2020 MacBook Pro 13, did a clean install of Big Sur a month ago, the recent folder in finder is empty, and will not show any recent file, anyone had this issue?
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"Recent" folder empty
- Thread starter TimManzana
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If you open the Recents folder, go to the 3-dot menu and select Show Search Criteria, does it appear as in this screenshot?
Is the Spotlight search working? This relies on Spotlight index. It is possible Spotlight has not started correctly or something is corrupted with index. If the other Smart folders populate, delete this one and make a new one with same functionality. If no smart folders work, time to reset spotlight index.
This is what the settings looks like, now I just switched the search between "this Mac" and "Recent" and now stuff are populating, however not the most recent per say
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Hm... If restart of Finder suggested above (or computer, same thing) does not help, there are few more steps I would do.
1. First one would be to create a new smart folder with same functionality. You just create a new smart folder and select as search option "Content modified" within last N days, where N is number you like. 5, 7, 14, 30... Whatever suits you. And save it. If this one works well, just delete the old smart folder and forget it existed. Something got corrupted in plist creating that folder.
2. If things still do not work right, download Onyx (https://www.titanium-software.fr/en/onyx.html) and reset Spotlight database using this free package. It is simple GUI driven tool and is free. There are other ways (which you can google) which do not require software. But this is simple. Keep in mind reindexing the drive for new spotlight database will take some time, possibly serious time. On my 500GB drive (with lots of e-mails which are all indexed individually) this can take overnight.
3. If this still does not work, you should check also if there is not weird file ".DoNotIndex" or something similar in root folder of your drive. This is Spotlight instruction not to index that disk and for some funny reason at one point I had similar issue and eventually found this file blocking Spotlight on my main drive. Note, that is it hidden (starts with ".") and so you need to find way to see it - easiest may be in terminal or persuade Finder to show you hidden files. YOu need to google that - or Onyx can switch it on, I think... Anyway, if you see it, delete it. Restart and Spotlight should start indexing.
I had the same trouble. By clicking "This Max" and then "Recents", it fixed the problem. I have a M1 iMac. (The kid in my picture is in his 20s now)
I had the same issue on MAC PRO. Experimenting, I just stumbled across this:
In the "Recents" Finder window, Where you see "Search: This Mac Recents Shared" I picked "This Mac" and it was fixed. Then I picked back to "Recents" and it was still fine. I would call this a bug. The search results were always there, just not displayed after an OS update. (I guess). (SEE IMAGE)
rebuilding spotlight fixed this for me:
support.apple.com
Rebuild the Spotlight index on your Mac - Apple Support
If you get unexpected results when searching your Mac, rebuilding the Spotlight index might help.
