network drives (NAS, SMB) are not reported to your Mac, so use Update Index or ⌘R for those folders.

Tips

Turn on Show recent files when not searching, next to File Name, to list the 500 most recently modified files while the search is empty. Use A− and A+ in the results header, or ⌘− and ⌘+, to change the result text size.

FAQ

Is this the same as full-text search?

No. Quick Search focuses on filenames, extensions, and paths, which keeps the workflow simple and fast for document retrieval.

Can I search cloud-synced folders?

Yes, when those folders are available locally in Finder and explicitly authorized in the Mac app. Provider sync state and local availability can affect behavior.

Why doesn't my network drive folder update by itself?

Changes made by other computers on a NAS or SMB share are not reported to your Mac. Use Update Index or ⌘R after files change there.

Can the CLI add folders?

No. Add folders and build the initial index in the Mac app. The CLI is designed for update, search, and status against the shared app-authorized index.