I found an app that finally gives Android the one productivity feature I miss from my Mac

Raycast is one of my most-used Mac apps. A quick key combination brings it up, and from there I can launch apps, search for files across my Mac and linked cloud services, run calculations, and more.

Spotlight does almost the same on the iPhone. Ideally, the Google Search app on Android phones should offer the same experience, but that's not the case.

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By  Anu Joy

Android's search has always been half-baked

Finding anything on Android still feels clunky

Android has never had a proper Spotlight or Raycast equivalent. That is, until I stumbled upon an app called Quick Search, and it completely changed how I use my phone.

The lack of a proper search app on Android has long been one of my biggest frustrations with the platform.

The stock Google app is not up to the task, as it can't search across installed apps, local files, and cloud services.

It's meant to push you towards web search, not to quickly navigate your phone and the apps on it.

For a while, I relied on a third-party app called Pixel Search. It delivered a better search experience than the stock Google app.

Still, it fell short of what I wanted: a true Spotlight-like tool for Android — one that could plug into my cloud services, surface app shortcuts, run quick calculations, and search across multiple services, all from a single bar.

Pixel Search nailed the basic search experience, but that's about it. Quick Search is exactly that, filling the Spotlight void in the Android ecosystem.

Quick Search is the Spotlight equivalent for Android

A faster way to search and launch on Android

Quick Search helps you find things quickly. That's irrespective of whether you're looking for a file or app on your phone, a document in Google Drive, or an address on Google Maps.

From a single search bar, I can search through several apps and services at once. This alone offers a huge productivity boost and upgrade over the stock search experience on Android.

Like Spotlight and Raycast on Mac, Quick Search can appear as an overlay on top of an already open app. Then, I quickly type what I'm looking for and act on it — all without leaving the app I was already using.

You can use Quick Search as a universal search bar and be done with it. But that's just scratching the surface of what the app can do.

My favorite feature is aliases. Think of them as short keywords that instantly trigger a specific search type or tool.

For example, I search for and share files from Google Drive multiple times a day.

In Quick Search, I mapped the "sd" alias to a Google Drive search. So, I tap the Quick Search icon, type sd followed by the file I am looking for, and press Enter. Quick Search will automatically open the Google Drive search results for the relevant search term.

This is exactly how I've set up Raycast on my Mac.

Likewise, for a Google Maps search, I type gm followed by the location I am looking for. Pressing Enter opens Google Maps with the search results.

Sometimes, I want to ask ChatGPT, Gemini, or Claude a quick question. Instead of opening the right app, I can trigger it from Quick Search, jumping directly to the response window.

It goes beyond web search, too. When I need to message someone on WhatsApp, I don't bother opening the app and scrolling through my chats.

Instead, I trigger Quick Search, type the person's name, and tap the message icon next to their contact. That takes me straight into the WhatsApp conversation.

Then there are the built-in search tools. Right from Quick Search's search bar, I can do quick calculations, convert time zones and currencies, all without opening a separate app.

It's the thing that I constantly do on Raycast on Mac, and now I can do it on my phone.

Quick Search is flexible

But there's a little effort up front

Similar to Raycast, Quick Search is extremely customizable. It supports Material You theming and comes with a handful of built-in themes.

There are multiple ways to quickly trigger the app: a home screen widget, a Quick Settings tile, or a home screen shortcut. You can even go all in and set it as the default launcher.

If anything, Quick Search's tile plays a key role in turning Android's Quick Settings panel into my ultimate control hub.

Since I frequently switch between devices, Quick Search's native import and export feature is a lifesaver. It ensures that all my settings and aliases carry over seamlessly to my new device.

While Quick Search is fairly straightforward to use, it isn't exactly a plug-and-play app.

To get the most out of it, you must spend a little time setting it up. This includes creating aliases and adding API keys for services like ChatGPT, Gemini, and others.

Plus, if you are new to the concept of aliases, there's a small learning curve before they become second nature. But when they do, there's no going back to the old way of doing things.

Android's Spotlight moment, thanks to a third-party app

It's rare for a single app to change how I use my phone. But Quick Search has done exactly that.

It saves me so much time and effort every day, ensuring I don't have to dig into settings and file managers to find what I need.

For someone who relies heavily on Spotlight and Raycast on Mac all day, Quick Search allows me to carry the same muscle memory and flexibility to my Android phone.

If anything, it fills a gap in the Android ecosystem that Google should have plugged a long time ago.

What's impressive is that despite offering so many features, Quick Search is free to use.