macOS relies heavily on Spotlight Search, a powerful system-wide indexing tool that allows you to instantly find files, launch applications, or perform quick math calculations. The default keyboard shortcut to summon the Spotlight search bar is Cmd + Space.
However, Cmd + Space is an incredibly valuable piece of keyboard real estate. Many developers prefer to remap this shortcut to launch superior, third-party search tools like Raycast or Alfred. Alternatively, if you type in multiple languages, Cmd + Space was historically the shortcut used to switch keyboard layouts, leading to decades of muscle memory conflicts. You can easily disable the native Spotlight shortcut to free up the keys for something else.
How to Turn Off the Spotlight Search Shortcut on Mac
You must untether the Cmd + Space combination from the Keyboard Shortcuts menu.
- Click the Apple Logo in the top-left corner of your Mac’s screen.
- Select System Settings (or System Preferences on older macOS versions).
- Scroll down the left-hand navigation sidebar and click on Keyboard.
- Click the Keyboard Shortcuts… button in the main window.
- A new menu will appear. In the left sidebar of this new menu, click on Spotlight.
- You will see a list of shortcuts. Look for Show Spotlight search.
- Click the blue checkbox next to it to uncheck it and completely disable the shortcut.
- Click the Done button to save your changes.
macOS will immediately release its grip on the Cmd + Space shortcut. Pressing it will no longer trigger the native search bar, allowing you to freely bind those keys to Raycast, Alfred, or any other application you prefer.