Spotlight is indexing forever on your Mac

Why it happens

After a macOS update, a migration or a new drive, Spotlight reads through every file to build a fresh index, its catalogue for fast searches. On a big, full drive that takes a long time, and it pauses whenever the Mac sleeps. If the index gets damaged along the way, indexing can restart over and over and never finish.

How to fix it

1. Plug your Mac into power and let it stay awake for a few hours, or overnight. Indexing carries on in the background while you work.

2. To see whether it is moving, press Command-Space and search for something. While indexing runs, Spotlight may say so and miss some results. Check again later and you should find more of your files.

3. If it's still stuck after a day or two, open System Settings > Spotlight and click Search Privacy….

   Spotlight›Search Privacy…

4. Click the + button and choose your startup disk, normally Macintosh HD. If you don't see it, press Shift-Command-C in that window. Click Choose, and confirm if asked.

5. Wait about ten seconds, select Macintosh HD in the list and click the − button, then Done. Spotlight throws away the old index and starts a clean one. Leave the Mac plugged in and awake again while it builds.

Still not fixed?

1. Folders packed with tiny files, such as code projects or caches, can keep Spotlight busy for ages. If you never need to search them, add those folders to Search Privacy and leave them there.

   Spotlight›Search Privacy…

2. Restart your Mac, then leave it plugged in overnight. A restart clears an indexing process that has got stuck.

3. Check the disk with First Aid in Disk Utility. Errors on the drive can stop the index ever finishing.

   Disk Utility›First Aid

4. If indexing still never finishes after a rebuild, a night plugged in and a clean First Aid check, contact Apple Support. They can look for a deeper problem with the system or the drive.