Can no longer open OneDrive/Dropbox/etc files and folders from Spotlight 🤔 [MERGED]

[mbender71]

Ok, I have to say this whole OneDrive debacle is messy. Since my post, I found a version of my OneDrive directory in my home directory with '(archive)' appended to it. I believe this is where OneDrive initially held the downloaded files, as they are now under your personal Library folder (~username/Library/CloudStrorage/OneDrive-Personal). I'm pretty sure this extra directory (the archive version) is due to me being a long-time OneDrive user, and the OneDrive reset (from the link I posted previously) decided to leave it alone. Having two copies of my OneDrive files (one under the home directory w/archive and one under Library/CloudStorage/OneDrive-Personal), Spotlight showed two entries. It was time to clean up. So here is what works for me *after* you do the OneDrive reset:

1) Remove any OneDrive (archive) directory from your /home/username/
2) Add /home/username/Library or /home/username/Library/CloudStorage to the Spotlight Privacy exclusion under System Settings->Siri & Spotlight->Spotlight Privacy (at the bottom of the window). This will force Spotlight to index the soft link version of OneDrive in your home directory and ignore the real/hidden copy under your personal Library directory.

Let me know how it goes!

ps> I never use OneDrive's File-On-Demand feature so this applies to using OneDrive's Download all files.

 

[usagora]

Hey everyone! I, too, have this same issue, and it's gotten to a point where I started to do some "deep" searching on the web for a solution. I found a super short post on Reddit where someone said to just:

Reset OneDrive - Microsoft Support

Resetting Microsoft OneDrive can sometimes resolve sync issues. Follow the steps to reset your OneDrive.

support.microsoft.com

I had nothing to lose and just performed the reset on one of my Macs running 13.1. It worked! I hope this isn't a short-term fix. Maybe someone else with this issue will give this a shot and report back. Thanks!

Unfortunately, this isn't the solution either. Did that, but am still having the issue.

 

[jed2023]

Ok, I have to say this whole OneDrive debacle is messy. Since my post, I found a version of my OneDrive directory in my home directory with '(archive)' appended to it. I believe this is where OneDrive initially held the downloaded files, as they are now under your personal Library folder (~username/Library/CloudStrorage/OneDrive-Personal). I'm pretty sure this extra directory (the archive version) is due to me being a long-time OneDrive user, and the OneDrive reset (from the link I posted previously) decided to leave it alone. Having two copies of my OneDrive files (one under the home directory w/archive and one under Library/CloudStorage/OneDrive-Personal), Spotlight showed two entries. It was time to clean up. So here is what works for me *after* you do the OneDrive reset:

1) Remove any OneDrive (archive) directory from your /home/username/
2) Add /home/username/Library or /home/username/Library/CloudStorage to the Spotlight Privacy exclusion under System Settings->Siri & Spotlight->Spotlight Privacy (at the bottom of the window). This will force Spotlight to index the soft link version of OneDrive in your home directory and ignore the real/hidden copy under your personal Library directory.

Let me know how it goes!

ps> I never use OneDrive's File-On-Demand feature so this applies to using OneDrive's Download all files.

Many thanks for the detailed instructions - unfortunately not working for me....

 

[jed2023]

How can this be the right way for Apple to sell iCould?!

 

[MetalZone87]

I have been finding this an issue on and off too ever since moving from Windows to Mac last year with Montary and now Ventura. I would try do a spotlight search for an excel for word file stored on my one drive. And as described on previous forum posts. It would show up as a Onedrive cloud icon instead of a proper excel or word icon. The One drive icons can't be opened. But on other instanced. It would show up as a proper Excel or word icon and then it would open. How weird. I went into Settings went to the privacy settings of Spotlight and added One drive into it to not search. Then Took it off again and it can temporarily fix the problem.

What I later discovered is if I just leave One drive as something spotlight cant search. You can actually search for the word and excel files flawlessly. I'll report back how I'm finding this weird solution. But has anyone discovered this?

 

[MetalZone87]

And also to add. Before the recent Ventura update it was a non issue. Old Ventura was fine with searching on spotlight on OneDrive files. Anyone found this too ?

 

[rednectar]

Ok, I have to say this whole OneDrive debacle is messy. Since my post, I found a version of my OneDrive directory in my home directory with '(archive)' appended to it. I believe this is where OneDrive initially held the downloaded files, as they are now under your personal Library folder (~username/Library/CloudStrorage/OneDrive-Personal). I'm pretty sure this extra directory (the archive version) is due to me being a long-time OneDrive user, and the OneDrive reset (from the link I posted previously) decided to leave it alone. Having two copies of my OneDrive files (one under the home directory w/archive and one under Library/CloudStorage/OneDrive-Personal), Spotlight showed two entries. It was time to clean up. So here is what works for me *after* you do the OneDrive reset:

1) Remove any OneDrive (archive) directory from your /home/username/
2) Add /home/username/Library or /home/username/Library/CloudStorage to the Spotlight Privacy exclusion under System Settings->Siri & Spotlight->Spotlight Privacy (at the bottom of the window). This will force Spotlight to index the soft link version of OneDrive in your home directory and ignore the real/hidden copy under your personal Library directory.

