HoudahSpot overview

HoudahSpot is a versatile desktop search tool. Use HoudahSpot to locate hard-to-find files and keep frequently used files within reach.

HoudahSpot is a productivity tool. It is the hub where all the files related to your current task come together. From here, you also can take a deep dive to fetch further information from your archives.

HoudahSpot will immediately feel familiar. It works just the way you expect search to work. Start with a simple search. Refine it by adding and combining criteria. Browse search results. Add columns. Preview files and text matches. Pick the files you really need.

Find files by name, text, content kind, author, recipient, pixel count, etc.
Combine criteria to narrow down search results
Specify which folders to search and which ones to exclude
Add any of the hundreds of columns available
Apply filters to reduce search results to only the relevant items
Preview files and text matches
Open files and, where the application supports it, continue searching for text matches by pressing command-G (Find Next)
Set up templates for recurring searches

HoudahSpot gives you the tools to get manageable search results from even the most extensive collection of files: an easy-to-use search criteria editor, customizable results displays, search templates, a preview of text matches, and more.

HoudahSpot builds upon Spotlight, which comes pre-installed with macOS. It helps you find the files you need:

Word processing files containing the word "invoice" or "estimate"
Image files named "logo" more than 512 pixels wide
Files created, modified or opened within the last 7 days

What's new in version 6.8.2

Batch change titles. Give photos descriptive names
Add location information with minimal effort
Use star ratings to classify and find photos by their relative quality or relevance
Apply keywords. Keep a concise and consistent vocabulary
Compare photos to find the best shot in a series

Improved file conflict prompts when copying or moving multiple files with the same name — each conflicting file now gets its own prompt
Fixed a crash when previewing certain text files on macOS 26 Tahoe
Fixed a crash when pressing keyboard shortcuts that used unmappable key combinations
Fixed a crash when dragging a saved search to the bottom of the sidebar
Fixed a crash when right-clicking a search result while the file was being moved to the Trash
Fixed a crash when reordering search criteria while a text field was being edited

Fixes a possible crash while reading Finder comments
Fixes a possible crash while saving a HoudahSpot search or template
Fixes a possible crash while computing image pixel count

Adds support for previewing DEVONthink 4 files
Works around a bug in the underlying Spotlight engine that causes searches for names containing punctuation to miss matching items
Fixes a possible crash when HoudahSpot lacks permission to access Photos
Includes corrections to the Polish localization

Reduces memory use of the Text Preview feature
Implements corrections to German, French, and Polish localizations
Fixes a crash when editing tags
Fixes a crash when editing tags
Fixes a crash when a system error prevents reading file comments

Fixes a bug that prevented HoudahSpot 6.7 from running on macOS 10.14

Fixes a bug where HoudahSpot repeatedly showed the license agreement

Added Polish localization by Łukasz Preihs
HoudahSpot now loads file icons in the background so results display does not need to wait for icon services
Additional adjustments for macOS Tahoe
Improved performance and memory use of Text Preview
Improved Spotlight importer lookup for Text Preview
Fixes minor bugs and rare crashes
HoudahSpot now asks for confirmation before clearing filters when clicking the result list header
Fixes to the French and German localizations

Addresses an issue with enabling the HoudahSpot Finder extension

Updated for macOS 26 Tahoe
Bug fixes

Works around a problem where iCloud drive fails to sync Finder label colors
Corrections to French and German localizations
Performance improvements

Updated for full compatibility with macOS 15 Sequoia
Added support for the Finder alternative QSpace Pro

Fixes a bug where the search pane re-appeared for no reason when hidden
Improved support for traditional Chinese searches
Addresses an issue with trashing files

Fixes a regression introduced in 6.5.2

HoudahSpot can now show file label colors even when that information is missing from the Spotlight index.
You can now see the exact total size in bytes of selected files. Hover over the combined size in the Inspector pane to get the byte value as a tooltip.

Addresses a change in macOS Sonoma where HoudahSpot fails to load file tag colors
Updated ForkLift integration to work with the latest version of ForkLift
Fixes a bug displaying files with multiple tag colors
Fixes a problem where Text Preview failed to show .eml mail message files
Various minor fixes and enhancements

Fixes a performance issue introduced in HoudahSpot 6.4. Thank you Andreas.

Compatibility Mail on macOS 13.6 Ventura
Note: macOS 14 Sonoma will no longer allow Mail plug-ins

Compatibility Mail on macOS 13.3
Some of the sample search templates now auto-start upon opening
HoudahSpot now translates Mail flags to color names
New sample template: "Name Does Not Contain"
Adding double quotes to search text in the main search field has HoudahSpot search for an exact match
USB install - Use for client work and troubleshooting: You can now copy both HoudahSpot and your license file to a removable drive. This install can be used without copying the license file to the user home folder.

4.1

(120 Reviews of HoudahSpot)

Comments
User Ratings

Macroradical

Jul 1, 2026

6.8.2

0.0

Version: 6.8.2

HOUNDAHSPOT this app cannot search on a network storage, Profind app can and light fast.

Maclover1-1

Dec 4, 2024

6.5.5

5.0

Version: 6.5.5

Very practical, not sure why I did not get this sooner. Much more complete than any other search tool I've used up to now. Am getting very organized with tagging etc. Saving search sets and so on and just got this with a Black Friday discount.

Ry-ma

Dec 4, 2021

6.1.8

3.0

Version: 6.1.8

Good live search, many setting options. But ProFind can do that too and costs six times less. Houdahspot is simply too expensive for a search engine. - My opinion.