How do you get spotlight to open folder not file?!?

With the menu extras Spotlight tool, when you have search result files listed, you can single-click (or arrow down) to the file you are interested in and press ⌘R to open a new Finder window with that preselected file shown in its containing folder.

Your question really should be, "What is interfering with the normal operation of Spotlight interface to open enclosing folder."

You have done what has worked forever and still does, except for your Mac.

You can troubleshoot to see where the problem manifests, but that may not get you any closer to figuring out what is causing it.

Safe Mode will delete system caches and disable third-party system modifications.

Trying on a different user will isolate it to a single user or system-wide.

Double clicking while holding down the command key should open the folder location in Finder.

It may open in Gallery mode, which may show the file contents though. But you can just change the view at the top of the finder window to Icons or List.

This opens the file not the file location.

Not for us.

With a found file in Spotlight, select it and hold down the command key. The icon next to the document should change into a Finder icon. If it doesn't, then it isn't recognizing that you are holding down the Command key.

This opens the file not the file location.