Corespotlightd Using Significant CPU In 11.2.2 (20D80)

App & System Services Core OS macOS Mac

Created Mar ’21

Replies 18

Boosts 4

Views 29k

Participants 33

Hello!

I am wondering if anyone else is experiencing a significant CPU drain from Spotlight (specifically corespotlightd) in macOS 11.2.2.

Since updating to macOS 11.2.2 any time that I access spotlight using Command + Space Bar I immediately experience a system wide lag. Viewing this in Activity Monitor I see a %CPU spike of corespotlightd in the realm of 200-400%. that last for anywhere from 5 to 15 seconds.

I have sent this in through Feedback Assistant, but no other reports seem to have been linked to the radar.

I have attempted a few different fixes as well:

Terminal killall corespotlightd resolves the issue momentarily, but does not fix long term
Restarting computer does nothing to solve
Re-indexing spotlight does not solve
I have also disabled more advanced search functions (Bookmarks and History, Contacts, Events and Reminders, Fonts, Mail & Messages, Music, Siri Suggestions, and Movies are all disabled) - This did not fix the issue.
I have also disabled search for external hard drives which also did not solve the issue.

Open to any other suggestions for fixes, or if anyone else has a similar issue.

Mac mini, 2018 (2020 release), 3.2 GHz 6-Core Intel Core i7, 32 GB 2667 MHz DDR4. External GPU Radeon RX 570 4 GB.

Answered by OneInfiniteLoop in 667743022

[UPDATE]

So after significant troubleshooting including:

Reindex via terminal
PRAM/NVRAM reset
SMC reset
Hardware test
Confirming that the issue occurs in safe boot
Reinstall macOS Big Sur via Recovery Mode

I finally gave up and fixed with the following:

Boot into Recovery Mode
Wipe the SSD via Disk Utility
Reinstall macOS Big Sur through Recovery Mode
Confirm the issue doesn't occur on a clean install (it didn't - issue was fixed)
Restore ONLY apps and documents with Migration Assistant

Issue now resolved.

Boost

asouers OP

Jul ’23

@RHarry is right – this solution from @mrjasonm will delete your files! I am currently cursing and trying to run file recovery.

sam_nead OP

Sep ’23

I am not an expert, but I think that any command that starts "sudo rm -rf" should be treated with extreme respect/caution. That is

"sudo" = superuser do

"rm" = delete

"-r" = recursively (in the directory)

"-f" = without warning

So perhaps google "sudo rm -rf" before typing it in the terminal.

Daniel_145 OP

Mar ’25

I was in the middle of setting up an iCloud on a new Macbook and a new iPhone 16E when the spotlightd process started acting up because of an apparent new MacOS bug regarding Pages - looking for solutions brought me here and... using the solution by @mrjasonm and @sgbett without continuing to another page and reading the additional warnings submitted later by other users had me wipe out my entire computer and all my files. Disk Drill will not recover one single bit.

Please, PLEASE delete this user's post and mark this entire thread as extremely dangerous and misleading. Restrict access to it, anything. And @mrjasonm, @sgbett please, PLEASE delete your posts. You cannot imagine how much was ruined.

Yeah, I know. Usually I got backups, but having been moving stuff around for iCloud and getting derailed by this new bug this was the one time when some of my folders weren't fully backed up. Photographs, recordings of deceased family members and such. Can you believe how much can one forum post ruin in 2025?