MacOS – Removing a specific app from spotlight

macosspotlight

I use textWrangler for all my text editing needs. I abhor textEdit. The problem comes when I search spotlight if I stop at text and hit enter then textEdit will launch. I want to remove textEdit from my spotlight without deleting the app itself.

I know I can keep a folder from being indexed. But I want a specific app/file to not be included.

And I know the simple answer is just "don't type text". But that isn't really an answer. I don't want to think to type.

Best Answer

Yes, you can exclude a specific application from Spotlight search results from its Privacy pane in OS X Yosemite.

Along with TextEdit I have TextWrangler and Sublime Text 2 installed under OS X Yosemite. If in Spotlight I type text the listed order is:

  • TextEdit
  • TextWrangler
  • Sublime Text 2

If I go to System Preferences > Spotlight > Privacy and drag and drop the TextEdit application bundle onto the list area of the Privacy pane and close System Preferences and go back to Spotlight and type text the listed order is now:

  • TextWrangler
  • Sublime Text 2

So, just do as I did and it solves your issue.

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