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By default, your iPhone will display photo suggestions with thumbnails in Spotlight Search results on iOS 15 or higher. It can be handy, but it also can potentially clutter up the search results. Here's how to disable or hide the photo thumbnails.

The Problem

On the home screen, if you swipe downward with one finger to perform a search and type in a query, you'll see potential matches pulled from your iPhone's photo library displayed as thumbnails in the results.

An example of photo thumbnails showing in Spotlight Search results on iPhone.

Your iPhone uses its AI photo recognition algorithms to match the words you type with photos in your library. It's an impressive feature, but it's not for everyone. Luckily, it's easy to disable.

Related: How to Search Your Photos for Specific Objects in iOS 10

How to Fix It

First, open Settings by tapping the gear icon.

Tap the "Settings" icon on iPhone

In Settings, scroll down and select "Photos."

In Settings, tap "Photos."

In Photos, tap "Siri & Search."

Tap "Siri & Search."

In Siri & Search, tap the switch beside "Show Content in Search" to turn it off.

Flip the switch beside "Show Content in Search" to off.

After that, exit Settings. The next time you do a Spotlight Search, you will no longer see photo thumbnails in the search results. Happy searching!

Related: How to Use Spotlight Search on Your iPhone or iPad