Finder Search Not Working on Your Mac? Try These 7 Fixes

Publish date: 2024-02-13

Finder is the one-stop solution for exploring macOS. It wouldn't be wrong to think of it as the Mac equivalent of File Explorer, the default file management app in Windows.

One of its many handy tools is the swift search option, which helps you look up all the files on your Mac. But, like apps, Finder too is subject to errors and malfunctions. One of the ways this could manifest is through a faulty search feature, leaving you unable to find anything on your Mac.

So, how do you fix your Finder search tool? Let's find out.

1. Restart Your Mac

You'd be surprised how even a simple restart goes a long way in fixing random errors on your Mac. A reboot clears many processes or apps that otherwise clog your system resources and memory, as well as installs pending updates. It fixes memory leaks or other related issues as well.

So, give your Mac a quick reboot and see if it fixes your Finder issue. To do this, click the Apple logo in the menu bar and choose Restart from the dropdown.

2. Relaunch Finder

Apps stop working all the time for various reasons. So, it's not hard to imagine that something like this might be the case with your Finder search as well. In such cases, relaunching Finder from scratch can solve a lot of your problems.

Unfortunately, closing the Finder window isn't good enough. Instead, you need to click the Apple logo in the menu bar and choose Force Quit from the dropdown. Now, select Finder from the list of apps and click Relaunch.

Your Finder search tool should work properly now. But if it doesn't, move on to the next step.

3. Check Your Finder Settings

If none of the steps have worked so far, we suggest you check the search settings for the Finder app. Here's how you can do that:

  • Launch a Finder window, click Finder in the menu bar, and choose Settings from the dropdown.
  • Head to the Advanced tab in the new window.
  • At the bottom, you'll see the When performing a search option. Make sure Search This Mac is selected.

    • If that's already enabled, and you're still facing issues performing a search in Finder, you may be interested in the next step.

    4. Rebuild the Search Index

    Finder search makes use of the Spotlight search index to look things up. So, if something goes off with the Spotlight index, you may face issues while searching in Finder too.

    So go through the following steps to rebuild your Spotlight index without any hassle:

  • Click the Apple logo in the menu bar and select System Settings from the dropdown.
  • Select Siri & Spotlight from the left sidebar.
  • Scroll down to the bottom of the right pane and click Spotlight Privacy.
  • Click on the plus (+) button.
  • Select Macintosh HD using the dropdown at the top of the window that appears. Then, click Choose.
  • Now, select the drive in the Spotlight Privacy window and click the minus (-) button.

    • That's it. Your search index rebuilding process will begin, and depending on how much data you have, you might have to wait for a few minutes. As soon as the rebuilding is finished, your Finder search should start working once again in no time.

    5. Delete a Corrupt Finder PLIST file

    If you have a corrupt Finder PLST file on your Mac, the app and its functions may not work as expected. In cases like this, deleting the file, rebooting, and trying your luck from scratch will be the best approach.

    Here's how you can get started:

  • Open Finder and press the Command + Shift + G keyboard shortcut.
  • Head to the following path below:
    ~/Library/Preferences/com.apple.finder.plist
  • Look for the Finder PLIST file (com.apple.finder.plist) from the list, Control-click it, and select Move to Trash.

    • Your file will be instantly deleted from there. Now, reboot your Mac for the changes to take effect and see if you're able to get the desired search results with Finder.

    6. Boot Your Mac in Safe Mode

    You can use safe mode to discover all the troubles or errors that have brought your computer to a halt. So, if none of the above methods have moved the needle for your Mac, performing a Finder search in safe mode is worth a shot.

    However, the steps you need to follow to enter safe mode may vary depending on whether you own an Intel or Apple silicon Mac.

    Entering Safe Mode on an Intel Mac:

  • Shut down your Mac and wait for 10 seconds.
  • Boot up your Mac by pressing the power button and holding the Shift key.
  • Release the Shift key when you see the login window.

    • Entering Safe Mode on an Apple Silicon Mac:

  • Shut down your Mac and wait for a few seconds.
  • Press the power button until you see Loading startup options on the screen.
  • Select your startup disk.
  • Hold the Shift key and select Continue in Safe Mode.

    • Once you've booted into safe mode, launch the Finder search tool and see if you are still facing any problems getting search results. Because safe mode boots up your Mac with only essential apps, you may have to look up and remove the culprit apps if your search tool works as intended now.

    7. Update Your Mac

    Like any other operating system, macOS is not bulletproof from abrupt bugs. So, carrying out regular updates will help you avoid these issues. macOS updates are crucial for a host of reasons—getting tighter security is a prominent one—but fixing random errors in apps and other system software probably tops the list.

    So, update your Mac by heading to System Settings > General > Software Update and then try searching in Finder again.

    Search in Finder Without Issues

    The methods we listed above can help you resolve the issues you're facing with Finder search on your Mac. So, take your time and try them out individually.

    However, if none of these troubleshooting steps worked in your favor, you may need to take your Mac to a nearby Apple Store for in-person hardware assistance. Factory resetting your Mac may also help, but make sure you only perform that if you're out of options as it will wipe all the data on your computer.

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