How to Search Instantly on External Drives on Mac with Fenn
May 28, 2025
Most Mac users have faced this problem: you plug in an external drive and try to search for a file, only to realize that Spotlight ignores it or takes forever to show results. Finder’s search is there, but it feels clunky and slow, and you’re left clicking through folders and filenames, hoping you’ll spot what you need. This experience is frustrating, especially if your workflow depends on large archives, photos, or video files stored outside your main drive.
Why Spotlight Falls Short on External Drives
Spotlight, Apple’s built-in search tool, is powerful for your internal SSD, but it doesn’t always play nice with external hard drives or network folders. Sometimes it refuses to index these locations, or you need to wait for hours while the drive is indexed—if it works at all. In many cases, Spotlight ignores certain file types or skips hidden folders entirely.
Finder doesn’t help much either. Its search is basic and only looks at filenames by default. If you need to search inside documents or want smarter, more visual results, Finder quickly reaches its limits. For more details on the differences between Spotlight and advanced search, see our complete Spotlight search guide for Mac users.
How Fenn Brings True Search to External Drives
Fenn was designed for people who keep their work and archives on more than just the internal drive. With Fenn, you can:
Instantly search any connected external hard drive, SSD, or network folder
Find files by content, not just by filename or extension
See previews and context around your search terms, so you know you’ve found the right file
Include or exclude drives in your search preferences, so you’re always in control
Fenn indexes files directly on the drive when you give it access, so there’s no need to wait for hours or re-index every time you reconnect. This is a real game-changer if you manage media libraries, backups, or client archives outside your main Mac.
If you work with a lot of Office files, you’ll also appreciate how Fenn lets you search inside Word, Excel, and PowerPoint documents on any drive—something Spotlight and Finder simply can’t do.
Who Needs This the Most?
Photographers and videographers with massive libraries on USB or Thunderbolt drives
Business professionals who archive projects on external storage
Anyone who uses shared drives or network folders at home or work
You shouldn’t have to move files to your internal drive just to find them.
How to Get Started with Fenn
Connect your external drive or access your network folder
Open Fenn and add the new location to your indexing preferences
Let Fenn index your files (this happens in the background)
Search for any file, by content or name, and jump straight to what you need
It’s fast, simple, and completely private—Fenn indexes everything locally on your Mac, and nothing leaves your computer.
For creative users working with photos, Fenn’s ability to search inside images and screenshots by text or objects can save even more time.
Ready for a Better Way to Search?
Stop wasting time with slow or broken searches. Try Fenn on your external drives and see how much easier your workflow becomes.