Spotlight constantly disappears from the toolbar

On macOS 27 Golden Gate, if Siri is turned on then the Spotlight item in the Menu Bar is replaced by the Siri AI icon.

Clicking on that item has the same functionality as the Spotlight icon, it's just not an hourglass any more.

Personally, I have Siri turned OFF and I still see the old Spotlight magnifying glass.

More info from Apple:

Siri AI: Learn about what’s on your Mac screen - Apple Support

Get started with Siri AI on Mac - Apple Support

If you want to turn Siri off

• Open System Settings
• Click on Siri
• Turn it OFF
• The Spotlight icon will replace the Siri icon in the menu bar

More info from Apple: Siri settings on Mac - Apple Support

This is happening to me, too, on Golden Gate 27.2, and it is unrelated to Siri. When the Mac boots up, the Spotlight icon is displayed in the menu bar. But upon using the icon to search, it then immediately disappears. The only way to bring it back is to either reboot or toggle Spotlight off and then on again under System Settings > Menu Bar.

The original statement is ambiguous, particularly because “toolbar” can refer to several different areas of the macOS interface. 

The user should clarify what the user means before recommending troubleshooting steps.

Could you clarify what you mean by “Spotlight disappears from the toolbar” on macOS Golden Gate 27.2?

Specifically, which of the following are you referring to?

• Menu bar: The Spotlight magnifying-glass icon at the top of the screen, near the clock and other system icons.
• Finder toolbar: The toolbar at the top of a Finder window.
• Dock: The row of app icons, usually at the bottom of the screen.
• Spotlight search window: The search box or window that appears when you press Command–Space.
• Another toolbar or location: Somewhere else in macOS or within a particular application.

Also, when you say it “disappears,” do you mean the icon vanishes completely, moves out of view, becomes hidden, or stops responding?

Knowing exactly where the icon appears and what happens when it disappears will help us identify the appropriate solution.

This clarification avoids assuming that the issue is with the menu bar when the user may mean an entirely different interface element.

Spotlight is no longer showing on my menu bar. I have a MacBoook Pro 14 inch running Golden Gate 27.2 Help!! I need spotlight. I"m sure other icons are not showing too, but cannot remember what was up there.