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Finder and Spotlight search in rtf files

Finder and Spotlight are no longer searching the content of rtf files (e.g. TextEdit) under Big Sur. Yesterday's update to Big Sur didn't change anything. Since this is a serious inconvenience, does someone know if they plan to fix it at last?

MacBook Pro 15″, macOS 11.2

Posted on Feb 11, 2021 1:37 AM

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8 replies

Feb 14, 2021 2:59 AM in response to mario49

Dear Mario,

Thank you for your answer. Yes, I already tried what you suggest: I tested it with a single folder containing TextEdit files. As a result, the content of all files in that folder ceased to be searchable through Finder and Spotlight; you only can find them by their file name. More generally, the present situation concerning all rtf files is as follows: Finder and Spotlight can search the content of all old files; but as soon as you open them, the content search ceases to work and you have to find them by name. The same happens immediately with all new files. So, trying to rebuild the Spotlight index appears to have the same effect as opening the already existing files, and makes things worse.

It seems that a lot of people are having the same issue under Big Sur. Did someone succeed in fixing it?

All the best,

Max

Question marked as Helpful

Feb 14, 2021 4:53 AM in response to maximilian244

We are fellow users who cannot "fix" Spotlight beyond the recommendation of rebuilding the Spotlight index or refining the Spotlight search parameters. I too have done this without any improvement in Spotlight to see within RTF/RTFD documents. Certainly not with macOS 11.2.1.


As the product teams do not participate here, we have no means of knowing if they are aware of this RTF search problem, or if they are, when it will be resolved. You can, however, send a bug feedback report directly to the macOS product team.

Feb 14, 2021 6:02 AM in response to VikingOSX

I see. And the strange thing is that Spotlight and Finder still search within older rtf files, but as soon as you open them, they disappear from the current search and are no longer searchable - just as all newly created files. You have to search them by file name. But finding a file containing a certain word or quote has become impossible.

Anyway, I have reported to Apple as you suggested. Let's see.

Question marked as Helpful

Feb 26, 2021 6:12 AM in response to maximilian244

Hi,


I have that same issue and posted about it here back in december last year. VikingOSX replied back then too but didn't have problems at that time but seems to be affected now too. All we can do is keep telling Apple about it like filing bug reports at


https://www.apple.com/feedback/


to let them know. I did but as they don't respond it's not to say if they have yet acknowledged the bug and when it'll be fixed.


My main word processor is Nisus Writer that saves in RTF and their support has confirmed the issue and told me they have filed a bug report to Apple. They also told me apple doesn't reply to the either.


Regards


Anders

Finder and Spotlight search in rtf files

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