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How to Fix mds_stores Process Consuming High CPU Usage [100% Working] – Step By Step Guide

Even a quality personal computer like Mac is prone to errors that are quite hard to fix. Some of those issues and errors are related to the software, while others start causing trouble to your hardware as well. One of those messy errors is mds_stores and high CPU consumptions issue. If you are here, you are probably facing it, and today you about to get this mds_stores Process Consuming High CPU Usage problem 100% fixed. We are going to share with you the straightforward and easy workable methods and also describe what is mds_stores? And How to fix mds_stores high CPU usage?

Do you know?

Your systems severely slow down because of the mds_store, which is consuming 90% to 100% of your CPU. Can you believe it? That’s why your Macbook is processing very poorly. I know this is quite very irritating.

Before you learn how to fix this issue, you ought to know about mds_stores first. This is because unless you don’t know what this thing is, you wouldn’t understand the consequences of eliminating this operation from your Mac.

Table of Contents

What is mds_stores in Mac?

So that you know, you should know about what mds_stores are. As far as that’s concerned, the term stands for MetaData Server, and it is connected to Apple’s Spotlight. As you all know, the function of Spotlight across Mac and iPhone devices is to create the index for all the files which are present on your Mac or iPhone system.

When indexing is happening with the help of Spotlight and mds_stores, you can spot it in the upper right corner of the menu. You should check if there is a dot in the center of the ‘magnifying glass’ icon. If there is, then you should know that the indexing is happening at the moment.

Just have a look at how mds_stores are consuming high usage

To check how much time this will take to complete the indexing, just click on the Spotlight icon. In this way, you can know the current indexing status and the time remaining for its completion. When this process is happening, it could use 100% of your Mac’s processor.

As far as this blog post is concerned, this process could make your Mac OS slow. It can be so annoying when it takes the CPU consumption to a high point, like 100%. This will heat your Mac PC, and you wouldn’t be able to do other jobs.

What is the reason for mds_stores to consume high CPU usage?

Mds_stores consumes high CPU usage because the data indexing process is going on in the background of the system. While you add or remove any data on the hard drive, the indexing process starts that consume high CPU usage. So, it is evident that the main reason behind mds_stores consuming high CPU usage is the change in the data. 

How to fix mds_stores from consuming high CPU usage on Mac

When mds_stores consume high CPU usage on the system, the Mac starts working slow. The system shows some errors like hanging of programs, responding too late for any command, and in many cases, the MacBook also heats up. Some simple techniques can be used to fix mds_stores from consuming high CPU usage on Mac system, and the methods are: 

  • Restarting the MacBook
  • Prevent Spotlight from Searching Some Locations/Folders
  • Removing Directories from the Spotlight
  • Disabling the Spotlight

Step-by-Step Guide to fix mds_stores Process Consuming High CPU Usage

Before you try any of these methods, make sure that you confirm that it is this process that is causing the high CPU usage. Also, instead of trying more complex things, you should commence the treatment by restarting your Macbook for once. There is a good chance you can solve the problem just by doing this simple thing.

However, if that doesn’t solve the issue, then we have got a couple of solutions for you guys. Both of these methods have reached a 100% potential to put an end to the problem. Also, we have put them in an order in which they work the most. So without any further delay, let us move on towards our guide.

Methods No.1:  Restarting the MacBook

Mac system gets slow down due to mds_stores consuming high CPU usage. Whenever something goes wrong with any of your devices, you should try restarting them instead of going at once for more sophisticated methods of solving it. Well, to solve this, again, we would recommend that you simply restart your MacBook system. However, before restarting, make sure that it is mds_stores process consuming high CPU usage.

You can check through Activity monitor that mds_stores are consuming high CPU usage, if yes! Then restart the system and check again through activity monitor about the issue resolved or not. Most of the time, restarting the Mac system works, and it starts running normally. 

To confirm that, follow the steps given below and check for the running processes and how much CPU usage they are consuming:

  • Go to the Applications
  • There, open Utilities
  • Now, open Activity Monitor App
  • Evaluate how much CPU it is consuming
  • If most of the CPU is being consumed, now Restart

Doing this one simple thing can save you the trouble of going through the most complex solution. If this solution helped, do let us know.

