How to fix macOS Mail app search not returning results or indexing slowly

Summary

This guide helps you troubleshoot and resolve: How to fix macOS Mail app search not returning results or indexing slowly. Follow the steps below to fix the issue.

Common Causes

If you find that searching for emails in the macOS Mail app is returning no results, missing recent messages, or behaving sluggishly, it is likely that the Spotlight index for your mail database has become corrupted. Rebuilding the index forces macOS to re-analyse your messages, ensuring that the search function works accurately across all your accounts.

Quick Fix Steps

Before performing a full index rebuild, try these basic troubleshooting steps to see if the issue resolves itself:

• Restart Mail: Completely quit the app (Cmd + Q) and relaunch it.
• Check Connection: Ensure your Mac is connected to the internet and that your accounts are not showing a "Connection Account" warning at the bottom of the sidebar.
• Update macOS: Go to System Settings > General > Software Update to ensure you are running the latest version of macOS.

Detailed Instructions: Rebuilding the Mail Index

The most effective way to fix search issues is to use the built-in "Rebuild" feature within the Mail app. This process can take anywhere from a few minutes to several hours depending on the size of your mailbox.

Step 1: Rebuild the Mailbox

1. Open the Mail app.
2. In the left-hand sidebar, select the mailbox you are having trouble with (e.g., All Inbox or a specific account folder).
3. Click on the Mailbox menu in the top menu bar.
4. Select Rebuild from the dropdown menu.

Step 2: Force a Spotlight Re-index (If Rebuild Fails)

If the internal Mail rebuild does not work, you may need to force macOS Spotlight to re-index the entire Mail folder via System Settings.

1. Click the Apple Menu and select System Settings.
2. Navigate to Siri & Spotlight.
3. Scroll down to the bottom and click the Spotlight Privacy... button.
4. Click the (+) button and navigate to the following path: ~/Library/Mail (You may need to hold the Option key in the Finder window to see the Library folder).
5. Click Choose to add the Mail folder to the privacy list. This tells macOS to stop indexing this folder.
6. Wait 30 seconds, then select the ~/Library/Mail entry in the list and click the (–) button to remove it.

By adding and then removing the folder, you force macOS to start a fresh index of all your emails from scratch.

Troubleshooting and Performance

Monitoring Indexing Progress

To see if your Mac is still indexing your emails:

• Click the Spotlight icon (magnifying glass) in the top right of your screen.
• Type a common word found in your emails.
• If indexing is still in progress, you will see a progress bar indicating "Indexing..." beneath the search results.

What to do if search is still broken

If you have rebuilt the index and forced a Spotlight refresh but search results are still missing, there may be a deeper issue with your account synchronisation or local database files. In this instance, please Open a Ticket so our technical team can analyse your mail logs.

Still Having Issues?