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Spotlight Results Not Clickable

Spotlight returns results as expected but most of the results aren’t clickable, which makes spotlight kind of useless. (Folders and documents generally aren’t clickable. Apps seem to fine.)


I’ve reindexed with no change. Is there something else I can do to fix this?

Mac mini, macOS 13.2

Posted on Mar 16, 2023 4:43 PM

Reply
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Posted on Mar 17, 2023 6:35 AM

AndrewYesAndrew wrote:

Spotlight returns results as expected but most of the results aren’t clickable, which makes spotlight kind of useless. (Folders and documents generally aren’t clickable. Apps seem to fine.)

I’ve reindexed with no change. Is there something else I can do to fix this?

Mac mini, macOS 13.2



Can you verify your software is up to date…

The current stable release of Ventura including bug fixes, security updates is macOS Ventura 13.2.1


Keep your Mac up to date - Apple Support

Keep your Mac up to date - Apple Support



You can try re-indexing Spotlight—

Rebuild the Spotlight index on your Mac - Apple Support



ref:A Spotlight Search, made within an open F… - Apple Community







6 replies
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Mar 17, 2023 6:35 AM in response to AndrewYesAndrew

AndrewYesAndrew wrote:

Spotlight returns results as expected but most of the results aren’t clickable, which makes spotlight kind of useless. (Folders and documents generally aren’t clickable. Apps seem to fine.)

I’ve reindexed with no change. Is there something else I can do to fix this?

Mac mini, macOS 13.2



Can you verify your software is up to date…

The current stable release of Ventura including bug fixes, security updates is macOS Ventura 13.2.1


Keep your Mac up to date - Apple Support

Keep your Mac up to date - Apple Support



You can try re-indexing Spotlight—

Rebuild the Spotlight index on your Mac - Apple Support



ref:A Spotlight Search, made within an open F… - Apple Community







Mar 17, 2023 10:24 AM in response to AndrewYesAndrew

Create and log into a new, basic, admin user account, Set up users, guests, and groups on Mac and see if the problem persists. This tells us if the problem is limited to your user account or is system wide.


Note:  do not launch any 3rd party apps in the account so as to not install any of the supporting files that most create.


If the problem is not present then your original account has software installed that is causing the problem.  


Mar 17, 2023 6:51 AM in response to AndrewYesAndrew

AndrewYesAndrew wrote:


Also, if I scroll down to the Search in Finder option at the bottom and click on that, the correct result shows up in the new Finder window and I can click through there.  So Spotlight's index seems to be correct, but something else is going wrong.




Yours is not the first report I have heard for this glitch.


The "scroll down to the Search in Finder" is the best known work around



you can file a bug report /submit your Apple Feedback here:  hhttp://www.apple.com/feedback


Maybe the next point update will sort the issue...

Mar 17, 2023 6:44 AM in response to leroydouglas

Thanks, @leroydouglas.


System software is already up to date -- Venture 13.2.1.


I've already tried re-indexing. Not clear whether it actually happened based on my watching Activity Monitor data.


A few other details that might be helpful:


When results in the Spotlight window aren’t clickable, they have a generic MacOS icon rather than a folder icon or the appropriate icon for the document type.


Also, if I scroll down to the Search in Finder option at the bottom and click on that, the correct result shows up in the new Finder window and I can click through there.  So Spotlight's index seems to be correct, but something else is going wrong.


Thanks again for your help,


Andrew


Spotlight Results Not Clickable

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