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File Search

Find any file on your Mac in milliseconds. Summon indexes your entire filesystem for instant search results.

Basic Search

Simply start typing a filename to search:

Code
project.pdf
meeting-notes.md
screenshot

Summon searches file names, not content, for maximum speed.

Advanced Search

Search Specific Directories

Use / to search from a specific path:

Code
~/Documents/project
/Applications/Utilities

Filter by Extension

Append a file extension to filter results:

Code
report.pdf
config.json
styles.css

Wildcards

Use * as a wildcard:

Code
*.js - All JavaScript files
test* - Files starting with "test"
*config* - Files containing "config"

File Actions

Once you've found a file:

  • Enter - Open the file with default application
  • ⌘ + Enter - Reveal in Finder
  • ⌥ + Enter - Quick Look preview
  • ⌘ + C - Copy file path
  • ⌘ + ⌥ + C - Copy file

Indexing

Summon indexes your filesystem in the background. The initial indexing can take a few minutes, but subsequent updates are near-instantaneous.

What Gets Indexed

By default, Summon indexes:

  • Home directory (~)
  • Applications folder
  • Desktop
  • Documents
  • Downloads

Excluded Folders

These folders are excluded for privacy and performance:

  • System files
  • Hidden directories (starting with .)
  • node_modules
  • Library folders
  • Trash

You can customize indexed directories in Settings → File Search.

Performance

Summon's file indexer is built in Rust for maximum performance:

  • Indexes ~1 million files in under 10 seconds
  • Sub-millisecond search times
  • Minimal memory footprint (~50MB for typical usage)

Tips

Recent Files

Type recent: to see your most recently modified files.

Large Files

Type large: to find files over 100MB.

Quick Navigation

Use file search as a quick way to navigate your filesystem. Just search for a folder name and press ⌘ + Enter to open it in Finder.