iOS 12 Complete Guide: Tips, Tricks and How-Tos for Your iPhone

How to Use Search in iOS 12's Photos

Cloud storage has taken a lot of the tedium out of managing digital photo libraries. But it’s also encouraged a hoarder’s mindset when it comes to backing up anything and everything we capture with our devices. The result? Our photo galleries are larger than they’ve ever been.

Fortunately though, Apple’s doing something about that in iOS 12. The latest iteration of the software on iPhones and iPads features a supercharged search tool inside the Photos app that is better at surfacing content with specific tags. Here’s how it works.—Adam Ismail

How to Use the New Search Tool in Photos

In iOS 12, Photos responds to searches containing the names of businesses and museums. Additionally, you can now combine tags in search queries. This really helps you drill down to what you’re looking for by filtering out content that doesn’t fit the description.

1. Tap on the new Search tab in Photos. It can be found all the way to the right at the bottom of the screen.

2. Enter a search term. In this example, we’ll type in “Manhattan” to only surface photos taken there. “Manhattan” also appears as an auto-complete term. If we tap that result in the drop-down list, we can add “Manhattan” as a tag to our query. (Don’t press space after “Manhattan,” because whatever you type next will be combined into the same tag.)

3. Add another tag. We’ll use “Spring.” These types of tags display a calendar icon next to them, because they relate to a time of the year.

4. For best results, go with Photos’ suggested search terms. We tried adding “Overcast,” but you’ll notice that Photos doesn’t actually sort content by weather conditions. Instead, the app suggested we use the tag “Outdoor” or “Sky.” (We went with “outdoor.”)

The end result is a group of photos that fit the following conditions: Shots of Manhattan taken outdoors, in the spring. Additionally if we were to add the terms “Clock Tower” or “Skyline,” the app would be clever enough to single those images out as well.

Tom's Guide Staff

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  • cothirteen
    "You don’t need to do anything special to use Google Maps or Waze on CarPlay, though of course, those apps first need to be installed on your iPhone. Once they are, you will see them on the CarPlay home screen alongside all of your other CarPlay-compatible apps. "

    Can anyone confirm this? I have the public beta installed but regular versions of those apps and it does not show up on CarPlay. From what I am reading the betas are needed.
    Reply
  • cazdabear
    Most likely, those versions of the apps that you have... don't support Carplay. I read from a Waze Community post, that Waze has only likely released this to their own pool of Waze Beta testers.
    Reply
  • cothirteen
    Makes sense and that's what I've read too. Just didn't want to miss out on information I wasn't privy to!
    Reply
  • otisjuhl
    I just downloaded the new, full iOS 12 to my iPhone and connected it to my CarPlay (2017 Subaru). Neither WAZE for Google Maps showed up. Does anyone have any idea how to get it appear? (I have them both on my iPhone and opened them while connected). Thanks!
    Reply
  • rotolosc
    You need to make sure to update google maps in the app store. Waze is not supported as of yet but coming

    Reply
  • otisjuhl
    Very helpful - thanks! I did update Google Maps and it appeared on my cars's screen yesterday and works! As noted, WAZE isn't there yet.
    Reply
  • ashwincampbell
    I’m not sure if anyone else is experiencing this but under screen time > always allow, some apps show up as only numbers with no icon. There’s no way to tell what those apps are. Any idea what is causing this?
    Reply
  • diem2222
    After half an hour recording it is not possible to stop it, just the option restart and stop.
    Reply
  • Jason3022
    While details/specifics are great, they could have made this much simpler - it is overly complex.

    Here's why:

    I simply want to know how much 'Screen Time' I've used since I unplugged my Ipad from the wall. That information is not available - it does not coincide with 'Battery' either, which is pure lunacy.

    I'm not sure what these techs. are thinking but it positively is not with the average end-user in mind.
    I am not alone in this thought.
    Reply