Many people don’t even know about my favourite feature of the Mac; the Spotlight search. This search allows you to very quickly access any program or file on the mac and even allows you to carry out simple mathematical equations. Despite how much I love this feature, there are some drawbacks.

What is Spotlight

In the top right corner of any Apple Mac Computer you will see a small magnifying glass, clicking this symbol will open up a search bar. There are multiple functions to this search bar:

• Search for anything on your computer
• Search through your email content
• Search the web directly from Spotlight
• Use it as a dictionary
• Use it as a quick calculator

It’s an amazing feature and one that I use religiously to open all my programs, casting aside the need for a dock, or any requirement to search through Application folders.

Spotlight Drawbacks

The one major issue I have noticed in recent months is that the Spotlight function can slow your system down a little. I wanted to to find a way to speed up my mac. If you find that your system is at the edge of it’s limits, then turning spotlight off might speed up your computer a little, especially if you have never used spotlight, then you won’t miss it.

Turning Spotlight Off

Watch the video for a guide on how to turn the spotlight off, or check the point by point instructions below:-

• Head to System Preferences
• Select Spotlight
• Hit ‘Privacy’ Tab
• Hit the ‘+’ symbol in the bottom left of the window
• Select the entire Macintosh HD from the sidebar

Once you click OK, you will not be able to find anything using your spotlight and you may find your computer’s performance has improved.