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Verified for macOS Tahoe 26.2

How to Fix Spotlight Category Search Broken in macOS Tahoe 26.2

In macOS Tahoe 26.2, some users have reported that Spotlight search has become "half-broken." While it may find some files, it often fails to categorize them correctly or ignores specific filters like "kind:folder" or "kind:image."

TL;DR fix

Start with Fix 1: Re-enable Spotlight Categories. If the issue persists after that, try Fix 2: Force a Spotlight Re-index via Terminal. Full Terminal commands and step-by-step instructions are in each section below.

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Method 1: Re-enable Spotlight Categories

The update to 26.2 may have deselected your search categories in the system settings.

  1. Go to System Settings > Siri & Spotlight.
  2. Scroll down to Search Results.
  3. Ensure all categories (Applications, Documents, Folders, etc.) are checked.
  4. If they are already checked, uncheck all of them, wait 10 seconds, and re-check them.

Method 2: Force a Spotlight Re-index via Terminal

If Spotlight is missing files entirely, you need to rebuild the index database.

  1. Open Terminal.
  2. Run the following command to turn off indexing:
sudo mdutil -i off /
  1. Delete the existing index folder:
sudo rm -rf /.Spotlight-V100
  1. Turn indexing back on:
sudo mdutil -i on /
  1. Wait for the indexing to complete (this may take 30-60 minutes).

Method 3: Clear the Spotlight Metadata Cache

Sometimes the cache that holds metadata for categories becomes corrupted.

  1. Open Terminal.
  2. Run this command to kill the metadata processes:
killall mds
killall mds_stores
  1. They will restart automatically and begin refreshing the metadata.

Method 4: Check Privacy Settings

If Spotlight isn't searching a specific drive or folder, ensure it hasn't been added to the "Privacy" list.

  1. Go to System Settings > Siri & Spotlight.
  2. Click Spotlight Privacy at the bottom.
  3. If your hard drive or any key folders are listed here, remove them using the minus (-) button.

Tested and documented by the MacDebug team — about MacDebug. See also Photoshop & Adobe Apps Crashing on macOS Tahoe, Fix macOS "No AirPlay Found", or browse all guides on macdebug.