Alfred 4 vs Spotlight: Should You Replace Spotlight on Mac?

Spotlight search plays an important role in finding things on Mac. Just like Windows Search does on Windows. You can press Command + Space (Spotlight keyboard shortcut) to launch Spotlight search and search for anything on your Mac. While working closely with native apps, you can also search online using it. However, it has a few shortcomings. So Alfred 4 can easily replace it with a few app integrations and lots of smart tricks.

Alfred 4 has the ability to take your searching experience to the next level. Those with a technical background can also take advantage of the Workflow plugin to create complex automation. If you are confused between Alfred 4 and the default Spotlight search, read on to find all the differences.

Using Spotlight and Alfred 4 Simultaneously

Let’s clear this up. You can easily use Spotlight Search and Alfred 4 side by side. All you have to do is assign a different keyword for Alfred 4 and keep the default Command + Space shortcut for Spotlight Search.

However, it is not a practical solution. You can choose either one and assign a hotkey combination for a better workflow.

look and feel

Let’s talk a little bit about how the search bar looks in both Spotlight Search and Alfred 4. The default Spotlight Search has a gray theme and matches the rest of the operating system perfectly. Switch to a dark theme and the Spotlight Search menu follows with a similar look.

Alfred looked a bit outdated compared to Apple’s default solution. With v4.0, the company took the theme part seriously and added a lot of options.

Go to the Alfred Preferences menu and open Appearance. You can choose from ten themes including classic theme, dark theme, teal, high contrast and more. We mostly prefer Alfred’s default macOS theme as it cleverly integrates with macOS.

Alfred easily beats it when it comes to font customization. Head to the Alfred Preferences menu and you can choose from dozens of fonts to customize the experience.

Search Function and Neat Tricks

Let’s talk about the main reason to choose the third-party Spotlight Search alternative. The default search functionality is limited to first-party apps and a handful of third-party services. Let’s talk about them.

Using the default Spotlight search, you can find installed apps, Bookmarks and History (Safari browser), Documents, Folders, Images, Music, Movies, Presentations, Spreadsheets and more.

The functions do not end there. You can use Spotlight search to solve basic calculations using the default macOS calculator app. For example, you can type ‘5*40+78’ in Spotlight search and it will give correct answers using the Calculator app.

Another neat trick is currency talk. Run Spotlight Search and type $50 in EURO or Pounds, it will return correct answers using Yahoo Finance service.

Siri also gets neat integration with Spotlight. When you type the query into the search bar, you will see Siri suggestions just below the search box. Spotlight Search is quite useful when dealing with content stored in Apple apps. Wait until you see Alfred’s abilities.

Alfred long compensates for features not found in Spotlight search tips. And only when you try them will you understand why this third-party app has so many fan followers over the native feature on macOS.

Besides the usual search queries, Alfred works perfectly with popular third-party apps like Google Chrome and 1Password. For example, if you are using Chrome as the default browser on Mac, you can type the website name and hit enter to open the tab in the browser. Another neat add-on is 1Password support, which is useful for protecting your passwords.

Search for the 1Password entry without opening the app and get the relevant information directly from the Alfred search menu.

Alfred also offers keyboard shortcuts for quickly jumping to an answer. When the application offers you many suggestions, you can use the ‘Command + 1/2/3…’ keys and quickly open the relevant answers.

Another integration you can appreciate is Wikipedia and Amazon. Simply type a product name or query; You can choose between Google, Amazon or Wikipedia search. You can also access clipboard data using the Alfred search menu. It’s clean, isn’t it?

Seamless integration of system commands can make your job easier.

Run the Alfred search and type Sleep and hit enter to put the Mac to Sleep. Use the Volup or Voldown commands and you can increase or decrease the volume on the go.

Want to turn off your Mac without touching the power button? Type Shut Down in Alfred and you can quickly shut down your Mac.

Open the Alfred search and type Quit, it will suggest you to quit a specific app or all apps with one click. We always use the Quit and Sleep command. And the good news is that System commands is part of the free version. You don’t need to spend extra money for this.

Extra Functions

With Spotlight Search, you can define exactly where to search and what to avoid. Go to System Preferences > Spotlight and disable the options you no longer need. You can also add Mac folders and ask Spotlight to exclude them from search results.

Alfred offers workflows. It’s the IFTTT version of Alfred (If This Is Then Where) and you can create personalized workflows to suit your needs. Create custom scripts and run them using defined hotkeys. The whole workflow thing is a bit of a geek and you have to spend some time with the software to be comfortable.

The workflow is part of the Alfred Powerpack and costs £49 as a one-time purchase with free lifetime upgrades.

Increase Your Efficiency

Compared to Microsoft’s implementation in Windows 10, Spotlight Search on macOS is much better. But Alfred 4 takes the experience to the next level and wipes the floor with system commands, integration with Google Chrome, customization options and workflow. Go ahead, give it a try and share your experience in the comments section below.

Next: Notification center got a nice makeover with macOS Big Sur. Read the post to learn how to add widgets in Notification Center on Mac.