Spotlight can't find Google Chrome app
Why does Spotlight want to search Google for Chrome
rather than launch the app Chrome?
For some reason, searching for Chrome in Spotlight yields numerous suggestions (a Google search for "Chrome", the definition of "chrome", the Wikipedia entry for "Google Chrome") but none of them is the Chrome app on my computer—why doesn't the app show up?
GIF:
Image:
Deleting Spotlight's index of your files and reinitializing it should allow it to find your apps in the Applications folder.
1. Turn off spotlight:
sudo mdutil -a -i off
2. Unload its metadata plist:
sudo launchctl unload -w /System/Library/LaunchDaemons/com.apple.metadata.mds.plist
3. Load its metadata plist:
sudo launchctl load -w /System/Library/LaunchDaemons/com.apple.metadata.mds.plist
4. Turn on Spotlight again:
sudo mdutil -a -i on
Make sure the "Applications" option is selected in System Preferences >> Spotlight >> Search Results:
If Google Chrome is installed (and in the Applications folder) pressing Command⌘+Spacebar and typing "chrome" will make Spotlight display the application as the top hit: