# UITextSearching The methods you use on a find session’s searchable objects to perform search operations and decorate the found text results. ``` @protocol UITextSearching ``` ## Overview Implement this protocol on the class that encapsulates the searchable content for your view. This allows you to use an instance of [`UITextSearchingFindSession`](/documentation/UIKit/UITextSearchingFindSession) to manage the session for a find interaction. ## Topics ### Handling searches [`- (void) performTextSearchWithQueryString:(NSString *) string usingOptions:(UITextSearchOptions *) options resultAggregator:(id) aggregator;`](/documentation/UIKit/UITextSearching-53wjq/performTextSearchWithQueryString:usingOptions:resultAggregator:) Searches for ranges of text matching the string across all searchable documents and collects results in the aggregator. [`@protocol UITextSearchAggregator `](/documentation/UIKit/UITextSearchAggregator-c.protocol) The methods you use on a find session’s aggregator to collect matching text ranges for a search. [`- (NSComparisonResult) compareFoundRange:(UITextRange *) foundRange toRange:(UITextRange *) toRange inDocument:(UITextSearchDocumentIdentifier) document;`](/documentation/UIKit/UITextSearching-53wjq/compareFoundRange:toRange:inDocument:) Compares ranges from the set of matches the aggregator provides to determine navigation order. [`- (NSComparisonResult) compareOrderFromDocument:(UITextSearchDocumentIdentifier) fromDocument toDocument:(UITextSearchDocumentIdentifier) toDocument;`](/documentation/UIKit/UITextSearching-53wjq/compareOrderFromDocument:toDocument:) Compares documents containing matching ranges from the set the aggregator provides to determine navigation order. [`typedef id UITextSearchDocumentIdentifier;`](/documentation/UIKit/UITextSearchDocumentIdentifier) A string that uniquely identifies a specific document when searching for matching text across multiple documents. ### Displaying results [`- (void) decorateFoundTextRange:(UITextRange *) range inDocument:(UITextSearchDocumentIdentifier) document usingStyle:(UITextSearchFoundTextStyle) style;`](/documentation/UIKit/UITextSearching-53wjq/decorateFoundTextRange:inDocument:usingStyle:) Applies the style to a specific text range to indicate found and highlighted results. [`- (void) clearAllDecoratedFoundText;`](/documentation/UIKit/UITextSearching-53wjq/clearAllDecoratedFoundText) Clears the style from all found and highlighted results. [`- (void) willHighlightFoundTextRange:(UITextRange *) range inDocument:(UITextSearchDocumentIdentifier) document;`](/documentation/UIKit/UITextSearching-53wjq/willHighlightFoundTextRange:inDocument:) Informs the searchable object when the highlighted search result is about to change. [`- (void) scrollRangeToVisible:(UITextRange *) range inDocument:(UITextSearchDocumentIdentifier) document;`](/documentation/UIKit/UITextSearching-53wjq/scrollRangeToVisible:inDocument:) Scrolls to the containing view to make the text range visible. ### Identifying selected text [`@property (readonly, nullable) UITextRange * selectedTextRange;`](/documentation/UIKit/UITextSearching-53wjq/selectedTextRange) The range of selected text in a document. [`@property (readonly, nullable) UITextSearchDocumentIdentifier selectedTextSearchDocument;`](/documentation/UIKit/UITextSearching-53wjq/selectedTextSearchDocument) The object that uniquely identifies the specific document with selected text. ### Handling replacements [`@property (nonatomic, readonly) BOOL supportsTextReplacement;`](/documentation/UIKit/UITextSearching-53wjq/supportsTextReplacement) A Boolean value that indicates whether the searchable object supports replacing text. [`- (void) replaceFoundTextInRange:(UITextRange *) range inDocument:(UITextSearchDocumentIdentifier) document withText:(NSString *) replacementText;`](/documentation/UIKit/UITextSearching-53wjq/replaceFoundTextInRange:inDocument:withText:) Informs the searchable object to replace the text range for the highlighted search result. [`- (void) replaceAllOccurrencesOfQueryString:(NSString *) queryString usingOptions:(UITextSearchOptions *) options withText:(NSString *) replacementText;`](/documentation/UIKit/UITextSearching-53wjq/replaceAllOccurrencesOfQueryString:usingOptions:withText:) Informs the searchable object to replace all matching text across all searchable documents. [`- (BOOL) shouldReplaceFoundTextInRange:(UITextRange *) range inDocument:(UITextSearchDocumentIdentifier) document withText:(NSString *) replacementText;`](/documentation/UIKit/UITextSearching-53wjq/shouldReplaceFoundTextInRange:inDocument:withText:) Determines whether the searchable object allows replacement of the text range you provide. ## Relationships ### Inherits From [`NSObjectProtocol`](/documentation/ObjectiveC/NSObjectProtocol) ### Conforming Types [`UITextView`](/documentation/UIKit/UITextView) --- Copyright © 2026 Apple Inc. 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