Search Tips
To search Apple Support, type in a few descriptive words in the search field and press Return (Enter) on your keyboard for a list of relevant results. By default, the search engine will look for matches using any combination of the words in or words related to your search query, not necessarily all the words in your search.
To search, simply type a few keywords or ask a question. Examples:
- How do I reset my iPod?
- Mac OS X sharing files
Find synonyms with natural language searching
By default, your search results include documents with your exact search terms and also related terms and synonyms. For example, if you type How do I install Leopard?, the search will recognize the term "Leopard" has the same meaning as "Mac OS X 10.5" and relates to phrases like "operating system". Your search will not look for matches with common words like "how", "do", and "I" since that wouldn't yield relevant results.
Note: Search is not case-sensitive; you don't need to capitalize your keywords. "MacBook Pro" and "macbook pro" are treated as the same search.
Use boolean operators for more focused results
Boolean search allows you to construct queries that specify exactly which words you do and do not want to see in your results. Use the three operators AND, OR, and NOT as in the following examples:
| Boolean operator | Sample search query | Search results include... |
|---|---|---|
| AND | iPod AND Mac | ... only documents that contain the word “iPod” and also the word “Mac.” |
| OR | iPod OR Mac | ... all documents that have either the word “iPod” or the word “Mac” or both. |
| NOT | iPod NOT Mac | ... only documents that contain the word “iPod” and do not contain not the word “Mac.” |
Note: The operators must be in all caps (as above) in order to be interpreted as boolean.
Use quotation marks to search for exact phrases
You can search for exact phrases by adding quotation marks. Search will look for documents containing words that appear together in the order you typed them inside the double quotes.
Compare the following examples:
- how to upgrade
- "how to upgrade"
The first example, how to upgrade, could possibly generate results that include "how to," "upgrade," or other combinations of these words. The exact phrase "how to upgrade" may not necessarily be at the top of the results. The second example, "how to upgrade", generates only results that include this exact phrase.
Limit results to a specific Apple product or product family
After performing a search, you will see a plus symbol 
and the words “Improve your search by selecting a product” under the search term(s) you entered. Clicking there will open up a product browser. Each time you click on an item in the product browser, your search results refresh with listings limited to the product or product family you have selected.
Learn about search icons
In the search results, next to the document titles, you'll find search icons to help you quickly scan search results and identify the type of information or resource you are seeking.
Search for archived content
Still can't find what you're looking for? We regularly archive content for older products. You can search for archived content by clicking the "Include archived content" button. If you select the option, your search results will only include current content. A new search begins every time you click the button.
