Spotlight first
Emoji are indexed as native Spotlight results. Search from anywhere without switching launchers.
Native macOS utility
Emoji at the speed of thought.
Start in Spotlight. Search by name. Press Return. Spotmoji pastes the emoji back into the app you were using.
Free and open source. macOS 14 or later on Apple silicon.
Spotmoji
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Built for flow
One tiny utility. Zero detours.
Spotmoji turns emoji search into a native keyboard action instead of a trip through menus, categories, and tabs.
Keyboard fast
Type a name, move with the arrow keys, and press Return. The selected emoji lands where you were typing.
Private by default
The Unicode catalog, search index, and matching all live on your Mac. There is no server to call.
How it works
Three keystrokes from idea to emoji.
Use direct Spotlight results for the fastest path, or open the compact picker when you want to browse.
Open Spotlight
Press Command-Space from any app with a text field.
Describe it
Type something like Spotmoji threads, rocket, or happy tears.
Press Return
Spotmoji copies the result, restores your app, pastes, and quietly quits.
Install
Download Spotmoji.
OmarKnows signs each release with Developer ID, and Apple notarizes it. Open the ZIP, drag Spotmoji into Applications, then launch it once to build the Spotlight index.
Download Spotmoji
macOS 14 or later · Apple silicon · Free
Or install with Homebrew
brew install --cask omarshahine/tap/spotmoji
Native SwiftNo web runtime
macOS 14+Sonoma or later
MITFree and open source
Good to know
Small app, clear boundaries.
Does the picker actually live inside Spotlight?
Individual emoji appear as native Spotlight results and paste directly. macOS does not let third-party apps embed a live custom picker inside the Spotlight window, so the generic Search Spotmoji action opens the compact native picker with your query carried over.
Why does Spotmoji need Accessibility permission?
Only to restore the app you were using and send Command-V. If you do not grant it, selecting an emoji still copies it to the pasteboard.
Does it send my searches anywhere?
No. Search, ranking, the Core Spotlight index, and paste handling all happen locally. Spotmoji has no analytics, account, or network API.
Will it be available in the Mac App Store?
That is planned. Homebrew is the first distribution channel while the direct signing, notarization, and release flow settles.