Let me know how it goes!

ps> I never use OneDrive's File-On-Demand feature so this applies to using OneDrive's Download all files.

Since you asked "Let me know how it goes!" ...
It didn't work for me - firstly, I didn't find any folders with '(archive)' appended to it, but I tried the remaining steps. I also tried re-indexing all spotlight files.
SUCH A PIA. Hope someone finds a solution. One drive is such a second-rate system compared to Dropbox.

 

[jed2023]

And also to add. Before the recent Ventura update it was a non issue. Old Ventura was fine with searching on spotlight on OneDrive files. Anyone found this too ?

For me this problem happened when upgrading from Big Sur to Ventura --- it was naive of me to think 13.1 would have solved this problem....

 

[jed2023]

So frustrating...however, between Apple and MSFT I not sure who is more to blame... Dropbox has the same problem for me but it is not work critical while OneDrive is, being the part of the "Office" solution that many organisations rely on.

 

[jed2023]

Since you asked "Let me know how it goes!" ...
It didn't work for me - firstly, I didn't find any folders with '(archive)' appended to it, but I tried the remaining steps. I also tried re-indexing all spotlight files.
SUCH A PIA. Hope someone finds a solution. One drive is such a second-rate system compared to Dropbox.

So frustrating...however, between Apple and MSFT I am not sure who is more to blame... Dropbox has the same problem for me but it is not work critical while OneDrive is, being the part of the "Office" solution that many organisations rely on.

 

[Prince_Charm]

Same issue here.
I have set all files to "keep on drive" and rebuild Spotlight index but still not working.
Interestingly it seems to work from finder window search but not from spotlight search. (cmd + space)

 

[Onedrive_nightmares]

My patience with this headache broke today and decided to sit if I could find a fix and I might just have. Sofar at least.

My setup: Latest MacOS and Onedrive version.

Did a 'unlink and re-setup' to start.
Then via Finder I pushed: 'Always Keep in Device' on the Onedrive 'Location' in the sidebar.
Gave it some time to sync then went deep into the folders to find a file which I had never opened.
Via Spotlight I checked if I could find that file - which I could - and then tried to open it which it didn't.

in my frustration I then bashed the enter key a bunch of times, closed spotlight, then re-did the search, and lo-and--behold - the file opened!
Some testing late - apparently there is a separate sync happening in the background. And if you search, try to open, wait 10 seconds, and then re-run the search from a clean spotlight search you can open the file. You can recognise when this works because the icon changes from the finder Icon to the document or a onedrive icon.

Interesting...
And then I found the new addition in the preferences pane (see attachment). And the bottom button solved all my issues so far!
This seems to do something (fill a cache?) and results in all the files populating and working properly. The only issue is that you sometimes still see two results.

 

[TrancyGoose]

Hey All!

I used to be able to type name of a excel file, that was saved in to OneDrive in to Spotlight, and it would simply open.

Now, i hit enter, and nothing happens. Now, I have tried opening just the Excel on itself and it opens just right.

Is there anything I am missing? Spotlight settings and permissions are all enabled. I am attaching a quick video here so you can see what i mean.

 

[FreakinEurekan]

To see if it’s a Spotlight issue or other issue, open the Finder and browse to the file location, and double click on it. Does it open? If yes, it’s a Spotlight issue (check exclusions, maybe reindex Spotlight). If no, it’s something going on between macOS and Excel.

 

[TrancyGoose]

To see if it’s a Spotlight issue or other issue, open the Finder and browse to the file location, and double click on it. Does it open? If yes, it’s a Spotlight issue (check exclusions, maybe reindex Spotlight). If no, it’s something going on between macOS and Excel.

It's funny ... i did open the privacy settings of spotlight, and it says specifically in the setting, prevent spotlight from searching this folder, added it there, and voila, spotlight opened that file, with no issue. I am super confused now!

 

[KB579]

It's funny ... i did open the privacy settings of spotlight, and it says specifically in the setting, prevent spotlight from searching this folder, added it there, and voila, spotlight opened that file, with no issue. I am super confused now!

I've just followed this. Go to the Siri & Spotlight section of settings, at the bottom there is the Spotlight Privacy button, click that and then add the OneDrive folder. Now it works again. I can search for and open my files in OneDrive again.

 

[Shay1920]

I've just followed this. Go to the Siri & Spotlight section of settings, at the bottom there is the Spotlight Privacy button, click that and then add the OneDrive folder. Now it works again. I can search for and open my files in OneDrive again.

Thanks! It's worked for me.

 

[peskeguy]

I've just followed this. Go to the Siri & Spotlight section of settings, at the bottom there is the Spotlight Privacy button, click that and then add the OneDrive folder. Now it works again. I can search for and open my files in OneDrive again.

