Dolphin Search not working at all

[tnt]

Hi all,

First off, let me gripe about the forum search function… Searching for the term “search” itself returns everything! Might as well not have searched at all. Anyway, I searched for “dolphin search” and got completely irrelevant results, so I am making a new topic, because I could not find an answer or fix for my issue.

The issue:

Using the search input in a Dolphin window does not work.

When entering any search string, the result is always “No items matching the search”. I know that it is frowned upon when proof is submitted in form of screenshots, but it suits the case best so here it goes. The first screenshot shows the actual contents of the directory, and you can see the file names starting with “Connector …”. The second screenshot shows the results of the search for “Connector”. I would have expected the file list to be reduced to all files that contain “connector” in the name, not to nothing. When searching the same folder with KFind, the search works as expected and I get a proper list of files.

I have looked through the options and through the internet, but could not find a fix. Baloo is enabled and running, and my files have been indexed

❯balooctl6 status
Baloo File Indexer is running
Indexer state: Idle
Total files indexed: 978,611
Files waiting for content indexing: 664,764
Files failed to index: 0
Current size of index is 990.07 MiB

I first noticed this issue some time after Garuda switched to Plasma 6. At this point I am unable to tell if the very first kde6 packages had the problem or not…

garuda-inxi:

❯garuda-inxi
System:
Kernel: 6.15.3-zen1-1-zen arch: x86_64 bits: 64 compiler: gcc v: 15.1.1
clocksource: tsc avail: acpi_pm
parameters: BOOT_IMAGE=/@/boot/vmlinuz-linux-zen
root=UUID=276d01a9-c7d6-4478-8f6b-47ae095b2720 rw rootflags=subvol=@
vt.default_red=30,243,166,249,137,245,148,186,88,243,166,249,137,245,148,166
vt.default_grn=30,139,227,226,180,194,226,194,91,139,227,226,180,194,226,173
vt.default_blu=46,168,161,175,250,231,213,222,112,168,161,175,250,231,213,200
rd.luks.uuid=b5e9c898-58a5-4f60-b093-6b14e57bd16f
rd.luks.uuid=1aaf648f-45b9-447f-ace8-638b80c270bd
resume=/dev/mapper/luks-1aaf648f-45b9-447f-ace8-638b80c270bd loglevel=3
ibt=off
Desktop: KDE Plasma v: 6.4.1 tk: Qt v: N/A info: frameworks v: 6.15.0
wm: kwin_wayland vt: 1 dm: SDDM Distro: Garuda base: Arch Linux
Machine:
Type: Laptop System: Dell product: XPS 15 7590 v: N/A
serial: <superuser required> Chassis: type: 10 serial: <superuser required>
Mobo: Dell model: 0T8KGX v: A00 serial: <superuser required> part-nu: 0905
uuid: <superuser required> UEFI: Dell v: 1.36.0 date: 03/05/2025
Battery:
ID-1: BAT0 charge: 97.0 Wh (100.0%) condition: 97.0/97.0 Wh (100.0%)
volts: 12.4 min: 11.4 model: LGC-LGC3.67 DELL T453X type: Li-ion
serial: <filter> status: full
Device-1: hid-0003:256F:C652.001D-battery model: 3Dconnexion Universal
Receiver serial: N/A charge: N/A status: N/A
Device-2: hidpp_battery_1 model: Logitech MX Ergo Multi-Device Trackball
serial: <filter> charge: 100% (should be ignored) rechargeable: yes
status: discharging
CPU:
Info: model: Intel Core i9-9980HK bits: 64 type: MT MCP arch: Coffee Lake
gen: core 9 level: v3 note: check built: 2018 process: Intel 14nm family: 6
model-id: 0x9E (158) stepping: 0xD (13) microcode: 0x104
Topology: cpus: 1x dies: 1 clusters: 8 cores: 8 threads: 16 tpc: 2
smt: enabled cache: L1: 512 KiB desc: d-8x32 KiB; i-8x32 KiB L2: 2 MiB
desc: 8x256 KiB L3: 16 MiB desc: 1x16 MiB
Speed (MHz): avg: 3400 min/max: 800/5000 scaling: driver: intel_pstate
governor: powersave cores: 1: 3400 2: 3400 3: 3400 4: 3400 5: 3400 6: 3400
