> 1) By default, every word (each character, actually) you input into Spotlight/Siri gets time-stamped and sent to `smoot.apple.com`

Huh? How do you expect Apple to show live search results if they don't send what you're typing to their servers?

> 2) Even with a Pi-Hole blocking *.apple.com (i.e. using MacOS >> Networking >> DNS Server), on boot all modern Apple Silicon reaches out to security.apple.com (i.e. bypassing the user's manual-input DNS setting), using the DHCP-issued DNS IP [0]

From a quick google search, it seems to be if you enable "Find my" or pass word recovery with an Apple account. I think that's reasonable to expect if you enable these features.

▲

gambiting 3 hours ago | parent [-]

>>Huh? How do you expect Apple to show live search results if they don't send what you're typing to their servers?

I don't want spotlight to show any online results in the first place, is there anyone here who does?

▲

jmb99 2 hours ago | parent [-]

Settings -> Spotlight -> Turn off everything you don't want. The first few times you open it it even tells you this.

Admittedly I haven't confirmed that this results in no API calls in the latest few macOS releases but it definitely used to stop them, at least a few years ago.

▲

m463 34 minutes ago | parent [-]

you realize this is very laborious. every time you install a new app - or sometimes when you update an app - you have to do it again.

also, search for "improve" in settings. I'll bet you didn't find "Help Apple Improve Search" in the results. Ironic on many levels.

	▲	saimiam a minute ago \| parent [-]
		More laborious than installing piholes and managing DNS?