Methods No. 2: Prevent Spotlight from Searching Some Locations/Folders

The mds_stores process consuming most of your CPU can also be fixed if you simply prevent it from searching folders and locations on your MacBook system. If you don’t how to do that, follow the steps mentioned below and you shall learn that with ease:

  • Go to Desktop > System Preferences
  • Now search Spotlight > Privacy
  • Add folders and locations in the privacy tab

You should add several folders that aren’t utilized usually. Those would include the following folders:

  • MobileSync
  • CrashPlan
  • Dropbox
  • CrashReporter
  • Viber PC

Depending on what you use and not, add folders to this tab. Now, since Spotlight won’t be searching for them, it would operate less, and thus it will unburden your CPU usage. By using any of these four methods, you can make sure that the problem doesn’t bother you anymore.

Method No. 3: Removing Directories from the Spotlight

Since we know that it is Apple’s Spotlight Indexing, which is causing this problem in the first place, why not try removing some directories from it? There could go by many unnecessary directories which you might not need. Removing these files from your Mac’s Spotlight Indexing Directory can make the CPU usage to the dropdown.

Removing Directories from the spotlight will help solve the issue of mds_stores

However, this thing along might not work for most of you people. You will also need to get rid of the Spotlight Database as well. Also, don’t forget forcing the database to re-index because you do need this feature of your Mac. The question is, where do these directories and databases exist?

Well, to help you with that, we have mentioned a list of steps which will point you exactly to their spot

STEP BY STEP GUIDE 

1st Step – Access the Applications

Open the Applications or Utility section your Mac Computer and find ‘Terminal.’

2nd Step – Use of Terminal to delete the spotlight database

In the ‘Terminal’ section, you will need to enter the following command: sudo rm -rf /.Spotlight-V100/*

This is done for deleting the database, which will be done in a moment.

3rd Step – Restart the Macbook

Now, you will need to restart the system and let the database re-index

  • Depending on factors like speed and load, this will take some time
  • For removing the directories, you will need to enter the ‘System Preferences’
  • In the privacy section, drop those directories which you don’t want to be indexed
  • You will need to restart your Macbook once again to complete the procedure

After the restart, the CPU usage of your Mac should return to normal. So was the easiest and 100% working method to fix the mds_stores process consuming high CPU in Mac. If you are one of those people for whom this method didn’t work, you need to read this guide ahead.

Method No. 4: Disabling the Spotlight

How to disable spotlight programs on Mac?

If you don’t know to disable spotlight program on Mac then here are the following steps you need to follow for disabling spotlight program:

  • Start your MacBook system.
  • Open finder from the desktop.
  • Move to the applications folder
  • Navigate utility option and click on the list of apps under utility option 
  • Click “terminal App” to open it
  • Now type the command in terminal “sudo mdutil –a –ioff” and press enter.
  • The system will ask for your admin password, write it down. 
  • Again press enter to complete the command 
  • Now the spotlight is completely disabled on your Mac system.

Why should I disable the spotlight on Mac? 

Mds_stores are working in the background processes connected with the spotlight program. The program sometimes creates problems in the performance of the MacBook System. When you disable the spotlight program, all background processes also disabled, and the system doesn’t get slow. 

1. Stop/ Re-start Spotlight program 

This step is far different from disabling the spotlight program. As in this process, you can stop the spotlight program without making it disable. Follow the steps to stop spotlight on Mac:

  1. Open finder in the desktop and select Applications section 
  2. Under utilities, option open the terminal app
  3. Type the command in Terminal as sudo launchctl unload -w /System/Library/LaunchDaemons/com.apple.metadata.mds.plist” and press Enter. 
  4. Give your admin password and enter. 
  5. Restart your system. 

For the time being, this step is worth stopping the spotlight program as it will stop all background processes that are consuming high CPU usage. It will affect the working of the system. 

2. Prevent Spotlight from searching folders

To fix mds_stores consuming high CPU issue, you can either disable or stop the spotlight program. Now in this step, we will guide you on how to prevent the spotlight from searching folders. Three main steps need to be followed to avoid the spotlight from searching the folders of your system. 