7: 3400 8: 3400 9: 3400 10: 3400 11: 3400 12: 3400 13: 3400 14: 3400
15: 3400 16: 3400 bogomips: 76800
Flags: avx avx2 ht lm nx pae sse sse2 sse3 sse4_1 sse4_2 ssse3 vmx
Vulnerabilities: <filter>
Graphics:
Device-1: Intel CoffeeLake-H GT2 [UHD Graphics 630] vendor: Dell
driver: i915 v: kernel arch: Gen-9.5 process: Intel 14nm built: 2016-20
ports: active: DP-4,DP-5 off: eDP-1 empty: DP-1, DP-2, DP-3, DP-6
bus-ID: 00:02.0 chip-ID: 8086:3e9b class-ID: 0300
Device-2: NVIDIA TU117M [GeForce GTX 1650 Mobile / Max-Q] vendor: Dell
driver: nvidia v: 575.64 alternate: nouveau,nvidia_drm non-free: 550-570.xx+
status: current (as of 2025-04; EOL~2026-12-xx) arch: Turing code: TUxxx
process: TSMC 12nm FF built: 2018-2022 pcie: gen: 1 speed: 2.5 GT/s
lanes: 16 link-max: gen: 3 speed: 8 GT/s bus-ID: 01:00.0
chip-ID: 10de:1f91 class-ID: 0302
Device-3: Microdia Integrated_Webcam_HD driver: uvcvideo type: USB
rev: 2.0 speed: 480 Mb/s lanes: 1 mode: 2.0 bus-ID: 1-12:4
chip-ID: 0c45:6723 class-ID: 0e02
Device-4: Sunplus Innovation NexiGo N930AF FHD Webcam
driver: snd-usb-audio,uvcvideo type: USB rev: 2.0 speed: 480 Mb/s lanes: 1
mode: 2.0 bus-ID: 3-2.3.3.3:15 chip-ID: 1bcf:2283 class-ID: 0102
serial: <filter>
Display: wayland server: X.org v: 1.21.1.18 with: Xwayland v: 24.1.8
compositor: kwin_wayland driver: X: loaded: modesetting,nvidia
unloaded: nouveau alternate: fbdev,intel,nv,vesa dri: iris gpu: i915
display-ID: 0
Monitor-1: DP-4 model: LG (GoldStar) HDR 4K serial: <filter> built: 2019
res: mode: 2560x1440 hz: 60 scale: 100% (1) dpi: 163 gamma: 1.2
size: 600x340mm (23.62x13.39") diag: 690mm (27.2") ratio: 16:9 modes:
max: 3840x2160 min: 640x480
Monitor-2: DP-5 model: LG (GoldStar) HDR 4K serial: <filter> built: 2019
res: mode: 2560x1440 hz: 60 scale: 100% (1) dpi: 163 gamma: 1.2
size: 600x340mm (23.62x13.39") diag: 690mm (27.2") ratio: 16:9 modes:
max: 3840x2160 min: 640x480
Monitor-3: eDP-1 model: Sharp 0x14b9 built: 2019 res: 3840x2160 dpi: 284
gamma: 1.2 size: 344x194mm (13.54x7.64") diag: 395mm (15.5") ratio: 16:9
modes: 3840x2160
API: EGL v: 1.5 hw: drv: intel iris drv: nvidia platforms: device: 0
drv: nvidia device: 1 drv: iris device: 3 drv: swrast gbm: drv: iris
surfaceless: drv: nvidia wayland: drv: iris x11: drv: iris
inactive: device-2
API: OpenGL v: 4.6.0 compat-v: 4.5 vendor: intel mesa v: 25.1.4-arch1.1
glx-v: 1.4 direct-render: yes renderer: Mesa Intel UHD Graphics 630 (CFL
GT2) device-ID: 8086:3e9b memory: 30.25 GiB unified: yes display-ID: :1.0
API: Vulkan v: 1.4.313 layers: 7 device: 0 type: integrated-gpu name: Intel
UHD Graphics 630 (CFL GT2) driver: mesa intel v: 25.1.4-arch1.1
device-ID: 8086:3e9b surfaces: N/A device: 1 type: discrete-gpu
name: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 driver: nvidia v: 575.64
device-ID: 10de:1f91 surfaces: N/A device: 2 type: cpu name: llvmpipe
(LLVM 20.1.6 256 bits) driver: mesa llvmpipe v: 25.1.4-arch1.1 (LLVM
20.1.6) device-ID: 10005:0000 surfaces: N/A
Info: Tools: api: clinfo, eglinfo, glxinfo, vulkaninfo
de: kscreen-console,kscreen-doctor gpu: nvidia-settings,nvidia-smi
wl: wayland-info x11: xdpyinfo, xprop, xrandr
Audio:
Device-1: Intel Cannon Lake PCH cAVS vendor: Dell driver: snd_hda_intel
v: kernel alternate: snd_soc_avs,snd_sof_pci_intel_cnl bus-ID: 00:1f.3
chip-ID: 8086:a348 class-ID: 0403
Device-2: Sunplus Innovation NexiGo N930AF FHD Webcam
driver: snd-usb-audio,uvcvideo type: USB rev: 2.0 speed: 480 Mb/s lanes: 1
mode: 2.0 bus-ID: 3-2.3.3.3:15 chip-ID: 1bcf:2283 class-ID: 0102
serial: <filter>
Device-3: Realtek USB Audio driver: snd-usb-audio type: USB rev: 2.0
