Spotlight doesn't open PDF files (macOS Ventura 13.2)
Quick summary: Spotlight incorrectly labels PDF files as "Finder" files (showing a horizontally squeezed Finder icon next to the PDF file name in the Spotlight results, see screenshot), rather than the default Open With app (usually Preview). Clicking on a file in the results will simply close the Spotlight results list, and will not open the PDF file. Searching the same term in the Finder window search correctly finds the same results, labels them with the correct default Open With app, and opens them correctly.
More detail:
When using Spotlight, searching a word like "taxes" will bring up various results, including multiple PDFs (files with .pdf extension) with "taxes" in the name or contents, but a horizontally warped "Finder" icon (see screenshot) appears next to the result rather than the Preview icon. When clicking on that result (using a single click, double click, control-click, command-click, click-hold, or any other shortcut), the Spotlight result window closes. Opening Spotlight again, that same results list is still there. Same result.
Troubleshooting: In Finder, I went to a PDF > Get Info, confirmed Preview was default, and I then changed it to Finder. and did a Change All, so Safari was then the default app for PDF files, and I then changed them all back to Preview again, just as a troubleshooting effort. Nothing changed, problem persists.
Finder search works correctly for PDF files:
In Finder, I can go to the Spotlight magnifying glass in the top right corner of a Finder window, enter the same search term as in Spotlight above, and then I will see all files listed with the correct app icon, which also open correctly when clicked In other words, the "taxes" PDF that appeared incorrectly (with the warped Finder icon) in Spotlight appears CORRECTLY via the search tool in Finder, and clicking on that result opens the PDF in Preview, which does not happen in Spotlight.
I have not verified if this same error happens with other file extensions.
macOS Ventura 13.2
MacBook Air M2 2022