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Spotlight search doesn't show my documents on Computer, but leads to web search

How can I find content on my computer without remembering where I have stored it. Before the update it was easy to find things by spotlight search (not so easy with Finder search).

Now spotlight search finds me the search items on the web, not in my computer.


I did Etrecheck, I post it here

EtreCheck version: 5.7.2 (5247)

Report generated: 2021-03-18 17:55:34

Download EtreCheck from https://etrecheck.com

Runtime: 2:47

Performance: Excellent

Sandbox: Enabled

Full drive access: Disabled


Problem: Other problem

Description:

spotlight search not working for computer


Major Issues: None


Minor Issues:

    These issues do not need immediate attention but they may indicate future problems or opportunities for improvement.


   

iMac 27″, macOS 10.15

Posted on Mar 18, 2021 10:45 AM

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Similar questions

2 replies

Mar 18, 2021 12:32 PM in response to heidi56init

If you are using Spotlight to find documents with specific content, you want at minimum, the following Spotlight Search Result categories selected:

  • Documents
  • Folders
  • Images
  • PDF Documents
  • Presentations
  • Spreadsheets


Then, if you want to find that Word document that you misplaced, and you knew you created it since the beginning of this year, and part of its filename was remember_me:


kind:word +.docx name:remember created:>01/01/2021


This will not return any web items because the search has been narrowed to specifics.


If you wanted to find the string palindrome inside a Word .doc document, you would have to exclude .docx from the search, and specify the word to be found:


kind:word +.doc -(.docx) palindrome


And find a PDF document created between June 2020 and November of that same year with the keyword rascal


kind:pdf keyword:rascal created:06/01/2020-11/01/2020



Apple discusses how to Narrow your search results on Mac in the macOS User Guide.

Spotlight search doesn't show my documents on Computer, but leads to web search

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