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Home»BlackBerry Help»Help, How-To & Tips, BlackBerry 101

Quick Tip: How to enable and disable Universal Search on OS6 and OS7

by Jared DiPane on 12 Sep 2011 03:50 PM
18
 

How to disable Universal Search from the home screen on BlackBerry OS 6 and OS 7

Universal Search

Whether you recently updgraded to a new device, or are a first time user you may find Universal Search to not be for you, and would rather have your application shortcuts back. Universal Search is helpful to some, and a pain to others, but luckily changing from one to the other is quite a simple task, and can be changed in just a matter of seconds.

To take control of this, from your home screen you will want to press menu then go to options. In the options you will notice the first option will be "Launch by Typing" and by default it is set to Universal Search. Simply click the drop down and change it to Application Shortcuts then save your changes -- just like that you are now able to launch your favorite applications via their shortcuts from the keyboard. If you want to switch back to Universal Search, just do the same and reselect the option, no reboot needed to save the changes so you can easily manage this at any given time.

Filed Under: Help, How-To & Tips, BlackBerry 101; Tags: BlackBerry 6, BlackBerry 7, Disable, OS6, OS7, universal search
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18 Comments

Posted by gtamhankar Monday, Sep 12, 2011 255 days ago

Useful Tip!

 
 
Posted by willtothewong Monday, Sep 12, 2011 255 days ago

very cool. what are some application shortcuts?

 
 
Posted by Yosaki Monday, Sep 12, 2011 255 days ago

Click one of the following keys below and it opens the corresponding application. One of the BEST bb features!

U = Calculator
O = Options
P = Phone
A = Address Book
S = Search
D = Memopad
H = Help
K = Lock
L = Calendar
C = Compose
V = Saved Msgs
B = Browser
N = BBM
M = Messages

 
 
Posted by TurboProp Monday, Sep 12, 2011 255 days ago

T = Tasks
Q = hold to change profile from Normal to Vibrate Only (and back)

OS5 has a very useful shortcut F = Profile (change between Loud, Vibrate or Normal) but now it seems to be gone :-(

 
 
Posted by thepinkcurve Monday, Sep 12, 2011 255 days ago

Thanks :)

 
 
Posted by BerryAttorney Monday, Sep 12, 2011 255 days ago

I think people who are using universal search rather than application shortcuts are missing the best of both worlds. Remember, to use search (while using application shortcuts) all you have to do is press "S". Why give up all other application shortcuts just to save yourself pressing one easy button. For those with touch devices, you call also just touhc the search bar. Do peple really give up applications shortcuts and the speed they bring to the device to save pressing one button?

 
 
Posted by Robert22 Monday, Sep 12, 2011 255 days ago

I love the universal search! The only thing I miss on it is that it doesnt search in the text of emails, only in subjects and adresses.

 
 
Posted by drkknyt98 Monday, Sep 12, 2011 255 days ago

Certain 3rd party themes don't support access to the home screen preferences screen to reach that option. You have to go back to the stock theme on OS6, change that preference, then reload your 3rd party theme. Just for OS6 I believe.

 
 
Posted by jermaine1082 Monday, Sep 12, 2011 255 days ago

Yeah

 
 
Posted by jelp2 Monday, Sep 12, 2011 255 days ago

I have a 9850 and don't have that listed in my option screen.

 
 
Posted by mooda Monday, Sep 12, 2011 255 days ago

You can really search from the home screen on the torch touch. There is no keyboard shortcuts. If you want universal search you just hit the search icon.

 
 
Posted by berryawesome Monday, Sep 12, 2011 255 days ago

i really want a BlackBerry

 
 
Posted by anton-k Monday, Sep 12, 2011 255 days ago

One great thing about leaving Universal Search on, is that you can start dialing numbers without opening the phone application - just start hitting the buttons (without using the Alt button) and then you'll have an option to press the green Send key to dial that number. Works great on the Torch, just slide open and start typing the number - what you see in the search box will look weird, but right under that it will tell you the number you're about to dial.

 
 
Posted by BerryAttorney Monday, Sep 12, 2011 255 days ago

Ya, but again, is it worth it? You are giving up all the speed gained by application shortcuts just to avoid hitting the phone button once each time you want to make a call. Seems like a bad trade-off to me.

 
 
Posted by CMHberry Monday, Sep 12, 2011 255 days ago

How do you edit or assign apps to the vacant letters?

 
 
Posted by mcaples Tuesday, Sep 13, 2011 255 days ago

Wanna launch you calculater (etc.) The TRICK is to start typing (see IF ya DON'T get the app ya want in UNDER 2 letters)...HAHA!!!

 
 
Posted by fdurocher Tuesday, Sep 13, 2011 255 days ago

I have just bought a Blackberry 9860

I tried to apply the modifications suggested.

The "Launch by typing" option is not in the Home Screen Preference screen. ... and I would like to try out this feature.

"Wallpaper setting", "Downloads Folder" and "Home Screen Panels" options are there, I can also reinitialize default settings.

Anybody no why this option is missing ?
Is it a language problem since my Blackberry is set to French ?
Is there a prior setting to activate ?

My 9860 runs: BlackBerry 9860 7.0 Pack 1346 (v7.0.0.261, platerforme 5.0.0.464)

Looking for an answer.

Thanks.

 
 
Posted by mikolina Tuesday, Sep 13, 2011 254 days ago

That is because you have an all-touch BB. I don't think BB 9860 has that feature, just as BB Storm 1& 2 didn't.