Quick answer: Open Photos, tap Search, and type a word that appears in the photo or screenshot. iPhone reads text inside images (Live Text), so matching photos show up. You can also swipe down on the Home Screen and search in Spotlight. It works on iPhone XS and newer.
Written for iOS 18 and iOS 26. Menu names can differ slightly on older versions.
Your iPhone quietly reads the text in every photo and screenshot you take: receipts, signs, slides, documents, chat screenshots. That means you can find an image by what it says, not just when you took it.
Search in the Photos app
- Open Photos and tap Search (the magnifying glass).
- Type a word you remember seeing, like a store name, "invoice" or a street.
- Tap the text suggestion or scroll the results. Matching words are highlighted when you open a photo.
Search from anywhere with Spotlight
Swipe down on the Home Screen and type the word. Spotlight includes photos with matching text alongside messages, notes and mail, which helps when you can't remember which app something was in.
Combine text with other details
Photos search also understands places, dates, people and objects. Try combining them: a word plus a city, or a word plus a month. On recent versions of iOS you can type plain descriptions too.
What it can and can't read
- Reads well: printed text, screenshots, signs, documents, slides.
- Hit and miss: handwriting, stylized fonts, tiny or blurry text.
- Languages: most major languages are supported.
If search doesn't find a photo you know exists
- Indexing isn't finished. After importing many photos or updating iOS, your iPhone indexes them gradually, mostly while it's charging and locked. Leave it on the charger overnight.
- Live Text is off. Check Settings → General → Language & Region → Live Text.
- The photo is hidden. Hidden photos don't show in search. Check Utilities → Hidden.
- Older iPhone. Text search in photos needs an iPhone XS or newer.
A faster habit for important screenshots
Search by text is great for finding things you didn't plan to keep. For things you know you'll need, like a booking, a code or a receipt, save them to Snugit with a clear name when you take them. Then one search finds them, mixed in with the links and notes on the same topic. More ways to find an old screenshot.
Download Snugit and keep the screenshots you'll need under a name you'll remember.