Step 1: Deleting Spotlight on Mac system 

  • Open Finder and click on the applications 
  • Select utilities in the list of applications and click on Terminal App.
  • Type the command to delete i.e., “sudo rm -rf /.Spotlight-V100/*”, press Enter key
  • Enter your admin password 
  • All spotlight database is deleted from your Mac system successfully

Step 2: Re-Indexing of Spotlight Database

After the spotlight database completely removed from the system, make sure to restart your MacBook, so it re-indexing the data and contents in the hard drive on your Mac system. Re-indexing takes a lot of time. 

Step 3: Prevent Spotlight from Searching folders 

By preventing spotlight from searching folders and locations, you have to follow the steps: 

  • Select system preferences from Desktop Menu 
  • Find spotlight and click on the privacy option 
  • Now drag and drop the items that you want the spotlight to prevent from 
  • The folders that are added to the privacy section are prevented from searching through spotlight 
  • After completing the process, the consumption level of CPU is back to normal position

If the CPU usage of your Mac doesn’t return to normal after doing all of that, it is time that you get rid of the Apple Spotlight. Well, this feature might be necessary but never as significant as other jobs you need to do on your Mac computer. We are now going to teach you how to disable the Spotlight for fixing this problem of mds_stores process consuming high CPU once and for all.

Disable the Spotlight Using Terminal – Step by Step Guide

To fix the problem by disabling the spotlight, you will need to follow the steps given below

  • For this, you will again need to open the terminal of your Mac
  • The ‘Terminal’ can be found in the Applications or Utility section
  • In the terminal, type or copy-paste this command: sudo mdutil -a -i off
  • You will now need to restart the Mac PC, and your database would be disabled
  • To turn it back on in case of an emergency, this command in the terminal: sudo mdutil -a -i off
  • Doing this again will enable the Spotlight, and you can start using it again

Tips & tricks 

  • You must have administrative rights to disable/enable spotlight program 
  • Make sure to use the commands defined in every step
  • Losing any step can cause a serious issue to your system

FAQs related to mds_stores

Even though we think that the above guide was clear enough, some users might still be confused. We have tried to answer some FAQs related to this problem in the simplest way possible.

  • How long does mds_stores and Spotlight take to complete indexing?

There is not a fixed answer to this question. It is usually between 15 and 45 minutes, and we are careful about this. The time it may take to complete the indexing depends on various factors. Some of those variables are bulleted below:

  • The size of the directories
  • The size of your hard disk
  • The speed of your Mac PC
  • The last indexing date
  • Is mds_stores process related to mdworker?

Mdworker is an indexing engine, and since it is related to the Spotlight, it automatically means that both mds_stores and mdworker are related as well. 

  • Can we disable Spotlight and its indexing?

Yes, we can disable Spotlight and its indexing. However, the need for this may only arise when the mds_stores process is consuming too much your CPU usage.

  • Why would mds_stores Spotlight increase the CPU usage of a Mac PC?

Well, there are several reasons due to which the Spotlight can increase CPU consumption. We have listed some of the apparent reasons below:

  1. An app or multiple changing the folder content of the Spotlight
  2. The size of the file that needs to be indexed could be too big
  3. The Spotlight Database size getting too big might cause the issue as well
  • What is a spotlight program?

All data and documents are indexes on spotlight programs in Mac, so at the time of needs, one can easily find them quickly in the spotlight search bar on the desktop. The program of the spotlight can also be used by “command+ Space Bar” by using the Mac keyboard. This program is a time saver as one can easily search for any document and data through it on the hard drive. 

  • What is the relation of indexing and spotlight in Mac?

The indexing process in Mac is conducted in the background through mds_stores, and the spotlight begins to index all the content on the system. So, the time of need one can easily search in the spotlight search bar available on the desktop for convenience. 

  • How much time indexing data take on Mac? 

Indexing the data is not a simple process as it requires 15-45 minutes and sometimes takes more depends upon the size of content and data on your hard drive. Once the indexing is completed on Mac, you can use a spotlight program to spot it anytime, anywhere, by just searching the required file. The Mac provides automatic indexing, either you remove or add any data into your Mac computer. 

Conclusion

So these were the two best methods using which you can 100% fix mds_stores process consuming high CPU usage in Mac. If you have any other query related to the problem, you can ask us in the comments section. Keep visiting our site for more interesting Mac problems and their solutions.

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