Searchibald

AI Summary

Searchibald is an AI-powered semantic search tool that works entirely offline, keeping all data local for privacy. It allows users to search documents based on meaning rather than keywords, supporting various file formats, including Office documents including OneNote, PDFs, and images with text (OCR).

Why Searchibald?

What Is Semantic Search?

Semantic search understands what you mean. You can ask natural language queries like:

• "Where is my travel itinerary?"
• "Show me my meeting notes from last month."
• "Find the contract mentioning renewal in September."

How It Works

Searchibald scans and indexes the files in your selected folders. You type your search in natural language, and it returns a list of relevant files with the text snippet that matched. The app only reads files in supported formats (such as PDFs, Office documents, text files, or images with text) and never modifies them. It keeps search-related information in its own private local storage. When you select a file from the results, the app asks Windows to open it with your default program (for example, Edge for PDFs or Word for DOCX files). All processing happens locally—no files are sent over the internet.

How to Start Using the Searchibald

When you first open Searchibald, your library will be empty. To begin searching your documents, you’ll need to add one or more folders to your library.

Adding Folders to Your Library

1. Open the Manage Library tab: On the left side of the app, click Manage Library. This opens the section where you control which folders are searchable.
2. Click “Add Folder”: At the top of the Manage Library screen, click the Add Folder button. A system window will open where you can select folders from your computer.
3. Choose folders to scan: Once selected, folders will be added to your library and scanning will begin. This may be resource-intensive but completes faster by using your computer’s full performance during the scan.
4. Pause or cancel anytime: You can stop the scan whenever needed.
5. Resume scanning: To resume scanning a folder, simply select it again using the Add Folder button. The app will skip files already scanned and unchanged, and continue with new or updated files.

This gives you full control over what content is included in your private, searchable library.

Screenshots & Demo

Semantic Search in Action

Smart Search lets you search your files by meaning, not just keywords. Instead of remembering exact filenames or phrases, you can describe what you're looking for in natural language—like you would ask a person.

For example, you can type:

• “Find my notes about summer travel plans”
• “Show emails or OneNote pages that mention project deadlines”
• “Where’s that PDF about insurance renewal?”
• “Do I have any scanned images or screenshots with the word prescription?”

Behind the scenes, the app intelligently analyzes and connects the meaning of your query with content inside:

• OneNote notebooks (including handwritten or typed notes)
• Office documents like Word, Excel, and PowerPoint
• Text files
• PDFs
• Images containing text

Results are displayed with helpful previews showing snippets of matching content, the file name, and where it was found.

Results are displayed with helpful previews showing snippets of matching content, the file name, and where it was found.

Everything works completely offline and locally—keeping your documents secure while AI helps you find what you need faster.

Manage your Library

The library is your personal collection of folders and OneNote notebooks that you want to include in your searches. You have full control over what content is searchable.

Easily add or remove folders and OneNote notebooks with just a few clicks. Whether you're working on a specific project, organizing personal files, or managing work documents, you can tailor your library to suit your needs.

Key features of library management include:

• Add Folders: Select any folder on your computer to include its contents in your search library. Subfolders are automatically included.
• Remove Folders: Exclude folders you no longer want to search, keeping your library focused and relevant.
• OneNote Integration: Seamlessly add OneNote notebooks to your library, including handwritten notes, typed text, and embedded images.
• Real-Time Updates: Changes to your library are reflected immediately, ensuring your searches always include the latest content.
• Offline by Design: Your library stays on your device, and nothing is sent to the cloud.

With these tools, you can create a personalized knowledge base that adapts to your workflow, making it easier than ever to find the information you need.

Understanding the Search Results

Searchibald uses semantic search to find documents that match the meaning of your query. Because semantic search looks for conceptual relevance rather than just exact words, you may receive a long list of files.

The most relevant files are shown at the top of the list. As you move down the list, the results may become less precise. Some of the files near the end might not appear relevant at first glance — this is expected behavior with semantic search.

It is up to you to decide which results are useful. Just like with traditional search engines (for example, Google), not every result will be a perfect match — but the most relevant ones will usually be near the top.