speed: 480 Mb/s lanes: 1 mode: 2.0 bus-ID: 3-2.3.4:10 chip-ID: 0bda:402e
class-ID: 0102 serial: <filter>
API: ALSA v: k6.15.3-zen1-1-zen status: kernel-api tools: N/A
Server-1: PipeWire v: 1.4.5 status: active with: 1: pipewire-pulse
status: active 2: wireplumber status: active 3: pipewire-alsa type: plugin
4: pw-jack type: plugin tools: pactl,pw-cat,pw-cli,wpctl
Network:
Device-1: Intel Wi-Fi 6E AX210/AX1675 2x2 [Typhoon Peak] driver: iwlwifi
v: kernel pcie: gen: 2 speed: 5 GT/s lanes: 1 bus-ID: 3b:00.0
chip-ID: 8086:2725 class-ID: 0280
IF: wlp59s0 state: down mac: <filter>
Device-2: Realtek RTL8153 Gigabit Ethernet Adapter driver: r8152 type: USB
rev: 3.0 speed: 5 Gb/s lanes: 1 mode: 3.2 gen-1x1 bus-ID: 4-2.4:4
chip-ID: 0bda:8153 class-ID: 0000 serial: <filter>
IF: enp7s0u2u4 state: up speed: 1000 Mbps duplex: full mac: <filter>
Info: services: NetworkManager, smbd, sshd, systemd-timesyncd
Bluetooth:
Device-1: Intel AX210 Bluetooth driver: btusb v: 0.8 type: USB rev: 2.0
speed: 12 Mb/s lanes: 1 mode: 1.1 bus-ID: 1-4:2 chip-ID: 8087:0032
class-ID: e001
Report: btmgmt ID: hci0 rfk-id: 0 state: up address: N/A
Drives:
Local Storage: total: 1.82 TiB used: 929.01 GiB (49.9%)
SMART Message: Unable to run smartctl. Root privileges required.
ID-1: /dev/nvme0n1 maj-min: 259:0 vendor: Samsung
model: SSD 970 EVO Plus 2TB size: 1.82 TiB block-size: physical: 512 B
logical: 512 B speed: 31.6 Gb/s lanes: 4 tech: SSD serial: <filter>
fw-rev: 2B2QEXM7 temp: 44.9 C scheme: GPT
Partition:
ID-1: / raw-size: 1.79 TiB size: 1.79 TiB (100.00%) used: 928.99 GiB (50.8%)
fs: btrfs block-size: 4096 B dev: /dev/dm-0 maj-min: 253:0
mapped: luks-b5e9c898-58a5-4f60-b093-6b14e57bd16f
ID-2: /boot/efi raw-size: 300 MiB size: 299.4 MiB (99.80%)
used: 19.1 MiB (6.4%) fs: vfat block-size: 512 B dev: /dev/nvme0n1p1
maj-min: 259:1
ID-3: /home raw-size: 1.79 TiB size: 1.79 TiB (100.00%)
used: 928.99 GiB (50.8%) fs: btrfs block-size: 4096 B dev: /dev/dm-0
maj-min: 253:0 mapped: luks-b5e9c898-58a5-4f60-b093-6b14e57bd16f
ID-4: /var/log raw-size: 1.79 TiB size: 1.79 TiB (100.00%)
used: 928.99 GiB (50.8%) fs: btrfs block-size: 4096 B dev: /dev/dm-0
maj-min: 253:0 mapped: luks-b5e9c898-58a5-4f60-b093-6b14e57bd16f
ID-5: /var/tmp raw-size: 1.79 TiB size: 1.79 TiB (100.00%)
used: 928.99 GiB (50.8%) fs: btrfs block-size: 4096 B dev: /dev/dm-0
maj-min: 253:0 mapped: luks-b5e9c898-58a5-4f60-b093-6b14e57bd16f
Swap:
Kernel: swappiness: 133 (default 60) cache-pressure: 100 (default) zswap: no
ID-1: swap-1 type: partition size: 34.09 GiB used: 0 KiB (0.0%)
priority: -2 dev: /dev/dm-1 maj-min: 253:1
mapped: luks-1aaf648f-45b9-447f-ace8-638b80c270bd
ID-2: swap-2 type: zram size: 30.98 GiB used: 4.46 GiB (14.4%)
priority: 100 comp: zstd avail: lzo-rle,lzo,lz4,lz4hc,deflate,842
dev: /dev/zram0
Sensors:
System Temperatures: cpu: 97.0 C mobo: 53.0 C
Fan Speeds (rpm): cpu: 5292 mobo: 5292
Info:
Memory: total: 32 GiB note: est. available: 30.98 GiB
used: 10.25 GiB (33.1%)
Processes: 437 Power: uptime: 12d 7h 27m states: freeze,mem,disk
suspend: s2idle avail: deep wakeups: 2 hibernate: platform avail: shutdown,
reboot, suspend, test_resume image: 12.3 GiB services: org_kde_powerdevil,
power-profiles-daemon, upowerd Init: systemd v: 257 default: graphical
tool: systemctl
Packages: pm: pacman pkgs: 2143 libs: 460 tools: octopi,paru Compilers:
clang: 20.1.6 gcc: 15.1.1 Shell: garuda-inxi default: Zsh v: 5.9
running-in: konsole inxi: 3.3.38
Garuda (2.7.2-1):
System install date:     2024-03-07
Last full system update: 2025-06-25
Is partially upgraded:   No
Relevant software:       snapper NetworkManager dracut nvidia-dkms
Windows dual boot:       No/Undetected
Failed units:

