Stop Spotlight showing websites and suggestions you don't want

Why it happens

Spotlight doesn't only search your Mac. With Show Related Content on, it also shows content from Apple partners and the web, like news, store listings and suggested sites. Turning that off, and trimming the result types, keeps Spotlight focused on your own apps and files.

How to fix it

1. Open the Apple menu, choose System Settings and click Spotlight in the sidebar.

2. Turn off Show Related Content. Spotlight stops adding partner and web content to your results.

   Spotlight›Show Related Content

3. On the same page, look through the list of result types and switch off the ones you never want to see. Leave apps and documents on so Spotlight still finds what you use.

4. Press Command-Space and search for something. The results should now stick to your own Mac.

Still not fixed?

1. Don't want your searches sent to Apple at all? Turn off Help Apple Improve Search on the same page.

   Spotlight›Help Apple Improve Search

2. Want to hide a whole folder, like a private project? Click Search Privacy… on the same page and add the folder, so nothing inside it appears in results.

3. Old results still showing? Quit Spotlight with Escape and search again, or restart your Mac so the change settles in.

4. If web results keep appearing with Show Related Content off after a restart, contact Apple Support.