How to prevent Spotlight search from showing all files on Mac after update?

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Level 1

4 points

How to prevent Spotlight search from showing all files on Mac after update?

I've tried in so many ways to get spotlight search to NOT show me all the files on my computer when typing in anything into the search bar, I've gone through completely all of the settings, and all of the changes that I make do completely nothing. Is this just a bug that will be fixed? The search bar was my favorite part of the Mac but its useless to me if I can't change those settings after the new 26 update.

[Re-Titled by Moderator]

Original Title: Spotlight Search Settings Useless?

Posted on Nov 30, 2025 2:33 PM

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Answer 1

Top-ranking reply

neuroanatomist

Level 9

55,599 points

Nov 30, 2025 2:57 PM in response to Smartfrdg

System Settings > Spotlight. You can turn off various categories, or click the Privacy button and add folders/drives to the list for exclusion from indexing.

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Answer 2

Smartfrdg Author

Level 1

4 points

Nov 30, 2025 5:51 PM in response to neuroanatomist

Sorry but this is exactly my problem, I have tried tinkering these settings but it hasn’t changed results. Thanks for trying though

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Answer 3

Nov 30, 2025 7:36 PM in response to Smartfrdg

So if you search for a folder name with Folders off, you still see the folder in the Spotlight results?

Here's what I see with Folders on vs off:

If that's not how it's working for you, see if the problem is present when you boot in safe mode, which disables 3rd party extensions and performs some system cleanup.

Start up your Mac in safe mode - Apple Support

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