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Editor’s note, October 2, 2015: This review has been updated to include information about how to hide the Nearby section of Spotlight search.
Spotlight search is a more proactive assistant with iOS 9. When you swipe down, Spotlight throws four app suggestions at you in addition to the search bar. Swipe right on the home screen and you’ll see a more fully rounded Spotlight search screen with app suggestions along with suggested contacts, local search suggestions, and news tailored to your interests.
The Spotlight search page that sits to the left of the home screen organizes its suggestions below the search bar into three categories: Siri suggestions, Nearby and News. Siri suggestions feature recent contacts and apps. Nearby offers to search Apple Maps for local establishments such as a coffee shop or gas station. And News displays four or eight articles from the sources you lined up in the new News app.
If you want to return to a simpler Spotlight search, you can disable all of Spotlight’s new suggestions and stick with just the search bar. And stepping down from the nuclear option, you can also tailor the types of suggestions shown.
Screenshot by Matt Elliott/CNET
First, the nuclear option: disabling Spotlight’s suggestions altogether, leaving only the search bar when you swipe down or, from the home screen, right. Head to Settings > General > Spotlight Search and tap the toggle switch to turn off Siri Suggestions.
If you leave Siri Suggestions on, you can customize the types of suggestions from the list of apps in Search Results below. Turn off a toggle switch next to an app and it will cease being displayed in the Siri suggestions section. Hidden in the likely long list of apps are two settings that do more than just remove an app icon from Spotlight’s suggestions.
Screenshot by Matt Elliott/CNET
Turn off Contacts and recent contacts will no longer show in Siri suggestions, leaving only recently used apps.
Turn off Spotlight Suggestions and the News section will disappear.
Turn off Maps and the Nearby section goes away.
For more, see our complete guide to iOS 9.
