Improving Alfred's search scope.

[Kamil]

Hey, fellow human beings!

I require some assistance in regard to making my butler's search scope more relevant. When I search for anything, I receive many irrelevant searches: https://share.cleanshot.com/q7d5l6F1.

I mostly search for apps and files. I know you can use the `~` to search the root folder. I know you can find, open, and use `'` to search for files. So I don't need to see all those irrelevant files and other stuff that lives in my library and other places. I think a good way would be to hide those potentially irrelevant search results unless a special symbol is used for a "deep search" inside of my system. Or some configuration within the Alfred settings? But I'm not sure what settings could be changed in order to achieve my desired result.

I would appreciate some assistance and resources so I could "help myself" in this regard. Also, I re-indexed Spotlight multiple times over the months (which was the thing recommended to me to do), but it never worked. It was done, but the results were still pretty irrelevant.

[Stephen_C]

Well, for a start, tell us what you are using as your Search Scope in Alfred → Preferences → Default Results. That's where we have to begin, I think.

 

Stephen

[Kamil]

10 hours ago, Stephen_C said:

Well, for a start, tell us what you are using as your Search Scope in Alfred → Preferences → Default Results. That's where we have to begin, I think.

 

Stephen

Okay! Here are my current settings:

[Stephen_C]

What happens if you click on Reset… (bottom right) and then Reset to Alfred Defaults? That should significantly de-clutter your search results.

 

Stephen

[Kamil]

13 hours ago, Stephen_C said:

What happens if you click on Reset… (bottom right) and then Reset to Alfred Defaults? That should significantly de-clutter your search results.

 

Stephen

 

This has helped a lot! I dug around some more and configured many settings with some trial and error. 

For further help, are you able to send me some links/articles about improving Alfred's search scope if you have that? (Guides on getting more advanced, for instance) I'll dig around on my own.

 

Thanks again!

Edited May 3, 2023 by Kamil

[Stephen_C]

Take a look at this Alfred help page for the basic information about the search scope and then look at this Alfred help page about the File Filter Input which will help you set up specific, tailored searches.

 

Stephen