How to turn off app suggestions in iPhone search

Remove the suggested apps that appear when you open Spotlight search for a distraction-free experience.

When you swipe down to open Spotlight search on your iPhone, iOS shows a grid of suggested apps before you type anything. These suggestions can pull you into distracting apps. Here's how to turn them off.

  1. Open the Settings app on your iPhone.

  2. Tap Siri (on some devices this may be labeled Apple Intelligence & Siri).

  3. Turn off Suggest Apps Before Searching.

Now when you open Spotlight search, you'll see a clean, empty screen with just the search bar.