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Search fields

A search field lets people search a collection of content for specific terms they enter.

A stylized representation of a search field containing placeholder text and a dictation icon. The image is tinted red to subtly reflect the red in the original six-color Apple logo.

A search field is an editable text field that often displays a Search button, a Clear button, and optional placeholder text. Depending on the platform, a search text field can use a token to represent a search term that people enter or an app-defined item that people can use as a filter. A token uses a visual treatment that encapsulates the term or item, indicating that people can easily copy or drag the token without having to select the text within it. For an example of a token in macOS, see Token fields.

In iOS, iPadOS, and watchOS, when you make a list searchable, the system hides the search field under the toolbar until someone swipes down to reveal it. For developer guidance, see searchable(text:placement:prompt:).

Best practices

Display placeholder text that describes the type of information people can search for. For example, Music includes the placeholder text Artists, Songs, Lyrics, and More. Avoid using a term like Search for placeholder text because it doesn’t provide any helpful information.

Provide suggestions to improve the search experience. When you display a person’s recent searches (when available) or a list of popular terms or suggestions based on the content they’re entering, you can help them type less. For developer guidance, see searchSuggestions(_:).

Consider providing access to relevant items near a search field so people can select them instead of searching. For example, Safari shows bookmarks as soon as people tap or click the search field, letting them select a bookmark to open it immediately. For developer guidance, see UISearchSuggestion.

Start the search at an appropriate time. You can start the search as soon as people start typing, or wait until they choose Return or Enter. Searching while people type provides results that are continuously refined as the text becomes more specific. If the search happens after people finish typing, consider showing a menu while they type that lets them choose from their recent searches or terms you suggest.

Include a Clear button. People appreciate having a Clear button because it lets them quickly delete their current search terms.

Take privacy into consideration before displaying search history. People might not appreciate having their search history displayed where others might see it. As an alternative, consider offering a scope bar that helps people narrow down results quickly.

Scope bars

In iOS, iPadOS, and tvOS, you can use a scope bar to help people refine the scope of a search. For developer guidance, see UISearchBar.

A partial screenshot of Mail on iPhone, highlighted to show a scope bar displaying the label From on the left and the label Message on the right.

Favor improving search results over including a scope bar. A scope bar can be useful when there are clearly defined categories for the search, but it’s generally better to improve search results so scoping isn’t necessary.

Platform considerations

No additional considerations for visionOS.

iOS, iPadOS

You can display a search field in a navigation bar or within your content area. When you use system-provided components to include a search field in a navigation bar, it automatically receives the appropriate appearance and behaves as people expect. For example, the search bar can hide until people swipe down to reveal it.

macOS

Although it’s typical to include a search field in a window’s toolbar, you can also display one in the body area.

Avoid supplying an introductory label for a search field within a content area. People are familiar with the distinctive appearance of a search field, so there is no need to label it. In contrast, when you place a search field in a toolbar, supply the label “Search” so that the label appears when people configure the toolbar to show icons and text or text only.

Apply the appropriate bezel style to a scope button. There are two bezel styles you can use. The recessed bezel — which makes the button look like it’s slightly inset — is for scope buttons that toggle on and off to narrow a search; the rounded bezel is for scope buttons that initiate an action or specify search criteria.

A partial screenshot of a Finder window with callouts to the This Mac scope button (the callout text is Recessed) and the Save button (the callout text is Rounded).

If appropriate, let people refine the scope. You can provide supplementary scoping rules using filter rows that appear beneath a scope bar. For example, when searching for a filename in Finder, people can click an Add (+) button to specify additional attributes like an extension or a modification date range. A filter row can include text fields, buttons, and other controls for specifying filter criteria.

A partial screenshot of a Finder window with a filter row showing that the file Kind can be Any.

tvOS

A search screen is a specialized keyboard screen that helps people enter search text, displaying search results beneath the keyboard in a fully customizable view. For developer guidance, see UISearchController.

Consider presenting recent searches. Because people frequently repeat searches in tvOS, you can minimize the need for text entry by listing popular or recent searches in the results area under the keyboard before people start typing.

Provide suggestions to make searching easier. People typically don’t want to do a lot of typing in tvOS. To improve the search experience, provide popular and context-specific search suggestions, including recent searches when available. For developer guidance, see Using suggested searches with a search controller.

Simplify search results. Avoid providing a lengthy list of search results that requires lots of scrolling. In addition to prioritizing the most likely results, consider categorizing them to help people find what they want.

Consider letting people filter search results. For example, you can include a scope bar in the search results content area to help people quickly and easily filter search results.

watchOS

When someone taps the search field, the system displays a text-input control that covers the entire screen. The app only returns to the search field after they tap the Cancel or Search button.

An illustration representing an Apple Watch screen that includes a keyboard for entering search text.

Resources

Searching

Developer documentation

searchable(text:placement:) — SwiftUI

UISearchBar — UIKit

UISearchTextField — UIKit

NSSearchField — AppKit

Videos

Change log

Date

Changes

September 12, 2023

Combined guidance common to all platforms.

June 5, 2023

Added guidance for using search fields in watchOS.

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