An apparatus performs a first search for first information that contains a first character input through an operation, and performs a second search for second information that contains both of the first character and a second character when the second character is input after the first search is started. Before the searches are performed, either a first search mode or a second search mode is selected: in the first search mode, a search is started for the first information independently of an input of the second character after the input of the first character; and in the second search mode, a determination is made whether or not there is an input of the second character after the input of the first character, and a search is started for the first information when there is no input of the second character is selected.