mail search not working with Ventura

Grostone wrote:

I've tried checking Spotlight preferences, relaunching with shift key, restarting in safe mode, nothing is working. Help!

You can rebuild the spotlight data base easily enough

spotlight

Rebuild the Spotlight index on your Mac - Apple Support

I've already posted it in this conversation, But it seems that the free third party software Onyx can solve the problem. It allows you to choose to rebuild the Spotlight and Mail databases. After I did that they now work. The rebuild requires some time depending on how much stuff you have stored on your hard drive and how much mail you have on your mail accounts.

Had the same problem, spotlight search didn't worked in any app.

Finally i fixed it this way:

• delete the folder ~/Library/Metadata/CoreSpotlight
• kill corespotlightd process in activity monitor
• in terminal enter:

sudo mdutil -Es -i on /

Maybe this helps.

Correction, after using Onyx Version 4.3.1, both the Mail and the Spotlight indexes were rebuilt and now the search works. We'll see how long it lasts...

this worked for me, many thanks!!!

• delete the folder ~/Library/Metadata/CoreSpotlight
• kill corespotlightd process in activity monitor
• in terminal enter:

sudo mdutil -Es -i on /

Grostone wrote:

Hi Leroydouglas,

Since I posted my initial post I thought to check Spotlight and it's not functioning either. I tried the method above to reindex the entire HD, but that didn't change anything. Do I have to go into Terminal? This is getting frustrating.

Thanks in advance for your help.

There is no advantage to Terminal command-line if you already reindexed...

>System Settings>Spotlight > verify you have all the checkboxes

You can try a —SafeBoot How to use safe mode on your Mac - Apple Support will sort many anomalies

if no resolve short of reinstalling the macOS—

Call Customer Support  (800) MY–APPLE (800–692–7753)

or on line  Apple Support

Outside the USA—Contact Apple for support and service by phone

See a list of Apple phone numbers around the world.

Contact Apple for support and service - Apple Support

I have the same problem and it seems to affect Spotlight too. Since I am scheduled to return a product loan to Apple PR today I wanted to search for the mail with the shipping information. So I searched mail using: prseed, not results. Tried Spotlight, no result. Then I searched mail on my Iphone and got a hit after having entered the four first letters of the word.

The problem seems to be connected to Ventura. I first noticed it after having upgraded on a M1 MacBook Air and I used the third party software Onyx to rebuild the Spotlight and Mail databases. But the problem returns.

Apple Support suggests restarting in Safe mode and then creating a new user. Well that might show something, but I don't think it will solve the problem. It seems that there is a programming glitch in Ventura.

• The Library is hidden on default in the Finder but you can access it through the Finder Menu -> Go -> Library.
• Yes kill is with the "x" stop button
• The contents of the CoreSpotlight folder will rebuild itself, so i don't see any downsides

I removed all of my accounts to add them again one by one, let it indexing for days to no avail, still the same problem.

This did the trick!!!!

I was JUST about to re-install Ventura based on guidance from Apple Support but came to this thread one more time just in case. BTW - before I tried:

• re-indexing Spotlight Search
• Trying in Safe Mode - didn't work
• Tried with a new Admin User in Safe Mode - worked!
• Onyx to rebuild index - didn't work

Only remaining - search in calendar isn't searching all calendars. But this may be because it just takes time.

Thank you allwissendemüllhalde!