How to exclude folders and locations from Spotlight Search

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There are scenarios in which we want some folders, files, contacts or other information not to appear in the results when we search for something on macOS cu Spotlight Search. In this tutorial you will learn how to exclude folders and locations from Spotlight Search.

Spotlight Search can also be called Mac's search engine. By simply pressing the keys Cmd + Space we can start looking for absolutely everything that interests us. Cu Spotlight Search we perform from searches online and up to files, contacts, texts inside documents, contacts, messages, email messages and many others.

There are scenarios in which, for privacy reasons, you do not want some results to be displayed in the search results. For example, information from messages, mail, contacts or notes should not appear when you search for something with Spotlight Search.

Another reason why you might want to exclude data from searches Spotlight it's about performance Mac. When we move a lot of data to the hard drive or store a large number of files, the CPU will be quite requested by the process mds_stores which deals with the indexing of data in Spotlight. A tutorial about "mds_stores high CPU usage” find on StealthSettings. Com.

How to exclude folders and locations from Spotlight Search
Spotlight Search macOS Ventura

How to exclude folders and locations from Spotlight Search on macOS

To excluded from the results of searches performed with Spotlight Search : files, contacts, messages, emails, documents, images and other data, you have to follow a few simple steps from the tutorial below.

1. You open System Settings on macOS, then in the bar on the left go to Siri & Spotlight. Starting with macOS Ventura, Apple changed System Preferences cu System Settings. A new interface where the operating system settings are accessible.

Siri & Spotlight in System Settings
Siri & Spotlight in System Settings

At the bottom, under "Search Results" we have checked a lot of data from which the searches performed with Spotlight it shows us results. From applications, bookmarks & history (Safari) and up to PDF documents, images and other system settings.

If here we uncheck for example "Contacts”, when we perform a search with Spotlight contacts from the address book will no longer be displayed.

2. To exclude from the results the data stored in a folder (or in several), la Siri & Spotlight go to the bottom and click on Spotlight Privacy.

Spotlight Privacy
Spotlight Privacy

3. Next you will see exactly how to exclude folders and locations from Spotlight Search. Click on the plus sign "+" from Privacy and select the location / folder you want to exclude from indexing.

Add Exclude Location in Spotlight
Add Exclude Location in Spotlight

4. Select the folder you want to exclude, then click "Choose".

Folder Excluded
Folder Excluded

I added the "Downloads" folder, but you can add as many folders/locations as you want.

To remove a folder from the list of excluded locations, select it and then click on the minus sign "-". The trial mds_stores will start indexing the data in the folder.

The tutorial was made macOS Ventura, but similarly you can exclude locations from Spotlight and on older versions. macOS Catalina, Big Sur, Monterey.

I am happy to share my experiences in the field of computers, mobile phones and operating systems, to develop web projects and to bring the most useful tutorials and advice. I like to "play" on the iPhone, MacBook Pro, iPad, AirPort Extreme and on operating systems macOS, iOS, Android and Windows.

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