Cataloging drives and folders
Search quality is partly about choosing what should be in the index at all.
The default includes the Mac and chosen drives. A narrower design turns off Search this Mac and adds only the folders or removable sources relevant to a workflow. This can reduce noise, protect unrelated local paths, and make an archive inventory easier to reason about. Revisit the boundary as projects and devices change.
Open Catalog… from Everywhere’s menu bar item and add the drive or folder that matters. Let the first catalogue finish, then search by filename and browse the recorded folder tree. When the source is disconnected, the catalogue remains available and results are labelled offline so you know why opening the file requires reconnecting the drive.
Keep the original drive unchanged, use a clear catalogue name, and rescan after a large round of changes. Catalogues are for the places you choose; they do not silently turn a whole-Mac search into a second scan.
It can reduce scope, but the main benefit is predictable coverage and privacy rather than a guaranteed speed number.
Yes. Catalogs are managed separately from the core Mac setting.
Everywhere keeps track of every file on your Mac — including the folders Spotlight hides and drives you have unplugged. Free for a day, then $19 once.
Version 2.20.2 · macOS 13+ · 4.7 MB · notarised