disable-spotlight.md

Disable:

sudo launchctl unload -w /System/Library/LaunchDaemons/com.apple.metadata.mds.plist

Enable:

sudo launchctl load -w /System/Library/LaunchDaemons/com.apple.metadata.mds.plist

spotlight-off.md

Commands

Disable the index:

mdutil -i off /

Enable the index:

mdutil -i on /

Erase the current Spotlight index:

mdutil -E /

Help

Usage: mdutil -pEsa -i (on|off) -d volume ...
	Utility to manage Spotlight indexes.
	-p             Publish metadata.
	-i (on|off)    Turn indexing on or off.
	-d             Disable Spotlight activity for volume (re-enable using -i on).
	-E             Erase and rebuild index.
	-s             Print indexing status.
	-a             Apply command to all volumes.
	-V vol         Apply command to all stores on the specified volume.
	-v             Display verbose information.
NOTE: Run as owner for network homes, otherwise run as root.

Sources:

• http://developer.apple.com/library/mac/#documentation/Darwin/Reference/ManPages/man1/mdutil.1.html
• http://www.mikesel.info/disable-spotlight/
• http://osxdaily.com/2007/03/22/how-to-completely-disable-spotlight/

Special files:

There is a thorough recent non-ai article here: https://eclecticlight.co/2024/07/09/excluding-folders-and-files-from-time-machine-spotlight-and-icloud-drive/

Special Files still working in Sequoia

• Ending an file or folder in .noindex will disable indexing of the folder. Example mkdir private-folder.noindex. In former times it was .no_index, so beware the change. Similar is .nosync for keeping files out of sync with icloud.

Special Files working until ventura

• On the root / directory of a internal or external Volume .metadata-never-index will turn of indexing for the whole drive. Use the terminal to sudo touch \.metadata-never-index for the root drive. Or use \Volumes\NAMEOFVOLUME\.metadata-never-index for another drive.
• On the root / directory of a (competing) boot drive with a version of OS X you can intelligently disable indexing by using .metadata_never_index_unless_rootfs to prevent the data from the drive to appear unless it is the boot drive. Use the terminal to sudo touch \.metadata_never_index_unless_rootfs. Or use \Volumes\NAMEOFVOLUME\.metadata_never_index_unless_rootfs for another drive.

I found this post because I'm having major problems with Spotlight on a brand-new Mac with 4 external drives.

This comment above was helpful:
On the root / directory of a internal or external Volume .metadata-never-index will turn of indexing for the whole drive.

In fact, Terminal has indicated the presence of that file on two of my drives:

/Volumes/HD2 - Projects/.metadata_never_index_unless_rootfs
/Volumes/HD3 - Samples/.metadata_never_index_unless_rootfs

The question is how does one reverse this?! The comment above specifies that .metadata-never-index will turn OFF indexing for the whole drive. But how does one turn BACK ON indexing for the whole drive?

So assuming your drives are external and you have the rights to modify them from the root fs, it would be
rm "/Volumes/HD2 - Projects/.metadata_never_index_unless_rootfs" and
rm "/Volumes/HD3 - Samples/.metadata_never_index_unless_rootfs" in the terminal

Fantastic. Thanks!

…

On Feb 4, 2021, at 10:08 am, Sebastian Mondial ***@***.***> wrote: @kappuchino commented on this gist. So assuming your drives are external and you have the rights to modify them from the root fs, it would be rm "/Volumes/HD2 - Projects/.metadata_never_index_unless_rootfs" and rm "/Volumes/HD3 - Samples/.metadata_never_index_unless_rootfs" in the terminal — You are receiving this because you commented. Reply to this email directly, view it on GitHub <https://gist.github.com/af18a2fb17ecc4af14a991a44e45edb4#gistcomment-3620216>, or unsubscribe <https://github.com/notifications/unsubscribe-auth/AAMKWGH27S46QJKTVDGRQILS5LPDLANCNFSM4XDIAIGA>.

The sentinel files .metadata_never_index_unless_rootfs and .metadata_never_index_unless_rootfs are no longer obeyed by macOS Sequoia. Preventing Spotlight indexing can only be done through System Preferences.

Evidence: Try creating those sentinel files in the root of an external volume and run mdutil -s «path-to-external-volume-root» on it.

The sentinel files .metadata_never_index_unless_rootfs and .metadata_never_index_unless_rootfs are no longer obeyed by macOS Sequoia. Preventing Spotlight indexing can only be done through System Preferences.

Evidence: Try creating those sentinel files in the root of an external volume and run mdutil -s «path-to-external-volume-root» on it.

Thank you, I updated the gist.