Local AI Search
Remember what is in a file but not what it is called? AI Search in AnySearch 3.2 helps you find related photos, screenshots, PDFs, documents, ebooks and video moments from your description.
Get started
- On an Apple silicon Mac, click ✦ AI beside the search field or press ⇧⌘I to switch to AI Search.
- Complete the initial download and choose the folders you want to search. Manage them later in Settings → AI Search.
- Let AnySearch prepare your chosen folders. Start with a photo or document folder you use often; larger collections take longer to prepare the first time.
- Describe what you are looking for, then narrow results by type or preview a match.
No extra account or service setup is needed. After the initial download, AI Search works offline.
What can you search for?
| What you remember | A description to try |
|---|---|
| A scene in a photo | A dog on the beach |
| A message in a screenshot | Payment declined error |
| A topic in a document | The clause about pets in the lease |
| A passage in a book | A chapter about time management |
| A moment in a video | A zebra in a video |
There is no fixed wording to learn. Describe the scene, message or topic you remember in your own words.
Preview and open results
Select a result to preview its contents alongside the list and see matching document pages or video moments. Narrow results by file type, use Quick Look to check a file, then open it or reveal it in Finder.
You can search files that are already prepared while the rest are being processed. If something is missing, wait for preparation to finish or check that its folder is included.
Optional code search
To find code by describing what it does, add code folders separately in Settings → AI Search. Code search is kept separate from everyday file contents and is used only when you choose it.
Privacy and requirements
- You choose the folders: manage which locations AI Search can read at any time.
- Everything stays on your Mac: file contents and searches are not uploaded.
- Offline after download: the first download needs an internet connection; preparation and search of your chosen local files can then work offline.
- AI Search requires Apple silicon: regular filename search still works on Intel Macs.
Looking for specific words inside a file? You can also use Content Search. See What’s New for more version updates.