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Problems with searching for mail since Catalina upgrade

Since upgrading to Catalina, I am left being unable to search for emails using Apple Mail. When I type in the search box for a specific sender, it returns all of the emails in the system.


I have tried rebuilding the mailbox but it makes no difference.


Any suggestions greatly received.



Kind regards


Simon

Posted on Oct 11, 2019 3:17 AM

Reply
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Posted on Oct 11, 2019 5:19 PM

To fix that issue.

1) Quit Mail.app

2) Stop, Clear, and Restart your Spotlight indexation. To do so : https://support.apple.com/HT201716 OR

  • Open Terminal.app
  • Stop and Flush Indexation
  • sudo mdutil -i off -E /
  • verify the status
  • sudo mdutil -s /
  • Restart it
  • sudo mdutil -i on /
  • verify the status again
  • sudo mdutil -s /

3) Clear the Mail.app indexes. You will find some "Envelope Index*" files in your ~/Library/Mail/V7/MailData folder. Trash them and empty the Trash. (They will be rebuild after relaunching Mail.app, don't worry).

To do so:

  • From the Finder > Goto Menu > Go to folder: "~/Library/Mail/V7/MailData".
  • From the Terminal.app: "open ~/Library/Mail/V7/MailData" (then Enter)


Restart your Mac. Re-open Mail.app, and all we be fine again.


PS: You need all those steps, and in this order ;-)


2 replies
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Oct 11, 2019 5:19 PM in response to SimonCoates

To fix that issue.

1) Quit Mail.app

2) Stop, Clear, and Restart your Spotlight indexation. To do so : https://support.apple.com/HT201716 OR

  • Open Terminal.app
  • Stop and Flush Indexation
  • sudo mdutil -i off -E /
  • verify the status
  • sudo mdutil -s /
  • Restart it
  • sudo mdutil -i on /
  • verify the status again
  • sudo mdutil -s /

3) Clear the Mail.app indexes. You will find some "Envelope Index*" files in your ~/Library/Mail/V7/MailData folder. Trash them and empty the Trash. (They will be rebuild after relaunching Mail.app, don't worry).

To do so:

  • From the Finder > Goto Menu > Go to folder: "~/Library/Mail/V7/MailData".
  • From the Terminal.app: "open ~/Library/Mail/V7/MailData" (then Enter)


Restart your Mac. Re-open Mail.app, and all we be fine again.


PS: You need all those steps, and in this order ;-)


Problems with searching for mail since Catalina upgrade

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