Imagine being able to add a slightly modernized version of Spotlight onto your PowerPC Mac, that hovers as a movable search bar and could also initiate google searches too?
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For some this may unlock a memory, for others such as myself – the app flew completely under the radar and I had absolutely no idea about it until 2025. Today we’re gonna do a quick overview of this app and what it can do for you – on your PowerPC Mac running Mac OS X Leopard.

This is also an excellent app for those running with Spotlight disabled, but still want some search functionality without bogging the system down as much.
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Setting it up

• Version 2.0.0.3789: Any Intel or PowerPC Mac able to run Mac OS X Leopard or later.
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• Download: QuickSearchBox-2.0.0.3789.Release.dmg (LEM Software Repository, 5 MB)
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On Your Mac

• 1. Once downloaded, drag-n’-drop the app into your Applications folder. Then Launch.
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• 2. Once launched, there’s no real setting up, only preferences to change around to your liking.

App Settings

1. Basics

• Show/hide icon in menu bar or dock
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• Enable launch at startup
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• Custom keyboard shortcuts
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• Change the color & glossiness of the search bar

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2. Searchable Items

• Website and search suggestions from Google.com
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• Search: Address book contacts, App UI, inside of Apps?, cupboard, dictionary, documents, desktop, iTunes, iChat groups, downloads folder, web browser bookmarks, trash, and more;

3. Link your Google Account

• Doesn’t seem to work, unfortunately. Tried it with a couple different accounts.
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4. Under the hood

• Enable more “recent items” and “suggestions”, works better under a beefier Mac. Also a long list of plugins which you can enable/disable.

Some App features

• You can perform file actions for specific searches when looking up a document: Move to Trash, Copy to Clipboard, Open with.., open with last app, rename, move to, copy to, get info, and quick look.

• Thesaurus and dictionary: Look up the definition of a word through this search function.

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• A calculator: Perform simple arithmetic just like in Spotlight.
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• Find and play your iTunes music: You can look up the names of artists, songs, albums, etc; and navigate actions quickly using the arrow keys on your keyboard.
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• Web Searches: Initiate web searches right from your desktop. Rather than opening up Safari, waiting for it to load, you could search here then go straight to the results page.
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• YouTube Searches: In addition to all kinds of other searches, I find it interesting and useful to have a YouTube search function in particular – especially if you’re running a YouTube-capable PowerPC Mac. Even on a higher-power machine the page can take a second to load, so this can take you there a split second faster.
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In Conclusion

Quick Search Box is a utilitarian, multifaceted app to help you find apps more easily, launch songs, web searches, and also find files. This app works completely on its own without spotlight, which is how I use the app in Sorbet Leopard. It’s not resource intensive and doesn’t need to index files like Spotlight does, although if you have the highest amount of suggestions/items allowed in the search results, the app tends to crash once in a while. All in all, this is a wonderful app!