Spotlight built-in calculator does not work

Question

After the latest OS X update to 10.10.2, Spotlight built-in calculator stopped working. I tried to disable/enable it in settings and reboot, but nothing helped.

Am I the only one who is fighting this? Any ideas?

Have you tried this command in terminal? `defaults write com.apple.spotlight CalculationEnabled YES` Source: [Spotlight doesn't solve math equations any more](http://superuser.com/questions/8516/spotlight-doesnt-solve-math-operations-any-more) — , Jan 31 '15 at 21:16

score 19 · Accepted Answer · edited Feb 10 '15 at 01:28

19

I was having the same problem as you do and I notice that the problem was that I have conversion disabled on System Preferentes

So I went to System Preferences > Spotlight, enabled it and it solved my problem.

edited Feb 10 '15 at 01:28

VL-80

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answered Feb 10 '15 at 01:24

portella

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oh, apple, apple. this solves my problem. why then there is Calculator checkbox? xD – nvartolomei Feb 11 '15 at 08:25
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mine already had 'Conversion' selected. but I deselected and reselected it, and then it started working again. thanks – callum Aug 10 '17 at 12:37
This also works for High Sierra. – 7heViking Jun 14 '18 at 08:50

smr · Answer 2 · 2020-04-29T03:45:33.900

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I have done the way suggested by @portella 5 years ago, but it does not solve my problem. I am using macOS Catalina (ver 10.15.14), and so it is newer than that where the suggestion worked. I guess that the issue in Catalina comes from a different cause.

After trial and error, which is just checking-in and checking-out boxes in preferences of Spotlight, I found that at least for my case, enabling "Applications" works, somehow. I guess that because in this version, calculator is recognized as one of applications, using calculator in spotlight requires permission of using applications.

In short, for macOS Catalina, enabling System Preferences -> Spotlight -> Applications may solve the issue.

edited Apr 29 '20 at 03:45

answered Apr 19 '20 at 05:31

smr

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Where does one do this? – music2myear Apr 19 '20 at 05:57
Welcome to Super User! While this may answer the question, it would be a better answer if you could provide some explanation **why** it does so. – DavidPostill Apr 19 '20 at 06:42
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Same. Enabling Applications in System Preferences -> Spotlight -> Applications solved the issue! – Ilya Karnaukhov Apr 28 '20 at 15:10
Sorry! I neglected the clarity of the explanation. I have added some description. Also I used phrase of @IlyaKarnaukhov. Since this and his post are essentially same, should both be merged? – smr Apr 29 '20 at 04:44
In 10.15.4 you also have to explicitly allow Calculator and Conversions – davemac May 19 '20 at 00:21
wow, thanks, solved by checking "Applications", after many months of not working at all. – Keeper Hood Nov 20 '20 at 10:12

score 0 · Answer 3 · answered Apr 28 '20 at 15:11

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Enabling Applications in System Preferences -> Spotlight -> Applications solved the issue for me.

answered Apr 28 '20 at 15:11

Ilya Karnaukhov

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Spotlight built-in calculator does not work

3 Answers3