Cannot open Spotlight search results in Finder

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Level 1

7 points

Cannot open Spotlight search results in Finder

When I search for files using spotlight I sometimes just want to open them in Finder. The suggested way to do this (see here for instance: https://www.howtogeek.com/790827/how-to-open-mac-spotlight-results-in-finder/) is to click Command + Enter on the selected result in Spotlight. However for me that gives the same result as just pressing Enter, i.e. the file opens in the associated application.

Anyone else experiencing the same?

Mac Studio, macOS 13.1

Posted on Jan 3, 2023 11:13 PM

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Answer 1

Top-ranking reply

picas

Level 7

21,003 points

Jan 3, 2023 11:40 PM in response to mikdac

Command+Return works.

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Answer 2

Jan 24, 2023 02:21 PM in response to Bluescout100

Are these in some online folders like OneDrive, Dropbox, etc? This seems to play a relevant part in the problem.

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Answer 3

Jan 24, 2023 02:03 PM in response to mikdac

Same issue - my search results, even though word documents or PDF are displayed with the finder icon (see below), and cannot be opened - neither straight nor can they be shown in the respective parent folder by pressing command + double click

I re-indexed - but that did not change anything - search results are correct, but cannot be opened. Any ideas how to solve that issue?

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Answer 4

mikdac Author

Level 1

7 points

Jan 25, 2023 12:41 AM in response to Luis Sequeira1

Hi Luis Sequeira1, this seems to be the reason. All files that I have tried, and that are local to my hard drive, can be opened in Finder using ⌘ and any of R, Enter or mouse double click, whereas any file on OneDrive, for instance, is opened in their respective application. Possibly a bug, but good to know. Thanks!

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Answer 5

Jan 4, 2023 01:50 AM in response to mikdac

Sorry if I mention the obvious, but sometimes it is the obvious things... are you sure you are using the Command key and not a different modifier? And also: does the Command key work normally otherwise?

There is also the possibility that your modifiers being switched. I'd check in System Settings->Keyboard if the modifiers match the respective keys:

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Answer 6

mikdac Author

Level 1

7 points

Jan 4, 2023 01:56 AM in response to Luis Sequeira1

Not at all, always reasonable to double check :-) However I can confirm I am using the Command(⌘) key (plus Enter, double click or R as discussed earlier). My Modifier keys looks alright as well I think:

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Answer 7

mikdac Author

Level 1

7 points

Jan 4, 2023 01:39 AM in response to picas

@user:

picas

Thanks! I did actually try this already, with the same result as Command + Enter, but your answer made me think I should give it another go. First I got the same result as before, i.e. Command + double click opened the file with the associated application, but then I tested around with different file types and it turns out that for image files (png, jpg, webp at least) the Command + (either Enter or mouse double click) open the file with associated application (for me it's Preview and/or Photoshop), whereas it I try for instance with a pdf file the same action will open the Finder. So I would say now my problem is reduced but I'm more confused :-)

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