Spotlight crashes on Mac OS Tahoe

markfromroermond wrote:

<Etrecheck Pro output.log>

<CleanMyMac_5> here is your malware

[Running] CleanMyMac_5_HealthMonitor (MacPaw Way Ltd - installed 2025-09-20)

Modern Login Item

/Applications/CleanMyMac_5.app/Contents/Library/LoginItems/CleanMyMac_5_HealthMonitor.app

[Running] CleanMyMac_5_Menu (MacPaw Way Ltd - installed 2025-09-20)

Modern Login Item

/Applications/CleanMyMac_5.app/Contents/Library/LoginItems/CleanMyMac_5_Menu.app

Uninstall all third party apps that are Cleaners/Optimizers/VPN/Anti-Virus

all known to cause issues on the macOS

<Runtime: 4:07> it is slowing your machine as well, you expect run times to be less then 3:00 minutes.

Normal responses to weird problems like this are two first restart, and if that doesn’t work, restart into safe mode and then restart normally.

i’m not sure this would help, but you could try rebuilding the spotlight index.

Rebuild the Spotlight index on your Mac - Apple Support

Safe Mode disables 3rd party extensions, seems that it could be a conflict with one of those. You can try to systematically disable them in System Settings > General > Login Items & Extensions. If there are Spotlight-specific extensions, definitely start with those.

markfromroermond wrote:

In Safe Mode all appears to be well, could not replicate the problem. It was however back immediately after rebooting to regular mode.

That indicates you have some third-party system modification interfering with Spotlight. I have no idea what that might be. EtreCheck can show you what you have installed.

Besides "BrickMyMac," you are running third-party anti-virus software.

If you are forced by a brain-dead IT department to run software which provides no benefit but does interfere with the normal workings of the OS and other software, you should contact them for a solution. If you are doing it to yourself, don't. Little Snitch is another item that can cause irregular behavior, but I don't think it has anything to do with your problem. Other than that, I didn't see anything that jumps out at me as to having some interaction with Spotlight.

Applications can provide "importers" to tell Spotlight what to index and how. It could be you have some software installed that has an importer that is causing the crash. I don't know how to troubleshoot that.

Does the same problem occur in Safe Mode?

I didn't suggest EtreCheck would tell you what is interfering with Spotlight, or even to search the report for instances of "Spotlight." I suggested its use to see what system modifications you have installed. You will have to determine what might be causing the interference. Or, you could post the entire report and we can also play the guessing game. Someone here might recognize something that could affect Spotlight.

You will need to use the Share Report > Copy Report button and paste it into the Additional Text area (document icon in the Reply toolbar, here).