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User profile for user: Gedas_S
Gedas_S Author
User level: Level 1
10 points

Finder search does not find existing folders/files

I have an annoying issue with finder search - it does not find folders/files that surely exist. And when I make the "easy fix" to throw the folder in the Spotlight privacy tab and remove it (forcing re-indexing) I can use finder search for 10-15 mins and then it's useless again.


How to fix this nonsense permatently? This simply can't continue, it's a basic tool/function. I'm using Monterey 12.6, but it doesn't seem to be tightly related to one specific software version.

MacBook Air 13″, macOS 12.6

Posted on Nov 21, 2022 5:58 AM

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User profile for user: VikingOSX
VikingOSX
Community+ 2024
User level: Level 10
116,429 points

Posted on Nov 21, 2022 6:16 AM

I have a folder on my Desktop named WIP. In it, I have a file named foo.jpg. Spotlight when used from the menu extras organizes its results by category so I can locate the folder WIP and in a separate category from that search, foo.jpg is listed under Images. I arrow down to foo.jpg and press the ⌘ key to see that it is in folder WIP.


(kind:folder AND name:wip) OR name:foo.jpg



In the Finder View menu, have Show Path Bar selected. Using that same syntax above in a Finder Window search field returns the following:



And when I click on foo.jpg, the Path Bar results at the bottom of this Window reveals that it resides in folder WIP.


This is as good as it gets with Spotlight. An alternative may be the purchased Find Any File utility from the Mac App Store. There is a free trial from that developer's website.

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User profile for user: VikingOSX
VikingOSX
Community+ 2024
User level: Level 10
116,429 points

Nov 21, 2022 6:16 AM in response to Gedas_S

I have a folder on my Desktop named WIP. In it, I have a file named foo.jpg. Spotlight when used from the menu extras organizes its results by category so I can locate the folder WIP and in a separate category from that search, foo.jpg is listed under Images. I arrow down to foo.jpg and press the ⌘ key to see that it is in folder WIP.


(kind:folder AND name:wip) OR name:foo.jpg



In the Finder View menu, have Show Path Bar selected. Using that same syntax above in a Finder Window search field returns the following:



And when I click on foo.jpg, the Path Bar results at the bottom of this Window reveals that it resides in folder WIP.


This is as good as it gets with Spotlight. An alternative may be the purchased Find Any File utility from the Mac App Store. There is a free trial from that developer's website.

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Finder search does not find existing folders/files

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