How do I fix Finder not finding individual words on MacBook Air M4?

on my Mac M4 24GB with Tahoe 26.5 my Finder does not work properly. It can't find simple words. It can only find folders. I have tried the 3 key reset of Finder but it still has no effect. What is the use of Finder if it can't find individual words, only applications?



[Re-Titled by Moderator]

Original Title: Problems with Finder

MacBook Air 15″, macOS 26.5

Posted on May 15, 2026 5:52 AM

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Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Posted on May 15, 2026 6:36 AM

Searching on your Mac is driven by Spotlight, and that includes the search bar in Finder windows. Go to System Settings > Spotlight, scroll down to the Results from System section and ensure that the toggle to show Files is on. You can click the small (i) next to the Files toggle to select specific file type to show/not show in search results.



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Question marked as Top-ranking reply

May 15, 2026 6:36 AM in response to Sevillano

Searching on your Mac is driven by Spotlight, and that includes the search bar in Finder windows. Go to System Settings > Spotlight, scroll down to the Results from System section and ensure that the toggle to show Files is on. You can click the small (i) next to the Files toggle to select specific file type to show/not show in search results.



May 15, 2026 9:48 AM in response to Sevillano

Sevillano wrote:
on my Mac M4 24GB with Tahoe 26.5 my Finder does not work properly. It can't find simple words. It can only find folders. I have tried the 3 key reset of Finder but it still has no effect. What is the use of Finder if it can't find individual words, only applications?
[Re-Titled by Moderator]
Original Title: Problems with Finder


If spotlight is not working as expected— rebuild the index


Rebuild the Spotlight index on your Mac

Rebuild the Spotlight index on your Mac - Apple Support




How do I fix Finder not finding individual words on MacBook Air M4?

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