Spotlight not working after upgrade to OS 15.3.1

K606 wrote:

I tried that before posting (multiple times)...

... and we would know this, how? Remember, we can only go on what you provide in your post. In this case, not much.

Since you've already tried re-indexing Spotlight and it's still not finding most of your files after updating, try the following steps to further troubleshoot this issue: (Again, we have no idea what you have tried so far, so forgive any redundancies.)

Check Spotlight Preferences

1. Go to System Settings > Siri & Spotlight.
2. Scroll down to Search Results and ensure that Documents, PDF, and other relevant file types are checked. If any of them were unchecked, enable them and restart your Mac.

Manually Remove and Rebuild the Index

Since re-indexing via System Settings didn’t work, try removing the index manually and forcing a rebuild:

• Open Terminal and run the following command: sudo mdutil -E /
  • This will erase and rebuild the Spotlight index for the entire drive.

If that doesn’t work, try disabling and then re-enabling Spotlight

• Open Terminal and enter the following commands:
  • sudo mdutil -i off /
  • sudo mdutil -i on /

Verify that Spotlight Is Actively Indexing

• Open Terminal and run: mdutil -s /
  • If it says "Indexing enabled," but search still doesn’t work, check if it’s actually indexing:
    • mdutil -a -i status
  • If Spotlight is stuck indexing, let it finish before testing search again.

Ensure the Files Aren’t in Privacy Exclusions

• Go to System Settings > Siri & Spotlight > Spotlight Privacy.
• If your primary disk (Macintosh HD) or any specific folders (like Documents) are listed, remove them and restart your Mac.

Finally, Check File Permissions

• Go to Applications > Utilities > Disk Utility.
• Select Macintosh HD, then click First Aid and run a scan to repair disk permissions.
• If your files have incorrect permissions, Spotlight may not be able to index them.

I suggest that you rebuild the Spotlight Index to remedy this issue.

To do so, follow the steps in this support article: Rebuild the Spotlight index on your Mac - Apple Support