Extract text from SAVEDSEARCH files
To convert your SAVEDSEARCH file to another format, you need macOS Finder or other System software.
To convert other file formats to the "macOS Search Query" file type, you need software like macOS Finder or a similar tool.
A .SAVEDSEARCH file is a proprietary system file generated by Apple macOS via the Finder or Spotlight utilities. commonly known as a "Smart Folder." Unlike a standard directory, this file does not physically contain documents or media; instead, it stores a dynamic search query (formatted as an XML Property List) that filters and displays files meeting specific criteria - such as "all PDF files modified in the last 7 days" - whenever opened on a Mac.
A critical point of friction for users occurs during backups or cross-platform transfers. Because .SAVEDSEARCH files are merely search instructions (metadata) rather than containers, copying this file to a USB drive or sending it to a Windows user results in a useless, tiny file that cannot display the referenced content. The target operating system lacks the Apple Spotlight index required to execute the query. Furthermore, these files are opaque binary or XML plists that basic text editors on Windows often struggle to parse cleanly.
To audit, archive, or debug these search criteria on non-Apple platforms, the best workflow is to convert the .SAVEDSEARCH file to XML or TXT. This exposes the raw query string and scope definitions in a human-readable format. For developers or system administrators analyzing automated search logic, converting to JSON provides a structured way to parse the property list values without needing macOS architecture.
Convert.Guru analyzes your SAVEDSEARCH file, detects the exact format, and lets you read the text inside.
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If you want to convert SAVEDSEARCH file to SYS, DLL, EXE, DRV, VXD, 386, COM, BAT, CMD, SCR, PIF or LNK, you can use macOS Finder or similar software from the "Smart Folder Search Criteria" category. In the File menu, look for Save As… or Export….
To convert MSI, EXE, REG, MST, LNK, CAB, CAT, DRV, INF, SYS, MSU or DLL files to SAVEDSEARCH, try macOS Finder or another comparable tool in the "Smart Folder Search Criteria" category.
The history of Convert.Guru began over 25 years ago in California with Tom Simondi’s file-format database. A former contributor to Space Shuttle development and a software pioneer of the 1980s, Simondi established a trusted resource for file type analysis that was even referenced by Microsoft Windows XP. Today, we use modern technology to process and convert thousands of file formats while continually improving our SAVEDSEARCH converter.