SF Symbols Finder

Use the CLI bundled with SF Symbols 27 or newer. This is a requirement for searching on the Mac, not a minimum deployment target for the app being built. If the CLI is missing, direct the user to download SF Symbols from Apple.

sf_symbols_cli="/Applications/SF Symbols.app/Contents/Executables/sfsymbols"

Find candidates

The default search uses semantic search. Describe the meaning of the interface element in ordinary words, even if those words do not appear in a symbol's name. Limit the shortlist, then compare meaning and appearance rather than automatically choosing the first result. Use --show-glyph when the terminal can display SF Symbols.

"$sf_symbols_cli" search --limit 10 --show-glyph "celebrate achievement"
"$sf_symbols_cli" search --limit 10 "save for later"
"$sf_symbols_cli" search --limit 10 "protect privacy"

On SF Symbols 27, these find party.popper, bookmark, and several lock or shield symbols, respectively. If a query returns nothing useful, try shorter descriptions, the underlying object or action, and synonyms. Keep searching until you find a relevant candidate; do not settle for an unrelated result or invent a symbol name.