Cataloging drives and folders
A whole-Mac index is not always what you want; Catalog makes scope an explicit choice.
Catalog lets you choose drives and folders instead of accepting an all-or-nothing search. In Settings, Search this Mac can be turned off, leaving ⌥Space to search the catalogs you selected. That is useful for a work archive, a removable library, or a privacy boundary where unrelated local folders should not be indexed.
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.
No. With Search this Mac off, the core boot-drive index and watcher do not start.
Yes. Re-enable Search this Mac or add and forget catalog entries from Catalog.
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