Hide: sudo chmod 600 /System/Library/CoreServices/Search.bundle/Contents/MacOS/Search killall SystemUIServer Show it again: sudo chmod 755 /System/Library/CoreServices/Search.bundle/Contents/MacOS/Search killall SystemUIServer To disable spotlight only instead, without removing it from the top menu: sudo launchctl unload -w /System/Library/LaunchDaemons/com.apple.metadata.mds.plist To enable it again: sudo launchctl load -w /System/Library/LaunchDaemons/com.apple.metadata.mds.plist