Removing a specific app from spotlight

I use textWrangler for all my text editing needs. I abhor textEdit. The problem comes when I search spotlight if I stop at text and hit enter then textEdit will launch. I want to remove textEdit from my spotlight without deleting the app itself.

I know I can keep a folder from being indexed. But I want a specific app/file to not be included.

And I know the simple answer is just "don't type text". But that isn't really an answer. I don't want to think to type.

Solution 1:

Yes, you can exclude a specific application from Spotlight search results from its Privacy pane in OS X Yosemite.

Along with TextEdit I have TextWrangler and Sublime Text 2 installed under OS X Yosemite. If in Spotlight I type text the listed order is:

• TextEdit
• TextWrangler
• Sublime Text 2

If I go to System Preferences > Spotlight > Privacy and drag and drop the TextEdit application bundle onto the list area of the Privacy pane and close System Preferences and go back to Spotlight and type text the listed order is now:

• TextWrangler
• Sublime Text 2

So, just do as I did and it solves your issue.

Solution 2:

At least on Yosemite, it looks to me like Spotlight should learn by what you select. So that if you start typing text it will list several possible matches. For me it listed:

1. Sublime Text 3
2. TextEdit
3. TextWrangler

Indicating Spotlight knows my preference for Sublime. I tried selecting TextWrangler instead, and on subsequent searches, TextWrangler was the first item.

Additionally, you could type tw to more specifically request TextWrangler

Note: I have used LaunchBar.app because it has always had these types of features. I think that I may have used LB during Mac OS X 10.0 BETA. I still use many of LaunchBar's advanced features, but when I am on someone else Mac, I find I get along quite well with just Spotlight.

Solution 3:

You could move the textEdit application to an another folder (it can be a folder inside the Applications folder).

Then you add this folder under the Privacy tab in Spotlight preferences (inside System Preferences. You add the folder by clicking on the "+" in the Privacy tab and choosing the folder you placed textEdit in (it is also possible to drag-and-drop the folder into the Privacy tab).

Now Spotlight should exclude textEdit (and all other files/applications placed in that folder) from future searches.

If you need some screenshots on how to do this, please refer to this article: Link to article .