# How to Exclude Specific Folders and  Files from Mac Spotlight Search

**URL:** https://www.compsmag.com/blogs/how-to-exclude-specific-folders-and-files-from-mac-spotlight-search/
**Author:** Ayushi Chauhan
**Published:** 2022-04-13
**Updated:** 2022-04-13
**Categories:** Blogs
**Tags:** Apple Guides, Blogs Daily, guiderobert, Guides and Tutorials, guiding12, How To Guide, How To Guides, macbook guides, Tips, Tricks
**Reading Time:** 2 min

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This tip is about the how to Exclude Specific Folders and  Files from Mac Spotlight Search. So read this free guide, How to Exclude Specific Folders and  Files from Mac Spotlight Search step by step. If you have query related to same article you may contact us.

## How to Exclude Specific Folders and  Files from Mac Spotlight Search - Guide

spotlight is amazing feature from Mac OS X that lets you find literally anything on a Mac by search, including files, applications, folders, email, you name it, and Spotlight will find it, but sometimes you can't find everything.  I don't want to be indexed.  Whether it's an external backup drive, a scratch disk, a temporary items directory, or a private folder containing only the files you don't want to be found easily via the search function, you'll find Drive, Files and Excluding directories really are. very easy.

But what if you want to exclude certain folders from search results if you want to keep their content private?  Well, there is a way to exclude certain locations from Spotlight search.  In this step by step guide we will show you how to add folders and files to the exclusion list so that whenever you search for something on your Mac using the Spotlight tool, those locations are excluded.

## How to    Remove specific drives, folders, and files from Spotlight search results on macOS

It's quick and easy to exclude folders and files that you don't want to appear in your Spotlight search index.  If you change your mind, you can always add it back.  This method works on MacBook Air, MacBook Pro and iMac with the latest version of macOS installed.  Follow the steps below.

In the upper left corner of your Mac, click the Apple icon.

Select System Preferences.

Search for Spotlight and click to open it.

Navigate to the Privacy tab.

At the bottom, click the plus sign button.

Now, look for the folder or file you want to delete.

Highlight the folder and click Choose.

Do the same process until you list all the folders you want to delete.

## Final note

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