Why Spotlight Search Stops Working on macOS
Spotlight is one of macOS's most used features — press Cmd+Space and find anything in seconds. But when it stops working, stops showing results, or launches an empty window, productivity grinds to a halt. The most common causes are a corrupted Spotlight index, a folder accidentally excluded from indexing, a crashed mds (metadata server) process, or a macOS Tahoe-specific bug introduced after an update. All of these have confirmed fixes that take five minutes or less.
Symptom Checklist
- Cmd+Space does nothing — Spotlight won't open
- Spotlight opens but shows no results for apps, files, or contacts
- Spotlight results are incomplete — some apps or files are missing
- Spotlight is extremely slow to respond
- Searching for an app works but opening it from Spotlight fails
Method 1: Restart the Spotlight (mds) Process
The metadata server (mds) is the background process that powers Spotlight. If it crashes or gets stuck, Spotlight returns no results even though the index is intact.
- Open Terminal (Applications > Utilities > Terminal).
- Run:
sudo killall mds - Enter your admin password when prompted.
- Wait 10–15 seconds for mds to restart automatically.
- Press Cmd + Space and test Spotlight.
This fix takes under a minute and resolves frozen or unresponsive Spotlight in most cases.
Method 2: Rebuild the Spotlight Index
A corrupted index is the most common reason Spotlight returns no results. Rebuilding it forces macOS to re-scan and re-index your entire drive — the process runs in the background and typically completes in 15–60 minutes depending on drive size.
- Open System Settings (or System Preferences on older macOS).
- Go to Spotlight > Search Privacy (or scroll to "Privacy" in Spotlight settings).
- Click the + button and add your Macintosh HD (or your main drive) to the exclusion list.
- Wait 5 seconds, then select the drive in the list and click the – button to remove it.
- Click Done. macOS immediately begins rebuilding the Spotlight index.
- A small dot or progress bar may appear next to the Spotlight menu bar icon while indexing is in progress.
Spotlight results will improve as indexing progresses. Full results return when indexing is complete.
Method 3: Check Spotlight Privacy Exclusions
If only certain folders, apps, or drives are missing from results, someone may have accidentally added them to Spotlight's exclusion list.
- Go to System Settings > Spotlight > Search Privacy.
- Review the list of excluded locations.
- Select any folder or drive that should be indexed and click the – button to remove it from the exclusion list.
- Wait a few minutes for Spotlight to index the newly included locations.
Method 4: Rebuild Index via Terminal (Advanced)
If Method 2 doesn't work, force-rebuilding the index via Terminal is more thorough:
- Open Terminal and run:
sudo mdutil -E /This erases the existing Spotlight index and immediately begins a full rebuild. The / targets your entire filesystem — replace with a specific volume path if needed (e.g., /Volumes/MyDrive).
To check indexing status: sudo mdutil -s /
To temporarily disable and re-enable Spotlight indexing:
sudo mdutil -d /
sudo mdutil -E /Method 5: Fix Spotlight Not Opening (Cmd+Space Does Nothing)
If Spotlight won't open at all, the keyboard shortcut may have been reassigned or the Spotlight process may have completely stopped.
Check the keyboard shortcut:
- Go to System Settings > Keyboard > Keyboard Shortcuts > Spotlight.
- Confirm Show Spotlight search is checked and set to Cmd + Space.
- If it's already set correctly, click on the shortcut, press Cmd + Space again to reassign it, and test.
Restart the Spotlight menu bar item:
killall SystemUIServerThis restarts all menu bar icons including Spotlight. It takes about 3 seconds.
Method 6: Delete Spotlight Index Files Manually
In rare cases, the Spotlight index files themselves become corrupted and cannot be rebuilt through normal methods. Deleting them forces a clean index from scratch.
- Open Terminal and run:
sudo rm -rf /.Spotlight-V100- Restart your Mac.
- macOS will automatically create a new Spotlight index on next boot. Wait 30–60 minutes for the full index to rebuild before testing.
Warning: This removes the entire Spotlight database. All previous index data is lost — macOS rebuilds it fresh, which takes longer than a standard rebuild.
Method 7: Fix for macOS Tahoe — Spotlight After Launchpad Terminal Command
A known issue in macOS Tahoe (26): if you used a Terminal command to restore the old Launchpad layout, Spotlight can stop launching. The fix is to revert that Terminal command and restart:
defaults delete com.apple.dock springboard-columns-int
defaults delete com.apple.dock springboard-rows-int
killall DockRestart your Mac after running these commands. Spotlight should resume normal operation.
When to Seek Expert Help
If Spotlight is still broken after rebuilding the index multiple times, the issue may be a disk-level problem (filesystem corruption) or a permissions issue with your user library. Our team at CloudHouse Technologies Pay-Per-Ticket Support can diagnose macOS system issues remotely, including persistent Spotlight and indexing failures.
FAQ
How long does it take to rebuild the Spotlight index on macOS?
Typically 15–60 minutes for a standard Mac with a 512GB–1TB SSD. Larger drives or spinning HDDs can take 2–4 hours. Spotlight is usable during indexing — results improve progressively as indexing advances.
Will rebuilding the Spotlight index delete any of my files?
No. Rebuilding the index only deletes Spotlight's database of file metadata. Your actual files, documents, and applications are completely untouched.
Why does Spotlight show no results even after rebuilding the index?
If Spotlight still shows nothing after a full rebuild, check System Settings > Spotlight > Search Privacy — your entire drive may have been accidentally added to the exclusion list. Remove it and the index will rebuild for that location.
Spotlight was working this morning and stopped — what changed?
A background macOS update, a Time Machine backup completing, or a large file operation can temporarily interrupt the mds process. Run sudo killall mds from Terminal — this restarts the metadata server and typically restores Spotlight within 15 seconds.
Can I use Spotlight while the index is rebuilding?
Yes, but results will be incomplete until indexing finishes. Recently modified or created files may not appear until they are indexed. You'll see a small animated indicator in the Spotlight search window while indexing is active.