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Apple Explains Why Spotlight Indexing Can Take Days After an Update

macOS 27 Search or AskFor anyone who's experienced the lengthy post-update indexing process when trialing the beta version of iOS 27, macOS 27 Golden Gate, iPadOS 27, or visionOS 27: Apple has published a Spotlight support document that explains what's going on.

Apple says indexing can take hours or even days depending on how much data you have stored. It completes more quickly when your device is not in use, and when it is connected to power and the internet. Apple also confirms that the index is stored locally, remains private, and is not shared with Apple or any of your other devices.

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Top Rated Comments

3 weeks ago
>faster while connected to the Internet
>stored locally

Hm
Score: 55 Votes (Like | Disagree)
3 weeks ago
It doesn't explain anything of the kind. It just says "it might take hours or even days". Doesn't say why.
Score: 46 Votes (Like | Disagree)
podycust Avatar
3 weeks ago
If everything is stored locally why does indexing need an internet connection?
Score: 42 Votes (Like | Disagree)
smithrh Avatar
3 weeks ago
Photos suffers from this multi-day indexing as well.

As far as I can tell, Apple is just trying so so so so hard to not impact users or CPU that they take forever to run through their indexing (again, not just Spotlight but some other apps as well).

I want it done right away. Go for it. And tell me the percentage complete, please.
Score: 20 Votes (Like | Disagree)
3 weeks ago

If everything is stored locally why does indexing need an internet connection?

>faster while connected to the Internet
>stored locally

Hm
It says why in the support article. So that emails (and other cloud content) can be downloaded from the server to be indexed locally.
Score: 18 Votes (Like | Disagree)
3 weeks ago

The ignorance on MR knows no bounds.
It’s honestly a bit unhinged at this point. If you open the comments on literally any article here it’s just 90% people complaining. I swear it used to be a bit more balanced. I appreciate the parts of this forum where people help each other with buying advice or troubleshooting, but some this is honestly becoming pretty toxic at this point.
Score: 12 Votes (Like | Disagree)