Spotlight Search on Mac OS Not Working? This is How to Re-enable

Spotlight is a powerful search tool built into macOS that helps you find files, emails, documents, and more on your Mac. However, sometimes Spotlight indexing may become disabled, causing the search functionality to stop working properly. If you encounter this issue, you can re-enable Spotlight indexing using Terminal. Here’s a step-by-step guide to help you through the process.

In order, these commands accomplish the following:

sudo mdutil -i off /
sudo rm -rf /.Spotlight*
sudo mdutil -i on /
sudo mdutil -E /

.. then enter your macOS password.

After you run the above commands in sequence, Spotlight Search will be active again.

Here the Explanation of Step-by-Step Guide to Re-enable Spotlight Indexing

If you want to know the function of the commands you wrote earlier, here is the explanation.

Step 1: Open Terminal

First, you need to open Terminal on your Mac. You can find Terminal by navigating to Applications » Utilities » Terminal, or by using Spotlight search itself by pressing Command + Space and typing “Terminal”.

Step 2: Disable Spotlight Indexing

To begin the process, you need to disable Spotlight indexing. This ensures that the existing index will be cleared and allows you to start fresh.

Enter the following command in Terminal and press Enter:

sudo mdutil -i off /

You will be prompted to enter your administrator password. Type your password and press Enter. This command turns off indexing for the entire system.

Step 3: Delete the Spotlight Folder

Next, you need to delete the existing Spotlight index folder to remove any corrupted or outdated index files. Enter the following command and press Enter:

sudo rm -rf /.Spotlight*

This command deletes the Spotlight folder from the root directory.

Step 4: Enable Spotlight Indexing

Now, you can re-enable Spotlight indexing. Enter the following command and press Enter:

sudo mdutil -i on /

This command turns on indexing for the entire system again.

Step 5: Rebuild the Spotlight Index

Finally, to ensure Spotlight starts indexing your files from scratch, you need to force a reindex. Enter the following command and press Enter:

sudo mdutil -E /

This command erases the existing index and starts rebuilding a new one.

Conclusion

By following these steps, you can re-enable Spotlight indexing on your Mac and ensure that your search functionality works correctly. This process helps to clear any corrupted index files and rebuilds a fresh index, improving Spotlight’s performance and accuracy.

Remember to be cautious when using Terminal commands, as they can significantly alter your system. If you encounter any issues, you may want to consult Apple Support or a professional technician.

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