I really miss being able to search directly in Dolphin and would be very, very, extremely, tremendously happy, if this can somehow be resolved.

Thanks in advance!

Regards,

TNT

[haakoth]

Your first search assumes wildcard matches, so it specifically searches for exact matches of what you typed *Connector*, if you remove the * on both ends it will find all matches. As you noticed, the second does not assume anything, and honors the wildcard (*) in your search input.

I have ideas, but no proof on why they function differently, but would say that would be a question for the KDE devs if you wanted the “why” and/or think this is a bug.

[elite]

type / when dolphin is open it will open a box near the bottom type your search word. note it will only search the folder you are in. Why its like this that’s a question for kde. One I asked meany years ago too.

As for the forum search, How to Seach for a Topic on Garuda Discourse Forum I wrote this up cause yeah it bugs me to.

[tbg]

Hi there @tnt.

Obviously not a proper fix, but try installing kfind, (if you don’t already have kfind installed). KFind has better search options than Dolphins inbuilt search function IMO. KFind can be set to appear as another search option in Dolphin, so it’s a little more seamless than a separate external search app, (especially a GTK search utility).

Just a thought, (if you’d rather not, then that’s your prerogative).

Good luck finding your fix.

[tnt]

Unfortunately, your statement about the wildcard matches is incorrect. Even without that, nothing is found. This is the point I was trying to make, no matter what I type, as soon as I enter any search term, the result is “nothing matches the search criteria”.

[tnt]

This filter is an excellent fix when I only care to find a file with a certain name in the current directory - this is what I need it for mostly and I am very thankful for the suggestion.

But I also have a huge collection of professional literature and magazines in pdf and ebook format. This filter does not search contents, and the dolphin search used to be kfind backed which also searched contents… I am aware that I can always start KFind and search there, but I miss the convenience of doing it directly in the file browser.

Thank you again for the workaround!

[tnt]

@tbg

Thank you for the suggestion. My initial post also includes a screenshot from KFind as proof that it can search through my files and the problem was with Dolphin search itself, not with the lack of stuff to be found.

As to your mentioning setting KFind as search backend, I have looked through the settings of Dolphin and also in System Settings, but failed to find this option. KFind itself did not have any menus, at least I couldn’t open any (Ctrl+Shift+M did not open a menu bar…). Can you point me to the correct location for this setting please? Thanks!

[tbg]

@tnt

I am aware that I can always start KFind and search there, but I miss the convenience of doing it directly in the file browser.

You can add a kfind button to your dolphin toolbar (look closly in my screenshot), that was what I was meaning when I stated:

@tbg

KFind can be set to appear as another search option in Dolphin, so it’s a little more seamless than a separate external search app, (especially a GTK search utility).

Do you have “File names and contents” indexing enabled?

See my screenshot of the KDE System Settings:

Have you tried re-indexing Baloo?