DigUp Guide Fan-made
EN

DigUp: Local AI File Search for Mac, Windows and Linux

DigUp is a free, open-source desktop search app that uses Google DeepMind's EmbeddingGemma 2 model to find pictures, PDFs, documents, audio, video and code on your computer by meaning and exact words.

Last updated · DigUp 0.6.1 for Mac, 0.7.0-beta.1 (beta) for Windows and Linux

The file comes directly from DigUp's GitHub Releases page.

DigUp's demo, from its README on GitHub (MIT License)

This independent, fan-made guide explains how to install and use DigUp. You pick the folders to index, and DigUp reads the files inside them on your computer so you can search in your own words with local AI file search.

What you can find

DigUp combines meaning search with exact-word matching for invoice numbers, error codes and names, including text inside screenshots on a Mac. From the README examples:

  • Type “zebra in a video” to open the clip at the moment the zebra shows up.
  • Type “where they talk about sleep” to jump to that minute of a podcast.
  • Type “the clause about pets in the lease” to open the matching PDF page.

You can also enable optional code search to locate functions and definitions with code: queries. See how to use DigUp for shortcuts and previews, or check troubleshooting if you run into setup issues.

Supported systems

Get DigUp for Mac if you have an Apple Silicon Mac running macOS 14 or later (Intel Macs are not supported). The Windows and Linux version is a beta (0.7.0-beta.1) for 64-bit Windows 10 or 11 and 64-bit Intel and AMD Linux (Ubuntu 22.04, Debian 12, Mint 21 and newer); see DigUp for Windows and DigUp for Linux.

Privacy and model

On first launch, DigUp downloads the 865 MB model once while you choose which folders to index. Nothing you index leaves your computer, and there is no account and no telemetry. DigUp goes online only for that one-time model download and a once-a-day update check, which sends nothing about your files and can be turned off in Settings. Read more about EmbeddingGemma 2.

Questions

Does DigUp upload my files to the cloud?

No. Nothing you index leaves your computer, and DigUp never changes, moves or uploads your files. It goes online only to download the 865 MB model once and to check for updates once a day, which you can turn off.

Which Macs can run DigUp?

DigUp requires an Apple Silicon Mac with macOS 14 or later. Intel Macs are not supported.

Does DigUp work on Windows and Linux?

Yes, a beta version (0.7.0-beta.1) is available for 64-bit Windows 10 or 11 and for 64-bit Intel and AMD Linux distributions including Ubuntu 22.04, Debian 12 and Mint 21 and newer. On Windows and Linux, text inside screenshots is not read yet, and old Word .doc files, RAW photos and SVG pictures are only read on a Mac.

Why does DigUp download 865 MB on first launch?

The 865 MB download is the EmbeddingGemma 2 model, made up of the 310 MB text part and 555 MB for the image and audio encoders. It downloads once while you select your folders.

How is DigUp different from Spotlight or Windows Search?

Spotlight and Windows Search find files by their names, text and metadata. DigUp also finds files by what they show or say, and opens PDFs at the matching page or audio and video at the matching moment.