Why trust GreenbotMessaging apps, browser history, text messages, and articles to read are often siloed into their own little field or domain. If its mission is to organize all the world’s information, this is a place that could use some help.
Google’s In Apps search is a handy tool that brings power to your hand. The function, similar in the early days, was similar to Spotlight on iOS. Those who have dabbled with the Dark Side may have been familiar with it. Getting the most out of it takes a little know-how. And if you want quicker access, there’s a trick, add it to your home screen. Here’s how it works.
Search Party
The app indexes many of the company’s apps from third parties willing to let scoop up the content. In practice, when you initiate a search from the search widget or app. You’ll see an option at the bottom of the suggestions to look deeper into your phone’s contents.
When the search bar goes through its algorithm to give you suggested websites and links from your history. Or the content that’s been indexed. You may also see a link at the bottom to Search In Apps. When you tap it, it will pull up another page that may be what you’re looking for.
You can select more options under each of these to get a more extensive results list. For example, I found this collection of articles that it thought would be relevant to my search.
Google’s search helps you get to a message or app without thinking about it. Or when you had a conversation or even which app you want to dive into. It can be a great one-stop shop. Occasionally little problems crop up, which can be solved quickly.
Understanding The Quirks
Getting to the In Apps search was somewhat of a pain. Today it has turned into a potent tool. Once you start typing, check that this search also includes indexed content. Or, you’ll need to choose the tab titled In Apps.
There’s a faster way to get there if it’s actual app content you want to search. Press on the app, then touch and hold Search In Apps, and drag it to the home screen.
You’ll then have instant access to begin a search for your content. If you’ve come from iOS. It’s certainly less elegant than swiping down on the home screen to initiate the search. It does the job.
Additionally, the other challenge is which apps are supported. Introduced to this capability back in 2016, most of the apps are on board. The politics of allowing indexed content to be a part of it.
Opting Apps Into A Search
There’s a way to find out which apps are using the feature to enable or disable it for specific ones. In the app, go to Settings, then In Apps search. Then you can deselect any box for an app you don’t want indexing. By default, every new app will have opted in. To remove one of them from the list, just tick the box, and you’re done.
When it comes to day-to-day use, my preferred method is to just tap the search bar or the pill-shaped widget on a Pixel phone and just start typing. In most cases, you must type a few characters before the In Apps search populates. But they generally show up pretty quickly.
However, suppose you know you want to find a text message about a topic or the contact’s name. In that case, heading straight to the In Apps section is the way to go.
There are plenty of ways to search on Android. This method helps you get into the innards of an application without racking your brains as to which app you need to find. Putting these tricks to good use should save time and give you more powerful information at your fingertips.
