"Spotlight" does not show an image ( or preview) for searched images on external h.d. , it only shows a Lightroom preview file.

Question

"Spotlight" does not show an image ( or preview) for searched images on external h.d. , it only shows a Lightroom preview file.

Hi, after updating to Big Sur 11.7.1 on my late 2015 iMac Retina, Spotlight will not display where any images are ( on my external hard drive) it only shows a Lightroom preview file. Even though it shows that it's a .psd in the window, clicking on it does nothing. Notice there is no thumbnail either. any file . Folders on the desktop do show up and show a thumbnail too. Yes I have checked my Spotlight preferences. Screenshot on bottom shows location of known image .

Earlier Mac models

Posted on May 10, 2023 1:02 PM

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Answer 1

Top-ranking reply

beautyclicker1 Author

Level 1

4 points

May 15, 2023 5:18 AM in response to dialabrain

Just wanted to let you know that the "fix" was to add my external hard drive to Spotlight in the "Privacy" preference to NOT be searched, and then to add it back. Upon adding it back, I it started reindexing everything. Thank you Apple tech help.

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Answer 2

dialabrain

Level 10

137,811 points

May 10, 2023 2:34 PM in response to beautyclicker1

Try updating Big Sur to the current version (11.7.6) and test again.

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Answer 3

May 10, 2023 7:57 PM in response to dialabrain

Thanks for the tip. I updated to Big Sur 11.7.6 but it didn't help. Upon further inspection, I'm finding the scope is larger than I thought previously. If I use Spotlight or even "COMMAND F", I cannot find the actual thing i'm looking for ( folder, image, file,) on my external hard drive. Instead it shows me a path into my Lightroom preview catalog. Even if I type in a folder on the external hard drive, it shows it as a ".Irprev". and that's a Lightroom Catalog file. See below

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Answer 4

May 10, 2023 8:02 PM in response to beautyclicker1

You can see the folder plain as day on the hard drive

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Answer 5

dialabrain

Level 10

137,811 points

May 10, 2023 9:50 PM in response to beautyclicker1

FWIW, I don't use Lightroom so I'm not familiar with how it structures its catalogs etc. You can wait for more replies or ask Adobe Lightroom Support.

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