Spotlight search only displays image and not file name.

Hello FHVD,

At this point, it sounds like Spotlight is working, but just not the way that you are used to it working with past versions. Is this correct? If so, you may want to reach out to Apple directly to provide feedback on the changes you'd like to see with Spotlight on your Mac. You can provide your feedback and suggestions to them here: Product Feedback - Apple.

If not, please explain more in-depth about the behavior you're experiencing versus what you expect. This can help to ensure correct steps and expectations are offered by those that reply in the future on this thread.

Kind regards!

Instead of cmd-Space for spotlight one can switch to Finder and use cmd-F for Find to search for images which will give file names. This will be especially necessary if one uses VoiceOver since VoiceOver provides no useful information when one hovers over thumbnail image search results in SpotLight.

Hi there FHVD,

If you are having issues with the results of a Spotlight search, these steps from If searching your Mac returns unexpected results can help resolve what's happening:

Check settings in Siri & Spotlight settings

• You may have excluded items from Spotlight searches. To check, choose Apple menu  > System Settings, then click Siri & Spotlight  in the sidebar. (You may need to scroll down.) In “Search results” on the right, items whose checkboxes aren’t selected aren’t included in search results.

• You may have excluded certain folders or disks from Spotlight searches. To check, choose Apple menu > System Settings, click Siri & Spotlight  in the sidebar, then click Spotlight Privacy. (You may need to scroll down.)

• You may have turned off Location Services for Siri Suggestions. See Turn off Siri Suggestions for Spotlight.

For more information about Spotlight settings, see Change Siri & Spotlight settings.

If this continues after adjusting your Spotlight settings, please provide more details on exactly what displays during different searches so that we can continue to assist.

Cheers!