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jeffpodraza Author

Level 1

19 points

MacOS Big Sur Mail indexing

Has anyone experiences issues since upgrading to BigSur with searching. Im using my iCloud Email (actually @mac.com to be accurate). Searching for Email no longer works, and email VIP mailboxes get notified, however clicking on the folder doesn't nothing.

I'm assuming its an indexing issue, however I cant find a way to reindex the mailbox.

Any suggestions? Thank you in advance.

27" iMac Retina 5K 2017

Big Sur 11.0.1

Mail 14.0

and

MacBook Pro 2020

Big Sur 11.0.1

Mail 14.0

Posted on Nov 18, 2020 12:55 PM

Best reply

EastDog

Level 2

149 points

Posted on Nov 23, 2020 9:44 PM

Jeff,

I got an answer to my (and presumably, your) issue earlier today on the MacRumors forum, which blessedly appears to have fixed my problem... and it was a lot easier than the fix Apple Support gave to you.

I reposted it on this similar thread (https://discussions.apple.com/thread/252045190?answerId=253959059022) just a bit ago, but will also paste it below right now.

Cheers!

------

1. Save your work and close all of your apps

2. Close Mail app

3. Hold the Shift key and open the Mail app

4. Close the Mail app (don't search or perform any other actions)

5. Hold the Shift key and open the Mail app (repeat of Step 3)

6. Close the Mail app (repeat of Step 4)

7. Restart your Mac

8. Open Mail app like you normally would

9. Try searching your mail

View in context

36 replies

Perusky

Level 1

4 points

Apr 7, 2021 7:58 AM in response to Davids179

Again I am suffering form this problem. It was OK for a few weeks after I emptied the Library/Metadata/CoreSpotlight folder. I just looked at this folder again, was still empty.... .I also unchecked the 'Mail & Messages checkbox in Preferences>Spotlight, at that time so that may be the reason the folder is still empty. So for me that trick was not the long term solution I was looking for. **** annoying this issue!

Surge74

Level 1

36 points

Jan 28, 2021 8:07 PM in response to Surge74

This solved it for me:

Quit Mail
Library/Metadata/CoreSpotlight
Delete everything in the CoreSpotlight folder, but not the folder itseld
Empty Trash
Launch Mail
Wait 24 hours, with Mac on

EastDog

Level 2

149 points

Nov 19, 2020 12:03 PM in response to jeffpodraza

Yup. Mail search is totally, 100% broken for me in Big Sur.

dkazreal

Level 1

61 points

Dec 9, 2020 3:15 PM in response to CoffeeBean

It did not work for me at all, maybe because I have over 50,000 emails and I need to search them. #Apple fix this please!!!

Dec 10, 2020 10:39 AM in response to EastDog

This worked for me on my laptop, THANK YOU!!

Dec 10, 2020 10:41 AM in response to Davids179

Should have mentioned my laptop is a Pro from 2018

Dec 14, 2020 1:31 AM in response to CoffeeBean

Same here. I restarted my MacBook Pro and Mail Search Function worked some days. Today it bugs :( Impossible to search, use VIP or Flags... Very frustrating !

dkazreal

Level 1

61 points

Dec 14, 2020 5:25 AM in response to dkazreal

I was able to fix my mail problem by using the “rebuild” option in the native mail app. It wipes the mailbox and downloads all the email from he server.

jeffpodraza Author

Level 1

19 points

Dec 14, 2020 2:51 PM in response to jeffpodraza

So far the Big Sur Update today of 11.1 seems to have fixed this. I will keep you posted.

Dec 16, 2020 1:36 PM in response to jeffpodraza

It has not fixed mine and I am on 11.1. It had been fixed temporarily by removing my added spam protection by Spam Sieve.....

Dec 17, 2020 6:05 AM in response to dkazreal

Ditto!!!!!

Dec 17, 2020 6:07 AM in response to Davids179

I have turned off all spam checking AFAIK and removed Google Mail. I still no VIP mail and smart mailboxes are all empty. :-((((

jpodraza

Level 1

23 points

Dec 17, 2020 9:06 AM in response to Richard-IOW

I agree, it worked for a day after 11.1. and now nothing why isn't this a bigger issue for Apple?

dkazreal

Level 1

61 points

Dec 17, 2020 6:24 PM in response to EastDog

I tried this but for some crazy reason it will only download or search my last 32 messages ???

dmanftl1

Level 1

8 points

Dec 17, 2020 11:38 PM in response to jeffpodraza

I lost my spam folder and a bunch of other folders with files that I cannot replace!!

MacOS Big Sur Mail indexing