Sure feels backwards to make spotlight work by telling spotlight not to search the folder you want to search, but hey, I can confirm that this solved this infuriating issue for me too!

 

[usagora]

Sure feels backwards to make spotlight work by telling spotlight not to search the folder you want to search, but hey, I can confirm that this solved this infuriating issue for me too!

Worked for me on my M1 Mac Mini. [EDIT: Now does not work on either Mac . . . Mac Mini was no longer able to search OneDrive folder today until I removed it from the Spotlight Privacy list]. Did not work on my Intel iMac 😕 (iMac's Spotlight did exactly what this setting should do and prevented any search results from OneDrive). And, of course, the iMac is the one I use most 🙄

 

[usagora]

Sure feels backwards to make spotlight work by telling spotlight not to search the folder you want to search, but hey, I can confirm that this solved this infuriating issue for me too!

Is it still working for you? Seemed to work on my Mac Mini, but not my iMac, but today I went to search a OneDrive folder in Finder and got no search results. Had to remove the OneDrive folder from Spotlight Privacy list to get it to work again.

 

[gilby101]

Is it still working for you?

This is driving me nuts! And not just ~/Library/CloudStorage. I have two Macs running macOS 13.2

Mac 1: Spotlight, Finder and HoudahSpot (which uses Spotlight index) all find documents in Dropbox (which is like OneDrive) and iCloud Drive when my search connect is Dropbox or iCloudDrive. All good.

Mac 2: Spotlight, Finder and HoudahSpot all find nothing when my search context is Dropbox or iCloud Drive!!! But do find files in Dropbox and iCloud Drive when my search context is the Mac boot disk. Also modifying a file in Dropbox or iCloud Drive makes it appear when my search context is Dropbox or iCloud Drive!

For now, I will make my search context the whole boot disk. I know this works.

 

[oyqy]

For now I use Raycast specifically to search my files on OneDrive.
Hopefully this will be fixed soon.

 

[dfplog]

I fixed this problem by adding in the privacy list of Spotlight some Onedrive's folders. Like @mbender71 said.

 

[jjwest]

Ok, I have to say this whole OneDrive debacle is messy. Since my post, I found a version of my OneDrive directory in my home directory with '(archive)' appended to it. I believe this is where OneDrive initially held the downloaded files, as they are now under your personal Library folder (~username/Library/CloudStrorage/OneDrive-Personal). I'm pretty sure this extra directory (the archive version) is due to me being a long-time OneDrive user, and the OneDrive reset (from the link I posted previously) decided to leave it alone. Having two copies of my OneDrive files (one under the home directory w/archive and one under Library/CloudStorage/OneDrive-Personal), Spotlight showed two entries. It was time to clean up. So here is what works for me *after* you do the OneDrive reset:

1) Remove any OneDrive (archive) directory from your /home/username/
2) Add /home/username/Library or /home/username/Library/CloudStorage to the Spotlight Privacy exclusion under System Settings->Siri & Spotlight->Spotlight Privacy (at the bottom of the window). This will force Spotlight to index the soft link version of OneDrive in your home directory and ignore the real/hidden copy under your personal Library directory.

Let me know how it goes!

ps> I never use OneDrive's File-On-Demand feature so this applies to using OneDrive's Download all files.

This works for me, at least initially. Fingers crossed that it continues to work! But yes, what a messy debacle, though if this is solved, my only big remaining complaint about OneDrive is the energy use. For now, I leave it running on my mac minis, but on my not-as-much used macbook air, I just have a script that opens onedrive for 10 minutes to re-sync every now and then, to save the battery. That seems to work fine.

Thank you for the spotlight fix!

 

[Prince_Charm]

Ok, I have to say this whole OneDrive debacle is messy. Since my post, I found a version of my OneDrive directory in my home directory with '(archive)' appended to it. I believe this is where OneDrive initially held the downloaded files, as they are now under your personal Library folder (~username/Library/CloudStrorage/OneDrive-Personal). I'm pretty sure this extra directory (the archive version) is due to me being a long-time OneDrive user, and the OneDrive reset (from the link I posted previously) decided to leave it alone. Having two copies of my OneDrive files (one under the home directory w/archive and one under Library/CloudStorage/OneDrive-Personal), Spotlight showed two entries. It was time to clean up. So here is what works for me *after* you do the OneDrive reset:

1) Remove any OneDrive (archive) directory from your /home/username/
2) Add /home/username/Library or /home/username/Library/CloudStorage to the Spotlight Privacy exclusion under System Settings->Siri & Spotlight->Spotlight Privacy (at the bottom of the window). This will force Spotlight to index the soft link version of OneDrive in your home directory and ignore the real/hidden copy under your personal Library directory.

Let me know how it goes!

ps> I never use OneDrive's File-On-Demand feature so this applies to using OneDrive's Download all files.

@mbender71 This worked for me! Thanks mate!
I would never have guessed that excluding a folder would help to find the content.