Utilities macOS
HoudahSpot for macOS
Find files on your Mac by combining name, content, tags, dates, and other metadata in HoudahSpot, a paid search app built on Spotlight with a free trial.
- Operating system
- macOS 10.14 Mojave or newer
- Architecture
- Intel and Apple Silicon Macs
- Download package
- DMG disk image
Spotlight indexing must be enabled. Apple Mail search is unavailable on macOS Sonoma or newer.
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What is HoudahSpot?
HoudahSpot helps locate files when a filename alone is not enough. Combine criteria such as text content, file type, modification date, or image dimensions, and search several folders while excluding others. It uses the macOS Spotlight index rather than replacing the underlying indexing service.
Results can appear as a list, icons, or thumbnails, with configurable columns for the properties you need to compare. Quick Look, file information, and a text preview help inspect matches before opening a file. Save recurring searches as templates or reuse groups of criteria as snippets.
HoudahSpot requires Spotlight indexing to be enabled. Apple Mail search is unavailable on macOS Sonoma or newer, even though older screenshots show mail-related templates. The application is paid software with a free trial; demo mode displays a message and adds a delay when opening a file from the results.
What it offers
- Combine file name, text, tags, dates, size, and other metadata criteria using any, all, or none groups.
- Search multiple folders together and exclude selected locations.
- Choose list, icon, or thumbnail results and customize the displayed columns.
- Inspect files with Quick Look, metadata information, and text previews that highlight search matches.
- Save recurring searches as templates and reuse criteria as named snippets.
Good to know
- Requires macOS Spotlight indexing to be enabled.
- Apple Mail search is not available on macOS Sonoma or newer.
- The free trial runs in demo mode, which displays a message and adds a delay when opening a file from search results. A paid license unlocks the application.
Product images
Sources
References used for this listing. Retrieval dates do not indicate hands-on testing.
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