Search for keywords in Pages
Sep 25, 2025
Search for keywords in Pages
Pages documents get long fast. Finding the one paragraph you need usually means opening files, hitting Command F, trying variants, and repeating. If you only remember a vague idea, or a cryptic filename like 4b2c7a1f9a3e0d5e88f1c7ad3b902c4a.pages, the hunt can take minutes. This guide shows a faster way. Use Fenn to search by keyword or fuzzy idea and open the right spot in seconds.
Why the manual way is slow
Filenames are not helpful. Many documents have dates, hashes, or export names you will not recall.
In document search is per file. You must open a document before you can search it.
No page level precision from Finder or Spotlight. You land at the file, then you still have to scroll.
Grouping by theme is limited. Folders and Smart Folders help, but they do not understand ideas across many documents.
The fast way, with page level precision
Fenn is a file search engine for macOS that understands keywords and fuzzy ideas, then takes you straight to the right place in Pages.
What Fenn does for Pages
Searches inside
.pagesdocuments across the folders you choose.Supports Keyword, Semantic, Hybrid (both), and Exact match modes.
Shows contextual snippets so you can confirm before opening.
Opens Pages at the matching location so you start reading immediately.
Privacy and speed
Runs on your Mac. No external AI required.
Built for Apple Silicon for fast indexing and retrieval.
Walkthrough, two common scenarios
1) You only remember a fuzzy idea
Open Fenn.
Set Mode to Semantic or Hybrid.
Type the gist, for example, “board prep narrative cost of delay rationale.”
Skim the snippet that best matches, with page context.
Press Return. Pages opens at the relevant section.
Time saved: You never needed the filename. No document hopping.
2) You know an exact phrase
Open Fenn.
Set Mode to Exact match or Keyword.
Search for
"customer timeline risk"or another phrase in quotes.Pick the result with the clearest snippet.
Press Return. You land on the matching page in Pages.
Tip: Use Hybrid if you are not sure about exact wording. It catches near matches and exact hits in one pass.
Example, the unhelpful filename
You remember a paragraph that explains “cost of delay” for the Q3 roadmap. The file is named 4b2c7a1f9a3e0d5e88f1c7ad3b902c4a.pages. With Fenn, search “cost of delay rationale Q3 roadmap,” select the snippet that mentions both, and open directly to the relevant page in Pages. No guessing which hashed file is which.
Where this method shines
Archives of Pages docs spread across client or project folders.
Hand offs where filenames changed during exports.
Quarterly memos or briefs where you remember the idea, not the title.
Mini case
Before Fenn, a PM opened four Pages docs and searched each for “risk” to find one paragraph. After Fenn, they typed “timeline risk cost of delay” and landed on the right page in under five seconds. Over a quarter, dozens of these lookups saved hours.
How to set up in two minutes
Install Fenn and grant file access.
Choose sources to index, for example Projects, Clients, and Desktop.
Start with Hybrid mode. Search your next Pages need.
Use the snippet preview to confirm, then open at the right spot.
Pricing
Fenn Local: 9 USD per month, billed annually. One Mac. Updates. Founder support.
Fenn Lifetime: 199 USD one time. One year of updates. One Mac. Founder support.