Semantic File Search for Your Desktop
Stop hunting through folders by filename. Search your files by what they actually contain — across images, PDFs, documents, presentations, and spreadsheets — without sending anything to the cloud.
What is semantic file search?
Regular desktop search looks for your exact words in filenames and metadata. If you named the file "meeting_notes_june.pdf" it is easy to find. If you named it "random_draft_v2.pdf" — it is effectively invisible, even though the content is right there on your drive. For a broader product overview, see how LocalSpider works as desktop search for local files.
Semantic file search works differently. It looks at what a file contains and matches your query to the meaning and context of that content. You type "project proposal for the retail client" and the right presentation surfaces — regardless of what it was named when it was saved.
The difference is the gap between searching for a word and searching for an idea.
Why filename-based search falls short
Most desktop search tools were built for a world where people named files carefully and consistently. That world does not exist for most of us.
PDFs with generic names
Download a report and it lands as "Document (17).pdf". No filename search will help you find it next month, even if the content is exactly what you need.
Unlabelled screenshots
Screenshots are named by date and time, not by what is in them. Finding a specific screenshot means opening each one manually until you spot the right one.
Spreadsheets remembered by content
You remember it had a budget breakdown. You do not remember it was called "Q4_final_v3_USE_THIS_ONE.xlsx" buried in last year's project folder.
Presentations from past projects
Old slide decks live in folders named by date, client code, or project abbreviation. The topic is what you remember — not the folder path or the filename.
How LocalSpider brings semantic search to your desktop
LocalSpider indexes the content of your files directly on your computer. It builds a local understanding of what each file contains — not just its name or extension. This local file search approach keeps the index on your device, with no data leaving your machine.
When you search, your query is matched against that stored understanding. A search for "invoice from the Berlin trip" can surface a PDF, a screenshot, or a spreadsheet that contains relevant content — regardless of what any of them are called.
Supported file types
-
Images JPG, PNG, WEBP, GIF, HEIC, SVG — searched by what is visually inside them, not just the filename or EXIF data
-
PDFs Contracts, reports, invoices, forms — searched by their full text content regardless of what they are called
-
Documents DOCX, TXT, MD, RTF — notes, drafts, meeting notes, and longer writing
-
Spreadsheets XLSX, CSV, ODS, TSV — searched by the data, labels, and text they contain
-
Presentations PPTX, KEY, ODP — searched by slide content and speaker notes
Private by design
Semantic search does not require the cloud. LocalSpider processes everything on your device, and that is where it stays.
Indexed on your machine
All indexing runs locally on your computer. No file content is ever transmitted to a server during indexing or search — it all happens on your device.
Works offline
Once indexed, search works without an internet connection. Your files are searchable wherever you are, even without Wi-Fi.
No telemetry
LocalSpider does not collect data about which files you search for or what queries you run. What you search is your business, not ours.
Try semantic file search on your own files
LocalSpider is in early access. Join the waitlist to get notified when it launches and receive a discounted early-access price.
Frequently asked questions
Common questions about semantic file search and LocalSpider.