macOS 26.3: Third-party apps missing from Spotlight Search

After updating to macOS 26 Tahoe (26.3), third party applications will often not appear as results in Spotlight Search or in Apps.



I've tried using:

sudo mdutil -X /
sudo mdutil -i on /

Unfortunately, this did not fix the problem.

MacBook Pro 14″, macOS 26.3

Posted on Mar 5, 2026 12:35 PM

Reply
6 replies

Mar 5, 2026 4:22 PM in response to DeadPixelPro

Not seeing this on macOS 26.3.1. When I start typing the name of a 3rd party app, relevant results appear:



Make sure Apps are set to show with results in System Settings > Spotlight.



Your Terminal commands should have accomplished this (and more), but perhaps try rebuilding the Spotlight Index Apple's recommended way:

Rebuild the Spotlight index on your Mac - Apple Support

Mar 6, 2026 5:01 AM in response to DeadPixelPro

I've tried using:
sudo mdutil -X /
sudo mdutil -i on /
Unfortunately, this did not fix the problem.

Erasing the database (-X) tends to require a kickstart beyond turning indexing back on.

As already noted, doing a GUI re-index or using the -E may work. But, you might have to log out and log back in or restart.

And, there is always the possibility of a third-party metadata importer hanging up the indexing that worked prior to the update.

macOS 26.3: Third-party apps missing from Spotlight Search

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